Issue  10    8  

 

 

 

   

May 2013  

     

    MRHI  UPCOMING  EVENTS              

 

Spring is the most exciting time for bird watching. Many birds are passing through the area while others are settling in for nesting, making it the perfect time to view a variety of birds. Saturday, May 18th is Migratory Bird Day, and MRHI will be hosting a walking tour along the Limber Grove Trail in Alma. The tour will be led by Kristen Meyer, Wildlife Biologist, and will focus on the life cycles of a migratory bird, including nesting, breeding, migration, and wintering. Each bird seen along the way will be identified and discussed, making this the perfect event for families and the beginning bird watcher! Meet at the Horseshoe Campground trailhead on the Limber Grove Trail at 10 am; the tour should last about two hours.

MRHI has extended the deadline for our annual photo contest—if you haven’t submitted your photos yet, make sure to send them to calendar@mrhi.org, or mail a CD to PO Box 375, Alma CO 80420, no later than May 10th! Please include title of the photo, location of the photo, your name, address and phone number. Winners will have their photos published in the 2014 MRHI calendar, as well as receive a MRHI membership, a free calendar and a special gift. For more details on contest guidelines, please visit the MRHI website.

MRHI to Hold Annual Meeting Are you interested in getting more involved with your community? Please join the Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative at our Annual Meeting on Friday, May 17th at the Mountain Comfort Bed & Breakfast on Highway 9 in Alma. Join us at 5:30 pm for the meeting, and stay for the reception from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. MRHI will be re-appointing and recruiting board members, as well as announcing the winners of the 2014 calendar photo contest. Come sign up for summer volunteer work, and find out about our new Waterboxx research and our Rare Alpine Plant Project, which is entering its third summer. Learn about MRHI’s accomplishments over the last year, and our goals for the coming year. We hope to see you there!

South Park National Heritage Area Events SPNHA will host two events this month: an historic walking tour of Alma, and a countywide “This Place Matters” photo contest. The Alma Walking Tour will meet at Alma Town Hall at 10 am on Saturday, May 18th, and will unveil the new walking tour phone app. Refreshments, door prizes, and a small gift will be provided to participants. For more information, visit http://parkco.us/index.aspx?nid=509. “This Place Matters” is a nationwide preservation movement intended to highlight significant historic areas. Submit a photo of yourself in a place that you consider historically important with a “This Place Matters” sign to the Office of Historic Preservation by May 31st. Submissions will be entered in a random prize drawing; winners will be announced on June 10th. For submission information and to download a “This Place Matters” sign, visit http://parkco.us/index.aspx?nid=474  

 

The  

MRHI  Brief  Our  Mission:    “The  Mosquito  Range  

Heritage  Initiative,  through  cooperative  efforts,  seeks  to  conserve  

unique  natural  areas,  preserve  historic  &  cultural  sites,  promote  diverse  recreation  and  develop  

community  business  opportunities.”  

Join MRHI for Migratory Bird Day

Photo Contest Date Extended

Photo  courtesy  of  Cara  Doyle  

Photo  courtesy  of  Dave  Herr  

           THE  MRHI  BRIEF  |  Issue  10     2  

 

 

   

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                     

         

       

               

   

   

CONTACT  US:  

Mosquito  Range  Heritage  Initiative  PO  BOX  375  Alma,  CO  80420  719.836.0964  info@mrhi.org  www.mrhi.org  

MRHI  to  Participate  in  Waterboxx  Project  

Support  MRHI,  become  a  Member!  To  become  a  MRHI  member,   you   can  either   visit   our  website   at  www.mrhi.org  or  request  a  membership   slip  and  mail   it  back   to  us  at  PO  BOX  375  Alma,  CO  80420.  Thank  you  for  your  support!    Membership  levels:  Basic  -­‐  $25;  Family  -­‐  $60;  Youth  -­‐  $10;  Business  -­‐  $100;  Corporate  -­‐  $250.  

We are excited to announce that MRHI will be participating in the second phase of a unique research opportunity that will test the efficiency of the Groasis Waterboxx. The Waterboxx was developed by Pieter Hoff of AquaPro Holland, and is designed as an “intelligent water incubator” that takes water from the air via condensation and rain and stores the water in the Waterboxx. The design of the Waterboxx allows efficient irrigation without using energy in climates that are typically difficult growing environments. MRHI will be collaborating with the Forest Service, the Western Hardrock Watershed Team (WHWT), the Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT), and the Park County School District RE2 to implement this project in mid to late May. With the help of students from the Park County School, MRHI will plant 40 native trees on the school grounds, 20 of which will be planted with the Waterboxx. The students will assist with monitoring and research over the next year as we determine the effectiveness of the Waterboxx in our high alpine climate. MRHI will receive a $1000 award for successfully participating in the project. For more information on the Waterboxx, please visit the Groasis website at http://www.groasis.com/en.

MRHI Hosts Growing Up WILD Workshop Growing Up WILD is an early childhood education program that encourages kids to explore wildlife and the outdoors. MRHI hosted a training event on Friday, May 3rd for preschool teachers all over Park County. The training demonstrated various crafts and activities offered by the Growing up WILD program, and discussed the importance of teaching young children about sustainability and the outdoors. MRHI will sponsor several Growing Up WILD events for children and families throughout the summer: “It’s a Bug’s World! ‘In a Grasshopper’s World’ and ‘Spider Web Wonders’” on June 29th, 9:30 am—12 pm at the Alma Town Hall; “What’s that Wiggling? ‘Wiggling Worms’ and ‘Fishing Fun’” on August 10th, 9:30 am—12 pm at the Alma Town Hall; and “Let’s Go On Safari! ‘Wildlife Water Safari’ and ‘Show Me the Energy’”, date to be determined. Email Cara Doyle, info@mrhi.org for more information.  

 

For the second consecutive year, MRHI has been granted an AmeriCorps OSM/VISTA (Office of Surface Mining/Volunteer in Service to America) through the Western Hardrock Watershed Team to assist with promoting heritage tourism, local capacity building, and supporting watershed research. Previous VISTA Beth Nielson is now working with Coalition for the Upper South Platte in Lake George, CO. Taking her place is Sara Edinberg, who comes to MRHI from Steamboat Springs, CO. Sara earned a BS in Environmental Geology and a minor in Watershed Science from Colorado State University. She enjoys skiing, hiking, and rock hounding, and is very excited to work and live in such a beautiful part of Colorado. If you would like to contact Sara, you can email her at vista@mrhi.org.  

New AmeriCorps VISTA Appointed

Photo  courtesy  of  Pieter  Hoff,  groasis.com