Two dozen Girl Scouts came to the South Platte River to learn about watersheds — and how to tie a good fly. The post Hooked into river stewardship appeared first on News on TAP.
In 1973, being a black skier was a lonely pursuit. Ski slopes were white-dominated landscapes of intimidation or hostility, and it wasn’t uncommon to encounter overt racism in the lift line. That year, a handful of small ski clubs from around the country decided to band together and hit the slopes as a group. They […]
Lake Powell is expected to get a big water deposit this year — but the decades-long basin drought remains. The post A big spring boost for one of Denver Water’s most important bank accounts appeared first on News on TAP.
Originally published in the Telluride Daily Planet on March 29, 2019. I can tell immediately that the trail conditions will be poor today. As soon as I step out of the car, my boots sink into the ground. It’s saturated from snowmelt. This is going to be muddy. But here I am. I’ve packed the […]
Click here to go to the Resource Central website for all the inside skinny:
The Watershed Summit is rapidly becoming the region’s top event for water industry leaders. Join 250+ water utility executives, business leaders, conservation experts, and other professionals to gain the new insights you need to help position your organization for success.
Watershed Summit 2019 is produced through a collaborative partnership between the Colorado Water Conservation Board, Denver Water, the City of Boulder, Aurora Water, the One World One Water Center, Resource Central, and the Denver Botanic Gardens. Building on the success of the last 4 years, this one-day summit helps you get connected to industry leaders and what works best across the Mountain West.
Standard Registration: $65
We are thrilled to feature a dynamic line-up of experts in the water field who are excited to share their knowledge and join in on the conversation.
Special Guest: Phil Weiser, Attorney General for the State of Colorado
J. J. Ament, CEO, Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation
Ze’ev Barylka, Marketing Director US, Netafim
Cynthia S. Campbell, Water Resources Management Advisor, City of Phoenix
Beorn Courtney, President, Element Water
Lisa Darling, Executive Director, South Metro Water Supply Authority
Carol Ekarius, Executive Director, Coalition for the Upper South Platte
Jorge Figueroa, Chief Innovation Officer, Americas for Conservation
Brent Gardner Smith, Journalist, Aspen Times
Dan Gibbs, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources
Kate Greenberg, Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture, State of Colorado
Jim Havey, Filmmaker, HaveyPro Cinema
Jim Lochhead, CEO/Manager, Denver Water
Peter Marcus, Communications Director, Terrapin Care Station
Fernando Nardi, Professor, Università per Stranieri di Perugia, Italy
Cristina Rulli, Professor, Milan Polytechnic, Italy
Luke Runyon, Reporter, KUNC
Harold Smethills, Founder, Sterling Ranch
Jamie Sudler, Executive Producer, H2O Radio
Weston Toll, Watershed Program Specialist, CO State Forest Service
Chris Treese, External Affairs Manager, Colorado River District
Larry Vickerman, Director, Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms
Scott Winter, Water Conservation Specialist, Colorado Springs Utility
Panel Topics Include:
The Colorado River
Water and Business
Agriculture
Watershed Health
Conservation and Storage
MSU Denver sustainable-systems engineering senior Michael May talks about the atmospheric water capture appliance at Denver Botanic Gardens and how it utilizes two energy methods. Photo by Alyson McClaran
Denver Botanic Gardens via the One World One Water Center at Metropolitan State University at Denver.
Denver Botanic Gardens via Metropolitan State University at Denver
The large and exceptionally smelly Amorphophallus titanum or corpse flower is almost ready to bloom. (Courtesy: Denver Botanic Gardens)
Across the country, the outdoor recreation industry puts millions of people to work and boosts the economy by hundreds of billions of dollars. To cash in on some of that spending, many communities trumpet the recreation opportunities available to visitors, in the hopes that travelers will stay in local hotels, book local tours and dine at local restaurants.
Sources: Headwaters Economics; U.S. Department of Commerce
But do recreation amenities lure new residents — who might bring even more economic benefits — as well as tourists? To find out, Headwaters Economics, a nonprofit research group, looked at where populations have grown or dwindled since 2010. They compared counties where the economy is closely tied to entertainment and seasonal visitors’ spending, or “recreation counties,” to counties with economies driven by other factors.
The number of people who moved to each type of county, and how much money they brought with them, was different at distinct levels of urbanization. Here are some of Headwaters’ results:
Statewide benefits in Montana
The vast majority of Montana’s 1 million residents — 87% — label themselves outdoor enthusiasts. They’re responsible for more than half of the $7.1 billion spent on outdoor activities in the state every year, including rafting or fishing the state’s nearly 170,000 miles of river. Residents and visitors alike are drawn by the natural assets of Big Sky Country: Montana’s booming recreation economy is built around the cornerstone of the 33.8 million acres of public land within its borders.
Even seemingly small recreation areas can have a big impact. The 42-mile Whitefish Trail, sections of which snake around ponds and lakes near the town of Whitefish, contributes $6.4 million to the economy every year. The trail system supports more than one job for every mile of its length, putting residents to work at local businesses like the Whitefish Bike Retreat, where visitors can rent bicycles, spend the night or arrange for a trail shuttle.
Local benefits in North Idaho
Rural Bonner County, in North Idaho, hosts about 660 miles of trails for biking, hiking, riding ATVs and other activities. The area has a robust recreation culture, which in turn supports gear shops, lodging, restaurants and guide services.
Luna Anna Archey is the associate photo editor at High Country News. Email her at lunaarchey@hcn.org
