Plains Conservation Center

The Plains Conservation Center is an outdoor education facility and state-designated natural area in Aurora, Colorado.[1] Its mission is to preserve Colorado's prairies, educate children about Colorado's eco-history, and nurture conservation efforts. The center comprises two sites totaling approximately 8,894 acres (35.99 km2) of land. The main site is located on 1,100 acres (4.5 km2) in Aurora and the second site is south of Strasburg on 7,960 acres (32.2 km2) bisected by West Bijou Creek. The Aurora property is owned by the Aurora Parks, Recreation and Open Space department.[2]

Plains Conservation Center
View of Cheyenne Camp looking east at the Plains Conservation Center
TypeHistory museum and nature preserve
Location21901 E Hampden Av
Aurora, Colorado
Coordinates39.65604°N 104.73700°W / 39.65604; -104.73700
Area1,100 acres (450 ha) in Aurora
Created1949
WebsiteAuroraGov.org

History

The land that is currently part of the Aurora site was once part of the railroad. The city of Denver bought the land in 1933, and the land later became federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. An education center was established in 1949, and in 1969 a group of sod structures were built.[3][4] In 1997 the West Arapahoe Conservation District sold 1,100 acres (4.5 km2) to the City of Aurora; about 500 additional acres (2 km2) were sold for private development,[5] with revenue from the private sale used to buy the West Bijou Creek site in Strasburg.[6]

West Bijou site

The West Bijou site has been identified as an important site for the study of the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs;[7] one source calls it "the most complete single K-T boundary section found in nonmarine rocks".[8] An expansion of the site under the auspices of the Trust for Public Land, along with the addition of a conservation easement to protect the entire property from development, was announced in December 2012.[9] The integrity of the West Bijou site has also been protected by the addition of a conservation easement on adjoining ranch land.[10] In November 2016, the West Bijou Site was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service.[11]

A feature of the site is a herd of wild pronghorn.

Activities

The Aurora site features a historic schoolhouse, blacksmith shop and barn, an heirloom garden and a chicken coop, and a recreated Cheyenne camp with tipis. The Learning Center and library are open to schools and groups. Special seasonal events and education programs are offered through Denver Botanic Gardens.[12]

  • Entrance sign
  • Yurt
  • Sod House
  • Pronghorn
  • Tipi
  • Cheyenne camp looking west
  • Students observe prairie dog colony
  • Students view farm equipment

References
  1. Danilov, Victor J. (June 2000). Colorado museums and historic sites. University Press of Colorado. pp. 40–41. ISBN 9780870815720. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  2. "Plains Conservation Center of Aurora expanding Strasburg site". Denver Post. May 5, 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  3. "Looking in on a plains homestead, just southeast of Denver. (Plains Conservation Center, Aurora, Colorado)", Sunset, May 1, 1990  – via Questia Online Library (subscription required) .
  4. Betsy Lehndorff, "Sod Homes Blend Into Prairie", Rocky Mountain News, October 20, 2001  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required) .
  5. "Aurora Zoning Hearing Tonight", Rocky Mountain News, January 8, 1997 – via HighBeam Research (subscription required) .
  6. "The PCC Story" at Plains Conservation Center official website (accessed 2012-01-13).
  7. Ann Schrader, "Denver team close to solving geologic puzzle", The Denver Post, November 28, 2000.
  8. Douglas J. Nichols, Kirk R. Johnson, Plants and the K-T Boundary (Cambridge University Press, 2008), ISBN 978-0521835756, pp. 123ff. Excerpts available at Google Books.
  9. "Dinosaur Ranch Protected", Trust for Public Land, December 19, 2012.
  10. Joey Bunch, "Keeping a hand on the land: Hasenbalg family of Arapahoe County uses easement as buffer against growth", The Denver Post, July 4, 2007.
  11. "Interior Secretary Jewell Designates New National Natural Landmark" (PDF). National Park Service. November 17, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  12. "Plains Conservation Center". City of Aurora. Retrieved 14 December 2016.

Further reading
  • Stone, Tammy (1997). "An Intensive Archaeological Survey of the Plains Conservation Center, Arapahoe County, Colorado". Western Central High Plains Archaeological Research Project Survey. Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado at Denver.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Zeiner, Helen Marsh (Spring 1976). "Grass Flora of the Plains Conservation Center". The Green Thumb. Denver Botanic Gardens, Colorado Forestry and Horticultural Association. 35: 15.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Danilov, Victor J. (2002). "Plains Conservation Center". Museums and historic sites of the American West. Greenwood Press. p. 200. ISBN 9780313309083.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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