Tag: Oxy

Feathers, Fields & Updates – June News from South Metro PF

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Housekeeping note: Our Tuesday, July 1 chapter meeting has been rescheduled to the following week, now on Wednesday, July 9. Same time, 6:30 p.m., and still at Cabelas Lone Tree. The switch was made to avoid conflicts with the July 4 holiday week.

The June 5 Pint Night at Brother’s Bar & Grill was a great success. We had 42 supporters, signed up 12 new members and enjoyed a video presentation shot by our own Mike Higbee. His video featured the Lesser Prairie Chicken and our recent chapter efforts to help preserve this specie in Colorado. To top it off, a 15 year old young man won our drawing and selected a new Baretta semi auto shotgun! The event was also successful as a fund raiser for chapter projects. Thanks to all who supported and came to the event.

COMING UP

July 17 from 9-12 at Barr Lake State Park is a habitat project. SMPF is partnering with Occidental Petroleum to build a “living fence”( 200 feet) and also to install a 270 foot windbreak consisting of 4 rows of Rocky Mt. Junipers and Three Leaf Sumac. We may have up to 50 Oxy volunteers and all PF volunteers who can make the event will round out the work force. SMPF will also make a brief presentation about the Lesser Prairie Chicken project in the nature center. OXY has provided grants to PF for this project. If you can help, please give Dean T. a call at 303 981 4642 or call Steve Osa (Habitat Chair) at 720 301 6985.

CLICK HERE to download a very informative report from our PF biologists. It details their significant accomplishments and is worth your review. Let me share a bit more information regarding our biologists. First, they specialize in certain areas. As an example, some are Private Lands Conservationists whose main mission is to work with ranchers and farmers. They can help ranchers and farmers be more profitable and at the same time preserve more habitat for wildlife. Using a Precision Farming strategy, they analyze all of the input costs of planting a crop against the likelihood of making a profit on certain acres of ground which are actually marginal for crops. So, there might 5 or 10 acres where the soil, drainage or other natural factors might only result in a profit once every five years. If the acreage wasn’t farmed at all then the farmer is net more profitable over time. Then, the higher use of that ground would be to restore it to wildlife habitat. Of course, then our Conservationist can make recommendations and offer assistance to make that wildlife habitat happen.

Have a great July 4th holiday!

Dean Titterington, President

New Cottonwoods at Barr Lake

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On June 29, Barr Lake State Park and South Metro Pheasants Forever hosted a team of Oxy volunteers in a Cottonwood replacement project. The cottonwoods that surround Barr Lake serve as a home for many different species of animals that are reaching the end of their lives. The project planted a dozen cottonwoods in a meadow on the south side of the park’s preserve area.

A special thanks to both Barr Lake staff and Oxy volunteers for joining us in this project! And a big thanks to all of the PF volunteers who support these projects.  Our wildlife thanks you.  

Earth Day 2023

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On Saturday, April 22, a cold and blustery Earth Day, South Metro PF again sponsored adding to the pollinator plot at Barr Lake State Park. Joined by the Wildlands Restoration Volunteers and with Oxy’s financial support, Pheasant’s Forever volunteers and Barr Lake staff guided the planting of 130 + rabbit brush bushes and a variety of flowering plants. The purpose of the pollinator plot is a multiyear project to enhance the habitat environment for birds and bees while providing a great educational environment for the community.

May 25, 2022 – Habitat Project at Barr Lake State Park

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On May 25th, Oxy, STEAD school, Pheasants Forever and the Barr Lake team all partnered to provide protection and food for our bird friends of all varieties.  

400 feet of nesting, berries and shelter were on the agenda for planting.  First, the holes (185 of them) were dug.  Six cubic yards of compost and mulch were used to make our new plants welcome as we tucked them into the ground. Our new residents- 35 Junipers, 60 each of chokeberry and sumac bushes were planted. 

There were approximately 60 people present to do the planting -20 students and 5 adults from STEAD school, 30+ Oxy employees, the Pheasants Forever Habitat and outreach chairs, and a half dozen employees from Barr Lake.

All enjoyed the morning of connecting to each other, and to the wildlife that we are helping protect! 

Habitat Project at Barr Lake State Park

May 25, 2022 @ 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

South Metro Chapter members will join again with Oxy volunteers at Barr Lake State Park for a habitat project. The May 25 event from 8 am to noon will see volunteers plant 3 long rows of approximately 120 junipers, plums, and sumacs for a windbreak.

Oxy executives and a film crew are expected to document this project, which may also attract state-level officials.

Barr Lake State Park

13401 Picadilly Rd
Brighton, CO 80023 United States
(303) 659-6005
View Venue Website

April 23, 2022 – Hands-on Habitat Project

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In partnership with Barr Lake and Oxy, SE Metro Pheasants Forever Chapter joined the national effort for “Hands-on Habitat”. This project highlighted dry lands habitat development in Barr Lake’s Educational Plots. Previously, the primary development has been with the pollinator plot. This project planting included planting rabbit brush and prairie dropseed plants. It also included a dry land seeding of a grass mix specifically designed by the National Pheasants Forever wildlife team. The mix included Blue Stem, Indian Grass, Switchgrass as well as several other native grasses. 

September 25, 2021 was National Public Land Day!

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Sept. 25 was National Public Land Day!

South Metro Pheasants Forever and Oxy joined to participate in two events at Barr Lake State Park that day.

The first was the painting of a mural depicting our pollinator plot and the multicultural volunteers responsible for the creation of the pollinator plot.

The artist, Dominic Velando, sketched the mural and guided the volunteers in the painting. Thanks Dominic! The second was adding more pollinators plants to the plot!

Oxy volunteers team for two Barr Lake projects

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On Thursday, August 19, PF and Occidental volunteers teamed with Barr Lake staff to complete the next stages of 2 projects.  The first project, an exciting project that will continue for the next month, is the mural project. 

The first step was to build the fencing structure needed as the surface for the mural. The team measured, dug holes, measured again, widened the holes and finally cemented in the upright structure beams for the fence.  It was hard work, and created many laughs as the structure took shape! 

The next steps on the mural will take place in September as the fence is finished and the mural sketched in for the final painting stage on National Public Land day, the 25th of September.  At the same time as the posts were being planted, additional planting was taking place in the Pollinator Plot.  More rabbit brush, coneflowers, and others joined the growing plot.  The additional plants were gently placed by the Oxy team as the PF team helped with both projects!  

It was a great team day.  Thanks Oxy!!