Wildlands Restoration Volunteers_Rachel-Brett — Wildlands Restoration Volunteers – In 2020, Larimer County’s Small Grants program supported 175 youth volunteers (and families in some cases) in hands-on stewardship of public lands in Larimer County. Youth volunteers from Wildlands Restoration Volunteers collected and grew out native seed for planting at a variety of locations, including River Bluffs Open Space. Volunteers also planted native container plants, removed invasive species, planted willows, and learned about local ecology and restoration. Photo credits - Rachel Brett.

Larimer County Natural Resources has distributed a total of $18,764 in grants to support seven community and neighborhood projects that will aid in educating and connecting people to the land.

The awards were provided to various organizations across Larimer County through the department’s Small Grants for Community Partnering program. $20,000 is set aside annually from the tax funds for grant awards.

Traut Elementary – In 2020, Larimer County’s Small Grants program funded landscape and hardscape related improvements to an existing outdoor classroom at Traut Elementary in Fort Collins. The completed project now provides an ideal setting for an enjoyable, unique outdoor learning environment for the school and the community. Photo credits – Rob Langford.

Larimer County has awarded a total of $347,936 for 214 community and neighborhood projects since 2008.

2021 grantees, projects, amounts, and locations are as follows:

Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Larimer County Open Spaces, Age and Origin of Larimer County’s SIgnature Stone: The Lyon’s Sandstone, $2,977
Georgetown Townhomes HOA, Fort Collins, Georgetown Gardens, $3,000
Heart-J Center for Experiential Learning, Loveland, Heart-J Adventure Trail at Sylvan Dale Ranch, $3,000
Loveland Historical Society, Loveland, Mariano Medina Cemetery Site Improvements, $2,060
Loveland Youth Gardeners, Loveland, LYG Site Development, $3,000
Sproutin’ Up, Fort Collins, CSA Farm Expansion, $3,000
Terry Shores HOA, Fort Collins, ADA Lake Access Project, $1,727

Small Grants for Community Partnering is an initiative of Larimer County Natural Resources to disperse a portion of Help Preserve Open Spaces sales tax dollars for projects that do the following:

Enhance natural areas
Create public linkages with existing open lands and parks
Offer opportunities for environmental education, outdoor recreation, or nature interpretation
Provide opportunities for people to connect with the land through agriculture or increased access to open spaces and natural areas
Develop new research on Larimer County open spaces

For more information regarding the program, visit: https://www.larimer.org/naturalresources/small-grants or call 970-619-4569 or to learn more about Larimer County Department of Natural Resources, visit: www.larimer.org/naturalresources

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