"Annual Willow Planting at the Dream Stream success! 
​To help with conservation projects please contact Michele.white@ppctu.org"

Our May Membership meeting will take place on May 24th!
Location: CPW Classroom, 4255 Sinton Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Social Time: 6:30pm
Meeting: 7:00pm
Pizza and Soft Drinks will be available!
Tonight will be the drawing for our Raffle Prize!

Partnering with Beaver to Restore Wetland
The importance of partnering with beavers, the quintessential aquatic ecosystem engineers, has crystalized in recent years.  In the past, restoration approaches have focused on stabilizing channels using engineered repairs.  In many Rocky Mountain head water systems, it is possible to work with a native species to enable natural processes to improve the health of streams and wetlands.  This talk explores the history of beavers in Colorado headwaters and why it makes sense to work with the ecosystem engineers as partners in restoration, rather than as products or tools for restoration.  We will discuss practical approaches to beaver-related restoration including beaver relocation/reintroduction, conflict resolution, mimicry, and treatments aimed at promoting beaver activity.  Partnering with beaver is an obvious, if not always easy, solution to restoring sustainable, resilient, naturally functioning headwaters streams and wetlands.


Jessica Doran, Our Guest Speaker

Jessica lives in Breckenridge, Colorado where her work as an ecologist is focused on headwater systems of the Southern Rocky Mountains. Years of monitoring streams led to the observation that the healthiest riverscapes were usually home to beavers. Since then, research and time in the field revealed the ecological importance of beavers, as well as their dramatically reduced presence across the region. Motivated to help in the effort to reclaim these lost systems, Jessica, and her colleagues at EcoMetrics, study beaver systems to better understand how to enable and restore beaver influenced riverscapes.  An ecologist by training, her interest in the biological aspects of fluvial systems sent Jessica back to school to study wildlife biology conservation at CSU.  Rooted in the belief that ecologically healthy systems benefit all life, Jessica hopes to contribute to our evolving fields of restoration and stewardship through practical experience and applied science.

PPCTU led a successful Introduction to Fly Fishing class for the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers "Women in the Woods - River Conservation Class" on April 9 at the spillway in Pueblo on the Arkansas River. We had 13 volunteers guide 22 women.   If you would like to participate in other activities with fly tying or fly fishing, please contact Michele.white@ppctu.org.

We need volunteers for upcoming events!  CLICK HERE for volunteer opportunities.

PPCTU will be conducting willow harvesting and planting at the Dream Stream (Charlie Meyers State Wildlife Area).
​Dates for 2002:
May 7 & 8, 2022
May 13, 14 & 15 2022

​We have planted many willows in the past on the Dream Stream to help prevent erosion, provide shade, block the wind and provide insect habitat. Last year CPW did some stream restoration on areas that were impacted by floods from large thunderstorms in the area. This year we will be treating those areas with willows to help stabilize this work. PPCTU will be providing lunch for these volunteer days. To sign up or get more information please send an email to don.logelin@ppctu.org . Please include the days you intend to participate and a contact phone number. This will allow us to get a head count for lunch and be able to notify everyone if there are any changes with the event.