[birds chirping and water running]
[birds chirping]
[peaceful music]
David: On a normal day out here at the refuge,
you will see a beautiful sunrise that starts on the East.
This place will heat up throughout the day,
and the wildlife will, kind of, move into the shadows.
And, as the sun sets over these big, huge Rocky Mountains,
[thunder rolling]
it just creates all sorts of different lighting effects.
It's a pretty remarkable place to spend a sunset.
[gate opening]
[happy music]
The Colorado Front Range National Wildlife Refuge Complex
includes 3 national wildlife refuges
and some conservation easements.
Our largest national wildlife refuge
is the Rocky Mountain Arsenal,
which is located in North East Denver.
When you visit here, it's one of the few places you can come
in Metro Denver, and experience prairie,
and not feel like you're in the middle of the city.
At our refuge complex, we spend a great amount of time
working with the local schools,
so we have kids that come out
and visit our national wildlife refuges
and learn about science and technology
and learn about nature.
[kids chatting]
Julia: Every group has it's own personality,
so, every day that we do a program,
it looks different.
My name is Ranger Julia.
Can you guys say, "What's up Ranger Julia?"
Kids: What's up Ranger Julia?
Julia: There's a lot of, usually, laughter and surprise
that comes with being outside.
It's very energizing.
I think it's very important to have
kinesthetic learning experiences that allow
students to take what they've learned in the classroom
and apply it using observations and using activity.
I usually end a program and I feel
inspired by kids' natural interest
in what's going on in the world around them.
So, what are these?
Kids: Antennas.
Julia: And what do they do?
Kids: They smell.
Julia: Yeah. Okay, let's get your antenna.
There we go.
Learning about conservation at a young age,
I think, is one of the most important ways
we can inspire the next generation of conservationists.
[spraying]
[happy music]
Dele: We're at the
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge,
and I'm with Groundwork Denver.
Man: So, as soon as we get it ripped up,
we're going to have one person dig here
and everybody else is going to grab a portion of it
and we're just going to pull it out as we go as a team.
Dele: Our mission is community action
with environmental results.
Man: One, two, three.
Dele: I have made some pretty great friendships
and relationships working out here.
[animal squeaking]
Samantha: Parents who want their kids to be outside,
this is a great way to get them out here
and enjoy the nature.
David: People don't even have to come to the refuge
to feel the effects of the refuge.
We're out there at the schools,
we're out there at the libraries,
we're working with all these communities
on a day in and day out basis.
Each of our national wildlife refuges is
providing an important role,
and by being all over town,
we have the ability to connect with millions
upon millions of citizens
that happen to live in the metropolitan Denver area.
[kids and rangers chatting]
Sam: Every time I come, I see something new,
I learn something new,
so, for me, it's always inspiring.
It makes me want to come back.