Nurture Nature Days at Hentzell (Paul A) Park are made possible through extraordinary community partnerships that model what inclusive conservation can look like at its best. Our collaboration with Denver Parks and Recreation has been especially impactful. From their volunteer coordination,
on-site support, and generous provision of tools such as trash grabbers, kid-sized gloves, hauling services, and trash-collection make this work both accessible and effective. Their commitment to restoring the park, including developing the unique native seed mixture used on site, demonstrates a
shared vision for long-term ecological regeneration.
 

We are also deeply grateful for the partnership of the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI), whose staff help community members understand the essential role of the stormwater pond, its ongoing renovations, and the direct connection between infrastructure, watershed health, and local river systems. Their engagement helps volunteers see how their efforts such as trash removal to habitat stewardship actually immediately benefit water quality downstream.

 

Each month, children also encounter the “water scientists”—dedicated community members and staff from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) who test the river and explain how water quality is tied to the very work our volunteers are doing on site. Their presence makes real the idea that environmental health is measurable, tangible, and influenced by community action. We appreciate them joining our events to help inform the families about the health of the river, and supporting trash removal as a way to directly impact water quality.
 

Our partnership network extends further: ROCK Center youth leaders, who are paid for their time, support volunteer coordination and model youth leadership in outdoor spaces. Nature Educators from the Nature School Cooperative provide facilitation, childcare, catering, event coordination, and facility support, helping ensure the service days remain accessible to all families.

 

These events also create opportunities to hear directly from local experts—including educators from the Denver Zoo, Indigenous storytellers, and community activists—whose voices deepen participants’ understanding of local ecology, cultural connections to land, and the human stories that shape conservation. Together, these partnerships nurture a shared sense of responsibility toward the park and the watershed it supports.