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WEEK OF MAY 8, 2025
VOLUME 98 | ISSUE 23
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Park Hill could one day have a $200M park, but the deal’s not done Proto-park could open this summer, but the city may not own land until later BY KYLE HARRIS DENVERITE
A male monarch pulls nectar from a rabbitbrush, which is a vital resource for the pollinators in our region. The insects rely on the nectar from those COURTESY LIZ GOEHRING plants and others during their annual migrations.
Butterfly Pavilion starts the 2025 monitoring season New report shows a decline in butterflies across the country BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Westminster’s Butterfly Pavilion is playing a key role in identifying and preserving butterflies across Colorado, as the 2025 butterfly monitoring season began May 3 at Castlewood Canyon State Park in Franktown. To kick off the season, the Butterfly Pavilion has released the 2024 Annual Colorado Butterfly Monitoring Network report on the state of Colorado’s native butterfly populations. Last year marked the 12th year of Monitoring Network as one
of the nation’s fastest-growing community science programs focused on butterfly conservation. Officials say this year’s announcement comes at a critical time in butterfly habitats. A new study published in Science magazine shows a 22% decline in butterfly abundance across the U.S. between 2000 and 2020. Butterfly Pavilion played a significant role in the research, contributing Colorado-specific data from the Monitoring Network and collaborating with nearly two dozen scientists through the “Status of But-
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terflies in the United States” working group, according to a Pavilion news release. More data needed
The findings highlight the urgent need for local and national efforts to protect pollinators, one of the most vital and vulnerable components of our ecosystems, according to a news release. “While we have a lot of great data, we still need more for a comprehensive picture,” said Shiran Hershcovich, Lepidopterist Manager at Butterfly Pavilion and co-author in the Science study, said in the news
release. “That’s where the public comes in with community science programs like (Colorado Butterfly Monitoring Network), which allow us to cover more geographies and provide essential insights for conservation.” In a press release, the 2024 Colorado Butterfly Monitoring Network Report notes that 452 surveys were submitted across 69 monitoring routes in 12 Colorado counties. Reports came from 59 active monitors, including 40 new volunteers, that contributed 385.4 hours of butterfly observations. SEE PAVILION, P9
Mayor Mike Johnston’s promise to turn the Park Hill Golf Course into the city’s fourth-largest park is moving forward, but it still isn’t a sure thing. Denver City Council members have given preliminary approval to key parts of the plan. The golf course is currently owned by a private developer, Westside Investment Partners. The city has proposed trading another piece of property for the land. That proposal drew support from a council committee, as did a proposal to rezone the property for use as a public park. The Mayor’s Office expects the land swap and a rezoning to be approved by the full council by June. Meanwhile, plans are in motion. The city is already set to spend hundreds of thousands on early plans for a major regional park on the site. The city is also hoping to allow public access to the land as early as this summer. “We feel very confident in the agreement going forward,” said the mayor’s spokesperson Jon Ewing. But despite those big plans, the city will not own the property until September at the earliest. Even if the city council approves the deal, it will be subject to 90 days of due diligence, which could allow either party to bail if issues arise with the golf course or with the property that Westside is set to receive near Denver International Airport. Johnston’s administration is so confident that the city has already begun to work — and spend — on the project. SEE PARK HILL, P4
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