Nurture Nature Days: Inclusive Conservation at Hentzell Park
Environmental Stewardship
One of the most common reflections we hear from participants is, “I didn’t know this park existed.” Hentzell Park, once labeled as low-quality habitat, is proving itself to be a place of unexpected ecological richness—illustrated by the recent return of beavers and other wildlife. Through quarterly service days, community members of all backgrounds experience firsthand how neglected or overlooked green spaces can be revitalized with time, care, and collective effort.
Environmental stewardship is transforming relationships:
● Families meet their neighbors, share meals, and build community through service.
● Volunteers see immediate impact from removing trash, restoring trails, and caring for the land.
● Every surveyed participant—100%—reported that they would join a park cleanup or service project again.
Youth especially benefit: from youth leaders discovering emerging work opportunities and connecting with a network of ecologically minded mentors, educators, and agency partners, to our youngest learners having hands-on impact experiences. These experiences help cultivate the next generation of land stewards, water protectors, and community advocates—people who understand that every space, regardless of condition, is deserving of respect and has the potential to thrive.
Developing Regenerative Practices
Regeneration is at the heart of Nurture Nature Days. With the support of Denver Parks and Recreation, volunteers participate in a unique hands-on opportunity to help restore the grassland ecosystem using a specialized native seed mixture formulated specifically for Hentzell Park. Volunteers rake in native grass seed throughout the seasons, learning how repeated care and attention can repair public-use impacts and strengthen habitat resilience over time.
Children experience the park through the Nature School Scavenger Hunt, designed to help them identify local flora and fauna and develop a joyful, meaningful connection to the land. Through guided activities, intergenerational collaboration, and seasonal visits, families witness ecological change firsthand—gaining insight into how stewardship across months and years shapes the health of a place.
These regenerative practices help the community understand that restoration is not a one-time act but an ongoing relationship. By engaging people in monitoring, habitat care, and education, the project fosters a culture of shared responsibility and ecological reciprocity.
Uplifting Local Vendors
A core value of Nurture Nature Days is connecting people not only to place, but also to the local community. By choosing to work with small, local food businesses, we create space for families to gather, share meals, and build relationships after spending their Saturdays helping the grasslands and the river. This year we uplifted women-owned, Palestinian-owned, Salvadorian-owned, and Mexican-owned food vendors—and we remain committed to supporting more family-owned restaurants in the future.
We also engage local artists and makers, including face painters and other creative vendors, helping circulate economic benefits back into the community. Additionally, we provide grocery store gift cards to families to honor their time, labor, and willingness to show up in service. These gestures help us remain in right & reciprocal relationship with the land, the volunteers who care for it, and the community that calls this watershed home.
Nurture Nature Days are made possible through extraordinary community partnerships that model what inclusive conservation can look like at its best. We are thankful for Denver Parks and Recreation, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI), the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), ROCK Center youth leaders, and our Nature Educators and various local experts.