Growing Connection: Nature Kids Longmont Pilot Pollinator Projects
With support from the Metro Denver Nature Alliance’s 2025 Demonstration Project Grant, Thorne Nature Experience has launched the Nature Kids Longmont “Pilot Pollinator Projects” as part of an effort to connect youth and families who are often left out of outdoor programming with hands-on opportunities to care for local land.
Building Community Through Pollinator Spaces
Working alongside the City of Longmont’s Open Space program, participants are helping to create and care for community pollinator spaces. This includes a demonstration garden at Rogers Grove and a pocket park selected using city equity and heat mapping data. Participants who want to take their involvement further can join a paid restoration leadership training, preparing them to lead future stewardship projects in their own neighborhoods.
Nature Exploration Days
To deepen these experiences, the program also offers three nature exploration days, offered in both English and Spanish, complete with lunch and accessible by public transportation. These outings will help families build a personal connection to nearby open spaces and see how small acts of care—like planting for pollinators—can make a big difference.