Reflections on the Year – Director and President’s Message


The snow has just blanketed the ground along the Front Range of Northern Colorado. As winter's cold and quiet settles in, we welcome it as a chance to catch our breath and reflect on the work accomplished this year. Rich became Board President in October of last year and I stepped into the Director’s role in January. At that beginning point, we knew the many needs in the watershed and that it would be full steam ahead for BTWC. 

Our largest project this year was continued recovery from the Cameron Peak Fire. In high severity burn areas, we aerially mulched over 1,100 acres in the North Fork and Upper Buckhorn Creek drainages, worked with partners to plant 3,000 Ponderosa pine seedlings on private lands, and we began to strategically plan additional in-stream work to reduce post-fire flooding impacts that will likely continue into the coming years. 

We completed our 20-year River Envisioning Project to create a shared vision to improve the Big Thompson River through voluntary, collaborative strategies and actions. Following the completion of the plan, we sourced funding to begin a re-engagement process in 2023 with stakeholders and community members to identify projects to enhance river health and community access. The timing for this could not have been better! Just this summer the Loveland City Council approved a stormwater fee increase to fund their River Corridor Master Plan (2017) to build the resiliency and function of the Big Thompson River through the city. We look forward to opportunities to work more with the city on these projects.

Additionally, we focused on building the capacity of our Forest Health Program to reduce wildfire risk and to protect and build the resilience of our forest ecosystems – where most of our water supply flows from. To continue this momentum, we’ve secured more implementation funding for forest treatments, strengthened partnerships to strategically maximize our impact across the landscape, and grew our team by hiring our first ever third employee, Zoe Schapira. 

Looking back at the history of the Big Thompson Watershed Coalition, one major factor that stands out and amazes us is how much has been accomplished with only one or two staff members – an entire river corridor has been restored following the 2013 flood. We hope that our leadership will continue to grow and guide the organization toward many more accomplishments benefitting the watershed and communities that call it home.  

Reflecting on the past and looking toward the new year, we remember the beginnings of the organization – a grassroots effort born out of the will of our community to see a restored and healthy river. This beginning has led to many accomplishments, yet much work remains. With the end of the year near, we ask you to reflect on the ways you have enjoyed the Big Thompson River this year and all the ways you use clean, reliable water every day. With these reflections in mind, please help us ensure we can continue our mission to protect and restore the health and vitality of the Big Thompson watershed through a contribution this CO Gives Day. 

 

Sincerely,
Richard Alper, President 
Laura Quattrini, Director  
 

  

This year on December 6^th you can make your support for the Big Thompson River and watershed count even more through a Colorado Gives Day gift!

All donations made on or scheduled for Colorado Gives Day are tax deductible and get a boost from the $1.6 million Incentive Fund which means your contribution has even more impact! 

BTWC is excited to be a part of this statewide event again in 2022. As a small nonprofit doing big work in the watershed we need our communities support to achieve our shared goals of building a watershed that is more resilient to natural disasters like floods and wildfire, that has strong communities united by their love of the Big T, and that can continue to provide the important resources we all rely on. 

Please consider supporting these goals and our Watershed Coalition this year. Your donation will go directly toward our work in this critical watershed that supports millions of Coloradoans through the water is provides, the economies it bolsters, and the joy it brings our communities.
 

 

On Saturday, October 8th, Big Thompson Watershed Coalition hosted our second annual Trek the Thompson - presented by the City of Loveland. We went even bigger this year with more education stations, more prizes, a silent auction, and two local bands - Creekbed and Heart Medicine!

Over 100 Trekkers joined us to celebrate and learn about the Big Thompson River and watershed and all that it does for us. Each Trekker visited up to nine interactive education stations which covered: stormwater and water quality, macroinvertebrates, trails and development, wildfire and the watershed, forest health, fishing and flycasting, water transport and storage, recreational safety and emergency response, and wildlife in the watershed! 

We wouldn't have been able to put this event on without the help of all our sponsors and prize and auction donors! This year we gave away over 60 prizes to our trekkers and through our sponsors and auction sales raised almost $10,000 for the Coalition's continued work to build a healthy and resilient Big Thompson watershed! 



Thank you all! 
We can't wait to see you at the next Trek the Thompson!
 
 

 

 

With the help of our supporters and partners, we look forward to these project developments in 2023

           

 
Your donation or support will go directly toward work that supports the long-term health of the watershed and our community so we are better prepared to deal with today's and future challenges.

We are enormously grateful for any support you are able to provide.

With many thanks, 
 The BTWC Board of Directors and Staff

Big Thompson Watershed
Coalition Staff

  Laura Quattrini
  Director 
(970) 699-2906
  laura.quattrini@bigthompson.co

Will Davis
Communication & Outreach Manager
(970) 800-1126
will.davis@bigthompson.co 

Zoe Schapira
Forestry Project Manager
(970) 732-2946
zoe.schapira@bigthompson.co

  Mailing: PO Box 1923 Loveland CO 80539
 Physical:1530 N. Boise St, Ste 204c, Loveland 80538