Centerra Registers as the First NWF Community Wildlife Habitat™ in Colorado

Loveland, Colo. – February 8, 2016 – Centerra, a 3,000‐acre master‐planned community in Loveland, Colo., in collaboration with the High Plains Environmental Center (HPEC), recently registered with The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) to become the first Community Wildlife Habitat™ in Colorado. The NWF Community Wildlife Habitat program, started in 1997, empowers citizen leaders to take action for wildlife in their own communities. The program provides these leaders with a framework to restore wildlife habitat and educate and engage community members while working to attain NWF’s esteemed certification as a wildlife‐friendly community.

Centerra’s long‐term commitment, with help from community partner HPEC, includes an action plan for sustainability and progressive community education. Together habitat for wildlife is preserved, open space is restored and maintained, and sustainable development and environment practices occur daily. These community development practices include reducing or eliminating the use of chemical pesticides, reducing nutrient run‐off from fertilizers, composting, conserving water, planting native plants, removing invasive plants, waste recycling and implementing low‐impact lighting. The immediate and ongoing goal of the NWF community registration is to certify in Centerra at least 50 home gardens, one school, local businesses, as well as continue to educate and partner with the surrounding lifestyle community to maintain stewardship.

Jim Tolstrup, High Plains Environment Center’s Executive Director said, “Few people realize how much habitat has been created and is maintained within Centerra. Aside from the 275‐acres that HPEC owns and manages there is an additional 250‐acres of native grass and man‐made wetlands in storm water ponds within Centerra. That is 525‐acres of habitat intentionally designed and managed to provide connectivity for wildlife through our growing urban corridor and allows people who live, work, or visit Centerra, to interact with nature on a daily basis.”

For more information on becoming involved in Centerra’s efforts to become a certified Community Wildlife Habitat, please contact Kelley Driscoll, HPEC Community Services Coordinator, at (970)342‐9533 or Kelley@suburbitat.org.