{"id":4719,"date":"2020-08-14T17:08:15","date_gmt":"2020-08-14T17:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakesatcenterra.com\/?p=4719"},"modified":"2025-07-28T22:37:24","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T22:37:24","slug":"the-lakes-at-centerra-loveland-co-hpec-brings-nature-to-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.centerra.com\/the-lakes\/news\/the-lakes-at-centerra-loveland-co-hpec-brings-nature-to-community\/","title":{"rendered":"HPEC BRINGS NATURE TO COMMUNITY – THE LAKES AT CENTERRA, LOVELAND, COLORADO"},"content":{"rendered":"

Often the term \u201curban\u201d brings to mind sprawling concrete communities filled with skyscrapers, smog and traffic jams. Because of that, urban and nature don\u2019t seem simpatico. However, at the High Plains Environmental Center (HPEC), located within The Lakes at Centerra in Loveland, Colorado and surrounded by beautiful new homes, there is an amazing urban environmental park open to the public from sunrise to sunset seven days a week, 365 days a year.<\/p>\n

HPEC is nestled in Centerra\u2019s 3,500-acre mixed-use, master-planned community, which at build-out will be home to an estimated 10 to 15 thousand people. At the same time, twice as many will work in Centerra. With a dense population around it, the HPEC is an urban natural area that brings balance to the region. HPEC\u00a0feels remarkably spacious and natural amid surrounding suburbia.<\/p>\n

For The Lakes residents, HPEC is just one unique nature element to complement 76 acres of land, three miles of trails and two pristine lakes. An additional 200 acres make this a home that is Certified Wild.<\/p>\n

In 1907, Hout\u2019s Reservoir and Equalizer Lake were dug in the area in order to store water for irrigation and have since become a valuable habitat for migratory waterfowl that nest there every year such as western grebes. HPEC creates a safe harbor for local birds and animals. Houts Reservoir, the northern lake, is open seasonally for limited non-motorized boating so locals can enjoy an evening canoe ride as the sun sets over the Rocky Mountains and an up-close-and-personal experience with wildlife.<\/p>\n

To kayak or canoe on the lake, however, residents must register their watercraft online before launching it into Houts Reservoir. Once submitted, a permit sticker is issued that must be affixed to the watercraft. For more information about requirements and precautions, boaters are encouraged to visit The Lakes resident portal.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t talk about conservation on one hand and development on the other as if they were two unrelated issues because they\u2019re not,\u201d said Hoyt, proving development and conservationism can go hand-in-hand.<\/p>\n

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HPEC\u2019s Heart in the Earth<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the heart of the HPEC is the belief that human alterations to a landscape can have beneficial impacts on wildlife. The two are not mutually exclusive. Development in Northern Colorado and elsewhere could have a significant beneficial impact on wildlife if it is planned and implemented well.<\/p>\n

Throughout the last 40 years, there has been a 60 percent decline in bird populations throughout the Northern Colorado region and elsewhere in the country. This big number is a stark reminder that poorly planned developments have a negative impact and a corresponding loss of habitat is often the result. The Lakes residents often have a deep connection to the community and the natural area they reside and recreate in.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, HPEC is committed to preserving Colorado\u2019s unique natural beauty within our growing urban areas and cultivating a conservation ethic so the region remains healthy for future generations of The Lakes to enjoy.<\/p>\n

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WildZone Spotlight<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the main highlights of the HPEC is the WildZone<\/a>, an experimental outdoor classroom where children can partake in self-directed learning and foster a love of nature. Thanks to HPEC\u2019s valuable volunteers, the WildZone is always evolving.<\/p>\n

The inception for the WildZone concept stems from Richard Louv\u2019s \u201cLast Child in the Woods\u201d 2007 study which links the lack of nature in children\u2019s lives to the rise in obesity, depression and attention disorders. Louv also identified a link between exposure to the outdoors and nature and healthy childhood physical, social and emotional development. Based on this study, the WildZone at HPEC was created.<\/p>\n

Children who visit the WildZone are encouraged to participate in unstructured play in various components of the natural amenities which include:<\/p>\n