First Creek Nature Play Park Ecological Design

Great Ecology provided ecological design support to the Jacobs Engineering project team for the redesign of a reach of First Creek into a six acre nature play themed park, the first of its kind in Denver. Great Ecology developed habitat restoration designs that function within the context of the landscape and create natural spaces that engage park users in a way that enlivens the senses and encourages out-of-the-box play. This included a native planting plan that is conducive to exploration and imagination while still being resilient and low maintenance considering over half of the park sits within the floodplain. Great Ecology also provided guidance on the creation and placement of nature play features throughout the park, from strategically placed rocks for hopping to shallow streams for wading. Nature play features help bring children and adults closer to nature in a fun and sustainable way.

During project implementation, Great Ecology provided construction oversight and led the post-construction adaptive management program to ensure the ecological goals of the project were met. This included invasive species management and wetland mitigation establishment.