The The Valley Floor Preservation Partners and the Town of Telluride, Colorado celebrated its 10 year anniversary this past weekend.  Multiple exhibits, tours of the Valley Floor, and formal presentations at Telluride's historic Sheridan Opera House served to remind long-term residents of and introduce the general public to the historic achievement of creating a natural gateway to the town of Telluride.  This gateway, nearly 600 acres, was hard won in an epic battle pitting town "instigators" against international corporate interests.  The eventual price tag--a shock to all--was $50 million dollars. Through heroic grass-roots fund-raising, the last of the needed money was raised in a flurry of activity  in 2008.  The Valley is now designated Open Space for recreational activities such as biking, kayaking, hiking, cross-country skiiing.  It also is beginning to be understood as an essential foundation for preserving biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and water retention.   Read more here:  ​http://www.telluridenews.com/news/article_7eaa46cc-12ff-11e7-99b4-639bc0d6a7a6.html

Last day of May.  Laurie and I are deep into preparations for the upcoming water quality workshop with 30 participants.  Folks are coming in from as far away as Pinedale, Wyoming; Boulder City, Nevada; and southern Arizona.

Welcome to the conversation! This blog is devoted to SCAPE--a project focused on the development of a water quality curriculum for 10 high schools across the Colorado River Basin.