A $1.23 Million gift kickstarted the fundraising for a new training, research and experiential learning facility.
Steamboat Springs, Colo. – The Colorado State Forest Service and the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University received a gift of $1.23 million from Karin Utterback-Normann, of Steamboat Springs, Colo., to transform the current Michigan River Camp at the Colorado State Forest into a facility that offers place-based learning, training and research.
The two entities, both part of CSU, are seeking $3 million through a new capital campaign to support the design and construction of the facility, which will provide students, teachers, foresters, land managers, firefighters, researchers and others with the opportunity to learn on-site in a world-class environment. The lead gift from Ms. Utterback-Normann has kickstarted the campaign.
Commitment to power of education
The concept of a training and research facility on the Colorado State Forest, located in Jackson County on the west side of the Medicine Bow Mountains, has been under discussion for more than 20 years and is finally being realized through the donation from Ms. Utterback-Normann.
A third-generation descendant of homesteaders in Steamboat Springs, Ms. Utterback-Normann has always advocated for proper land stewardship and demonstrated a commitment to the power of education. To support these values, Ms. Utterback-Normann, in addition to gifts to the Colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, donated $1.23 million to WCNR and the CSFS to support this rural educational facility.
“The Michigan River Camp facility will enhance our outreach capabilities and provide new experiential education opportunities for our students in an important region of the state with a unique ecosystem,” said A. Alonso Aguirre, dean of WCNR. “We are grateful for Karin Utterback-Normann’s impactful and generous donation and her support for the CSFS’ vision.”
Placed-based learning
The need for this facility is far reaching, as the CSFS and Colorado Parks and Wildlife are both actively working in environmental education and have traditionally supported local schools’ outdoor programs on the Colorado State Forest. This new facility at the Michigan River Camp would provide a dedicated location for the CSFS, CPW and other organizations to host place-based learning for staff, schools and other partners inside and outside of CSU.
Existing research opportunities supported by the CSFS on the Colorado State Forest include climate change and climate adaptation, fire ecology, water quality and yield, grazing and outdoor recreation, to name a few. The convergence of these research areas intersects with the CSFS forest management on state lands and beyond and helps inform a science-based approach.
“The Michigan River Camp is located in the heart of a forest with awe-inspiring scenery, wildlife, history and places to explore nature,” said Matt McCombs, state forester and director of the CSFS. “Bringing people to a modern facility there will give them an opportunity to learn about areas of forestry, land management and natural resources on-site directly from the experts doing the research. I am grateful to Karin for helping to make this long-time vision a reality and build on the legacy of learning at the Colorado State Forest.”
Meeting center with overnight lodging
The existing Michigan River Camp consists of a log home that supports seasonal and permanent staff at the Colorado State Forest. To fully realize the vision of the Michigan River Camp, the CSFS will build a meeting center with kitchen and bathroom facilities near the log home and construct all-season yurts and cabins. The completed camp will provide classrooms, meeting spaces and overnight lodging for up to 40 people. The camp, located about two hours from CSU’s campus in Fort Collins and an hour and a half from Steamboat Springs, will serve schools and other entities in Jackson, Routt, Grand and Larimer counties – and elsewhere across Colorado.
The CSFS manages facilities at the Colorado State Forest through a long-standing agreement with the Colorado State Land Board. The Michigan River Camp will be part of the existing facilities stewarded by the CSFS on the Colorado State Forest, some of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Colorado State Forest is also home to State Forest State Park, managed by CPW.
For more information, contact WCNR Managing Director of Development Danielle Young at (970) 699-8173 or CSFS Supervisory Forester John Twitchell at (970) 222-4070, or visit Michigan River Camp Capital Campaign.