Howdy! I’m Izzy. I am a junior here at CCHS, and this will be my third year as staff on the USJ. I will go into this year as the Editor-in-Chief! I love news and opinions and if I’m not writing you can catch me reading a new book, spending time with friends, or going to a concert. I enjoy reading all different perspectives and I’m excited to see what this year holds! As a journalist I strive to present information to the public in a way that is digestible, as well as exploring different perspectives and experiences. I hold a strong love for journalism and hope to continue it throughout my life, whether through photography or writing.
Why Is the Reservoir So Important?
Maddy Martin, the Education Interpretive Assistant at Cherry Creek State Park (CCSP), is working her second season at the park in communications leading classes about trash, animals, and many trails within the park .
She holds a deep love for both the various ecosystems and the diversity of visitors at the park. “Pretty much everybody comes by,” she said. “There’s biodiversity, both in terms of animals and in the different people visiting.”
Many programs exist at both a State and National level to keep parks clean, the CCSP has many ways of trying to keep it clean, but it relies on visitor help as well.
“It takes a community to keep this park clean , but a lot of the community doesn’t have the knowledge of the impact it has on the animals and plants in the park,” Martin said.
Why Should Students Be Interested in the Park?
“There’s a lot more here than you would initially expect [ in the reservoir]. There’s a lot more trails than you’d expect and little beautiful play sets, and a lot more wildlife here than you’d ever think of. Go a little farther out and see what is out there.”- CCSP Interpretive Asst. Maddy Martin
What Is Creek’s Impact?
“There’s no doubt in my mind that there’s a connection between waste improperly disposed of on our campus and the volume of waste that’s in that park. We’re too close together. And it’s not boaters and recreational users of the park that are dumping garbage down there. It’s blowing, and it’s being deposited there by wind and water.”– AP Environment Teacher Jeffery Boyce
Why Is the Location Important?
“Cherry Creek is really special because it’s right smack in the middle of an extremely urban environment. You got people who come to go wander around wetlands, You got people who like riding their bikes on those like long paved paths that we have through the prairie, you have birders who are coming because of the large quantity of water fowl we have around here. So like, those different environments create a wide range of people all here interacting with nature.”- CCSP Interpretive Asst. Maddy Martin
