TWP TO RESTORE LOPEZ NATURE CENTER

The Lopez Nature Center, also known as the Outdoor and Wildlife Learning Site (O.W.L.S.), was once used as an outdoor educational area by Lopez Elementary. With funding from Larimer County Open Lands and the City of Fort Collins, Trees, Water & People (TWP) will restore this natural area to again serve as a unique learning experience for Lopez Elementary School, making it a place that that can be enjoyed by students, as well as the community.

The area already provides habitat for many species including the Western Screech Owl, Red Fox, and several types of song birds. Our efforts will enhance the suitability of this area for these and other species. By using native plants, we hope to attract native wildlife, including the threatened Preble’s meadow jumping mouse.

The Lopez Nature Center restoration and improvement will take place this spring. TWP looks forward to working with the Lopez Webelos, a great group of cub scouts ages 7 to 11, who plan to make this area a favorite project for many years.

Tribal Renewable Energy Workshops a Success

Trees, Water & People (TWP) partnered with Lakota Solar Enterprises (LSE), headed by Henry Red Cloud, and recently presented a solar heating training and demonstration on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota.

The workshop on January 8^th, was the culmination of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe’s Little Thunder Clean Energy Education Partnership (CEEP), which began in 2005 with the goal of demonstrating small-scale renewable energy approaches and integrating them into tribal housing policy.

In 2007, TWP and LSE held a conference on Rosebud with the other CEEP members, which included interactive workshops in which participants took part in the installations of the solar electric system and a small wind turbine.

TWP and LSE continued the Little Thunder CEEP project by installing solar heating systems and “energyscape” wind-break and shade trees at the Rosebud Veterans’ Homeless Shelter and at four additional family homes. These “demonstration” homes have seen positive results, with one household reporting a 25% decrease in their heating bill compared to the previous winter.

TWP, LSE and leaders on the Rosebud Reservation are enthusiastic about expanding this partnership and building on the success of the Little Thunder CEEP project.

TWP CELEBRATES SUCCESS OF 2009 RENEW THE ROCKIES- THE FUTURE IS CLEAN ENERGY

Trees, Water & People is celebrating the success of Renew the Rockies – The Future IS Clean Energy! On March 7^th, guests traveled into the future to play casino-style games, bid on fantastic auction items, and dance to live music by Ilan Shamir & Friends and The Atoll – all in support of renewable energy.

Renew the Rockies raises funds for TWP’s local Clean Energy Program. A portion of this year’s proceeds will help install a 10kw solar electric system on Kinard Junior High School. Stu Reeve, Energy Manager for the Poudre School District, rallied enthusiasm from guests when he spoke on behalf of the collaboration.

Join TWP next year to celebrate our 10^th Annual Renew the Rockies!

TREES, WATER & PEOPLE HAS BEEN SHORT LISTED FOR THE RIO TINTO PRIZE FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Trees, Water & People (TWP) is among ten organizations that have been short listed for the prestigious U.S. one million dollar Rio Tinto Prize for Sustainability. The global Rio Tinto Prize for Sustainability is available to all not-for-profit non-governmental organizations who demonstrate that they are working to advance the goals of economic, environmental and social sustainability.

According to David Anderson, Chairman of the Adjudication Panel, “We believe we have ten short listed organizations which highlight the diversity and depth of talent, initiative and skills existing in the not-for-profit sector.” Short listed organizations represent a diversity of work being done locally to contribute towards global sustainable development.

Winning the Rio Tinto prize will enable TWP to significantly expand its international sustainability efforts which will ultimately benefit a greater segment of the poor population in Central America and Haiti. With the prize money, TWP could purchase additional equipment and supplies for its new stove factory in Honduras; expand its Forest Replacement Associations (FRAs) and fuel-efficient stove project in Nicaragua; build a stove factory and establish more tree nurseries in Haiti; and certify our carbon offsets to produce sustainable program revenue.