2025 NPM Course-Dawson Butte Open Space - June 17, 19 & 26; 9:00am-1:00pm
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2025 NPM Course-Dawson Butte Open Space - June 17, 19 & 26; 9:00am-1:00pm

This NPM course at Dawson Butte Open Space takes you through forests and meadows with spectacular views and amazing wildflowers and shrubs.

By Native Plant Master Program - Foothills to Plains

Date and time

June 17 · 9am - June 26 · 1pm MDT

Location

Dawson Butte Ranch Open Space Trail

1753 Tomah Road Castle Rock, CO 80109

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 7 days before event

About this event

  • Event lasts 9 days 4 hours

DAWSON BUTTE RANCH Open Space in Douglas County has a total of over 7 miles of wide and mostly flat trails which meander through forests and meadows with spectacular views and an amazing array of wildflowers, shrubs and trees. Class hikes are approximately one mile in length. For more info on this Douglas County Open Space, click here.

TRAINERS:

Sharon Sjostrom is a certified Native Plant Master, amateur naturalist, volunteer with the Douglas County Open Space, serves on the DLC (Douglas Land Conservancy) Board, and often leads hikes for DLC at Dawson Butte.

Lucinda Greene is a Native Plant Master trainer and was the previous program coordinator for the Foothills to Plains Native Plant Master program serving Arapahoe, Douglas, and Elbert counties.

Gregor MacGregor is a Native Plant Master, community naturalist, water and agricultural attorney, and professor of environmental and natural resources policy at the University of Colorado.

PREREQUISITE:

Starting this March, participants who register for Native Plant Master certification courses will get access to 2 new introductory CSU Online NPM classes (a $138 value) for free.

Pre-requisite online courses will be:
1. Basic Field Botany
2. Plant Families and How to use a Dichotomous Key


We also offer in-person one-day Intro to Botany refresher classes that take place at South Platte Park in the Kingfisher Studio. Basic botany is recommended for those who have minimal background in botany. If you’re looking for a botany class taught with interactive and hands-on components with minimal lecturing, then this option might be best for you. One-day courses do not count towards Native Plant Master certification.

NATIVE PLANT MASTER PROGRAM:

Participants who pass three NPM courses will receive a Native Plant Master Certificate. This 12 hour class fulfills 1/3 of the 36-hour coursework requirement towards certification as a Native Plant Master. Courses should be taken in different months and/or vegetation zones. Learn more here.

REQUIRED TEXT & MATERIALS:

Text: Flora of Colorado by Jennifer Ackerfield. It is preferred to get the newest (2022) 2nd edition, as this is the version that the class will be taught from. by Jennifer Ackerfield. There is a new (2024) 2nd printing of the 2nd edition that will be acceptable also.

Materials: A hand lens or loupe (approximately 10x.) Both lens and textbook are available through the Colorado Native Plant Society bookstore (https://conps.org/conps-store), local and online retail outlets, and the publisher (800-621-2736).

WHEN/WHERE TO MEET:

Dawson Butte Ranch Open Space is located at 1753 Tomah Road, Castle Rock, CO 80109. Please arrive no later than 8:45am; class begins at 9am sharp. Meet at parking lot off Tomah Rd. Restrooms available near parking lot.

DIRECTIONS From I-25:

Take the Plum Creek Exit west and head south five miles on the frontage road; go right/west at Tomah Rd. 1.5 miles to the Dawson Butte Ranch entrance on the right.

DIRECTIONS From junction of C470 and Santa Fe:

Follow Santa Fe south to Sedalia, turn right (south), follow 1/2 mile to first left turn (south) onto County Rd 105, follow to Tomah Rd, turn left (east) and follow to park entrance on the left.

WHAT TO BRING:

Text book, pencil, hand lens, daypack, water, snack/sack lunch, rain gear, sun, and wind protection, bug repellent, and personal items you will need on the trail where there are no restrooms, etc. Please come prepared for moderately strenuous walking on hot, cold, windy, rainy or snowy days. (Field hikecan be on uneven terrain with hills. Bringing hiking poles is encouraged if they would make you more comfortable on the trail.)

INCLEMENT WEATHER/ILLNESS:

In the rare circumstance that a session must be canceled, you will be notified by phone and/or email message as soon as possible by the trainer and/or NPM Coordinator. Please confirm the email address and phone number that you use to register is current and will easily reach you.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

Handouts including plant lists and online references will be provided. There will also be an extra (optional) Zoom class for attendees on Tuesday, June 24 from 11:30am-1:00pm. Details will be sent after registering.


If you are interested in this course but the fee is a barrier, please reach out to dfradkin@arapahoegov.com to ask about our scholarship opportunities.

Organized by

Native Plant Master Program - Foothills to Plains

The Foothills to Plains Native Plant Master Program offers classes in Arapahoe, Douglas and Elbert counties. We offer different ways to engage and learn about native plants, local ecosystems, and natural resources with courses geared for novice to advanced learners.

If you are new to learning about native plants, consider signing up for a one-day class. Topics may include: introduction to native plants, botany and common plant families, keying practicums, soil chemistry and watershed health, weed walks, and build your own native plant and pollinator garden.

To develop a deeper understanding of native plants, we offer full 12-hour Native Plant Master (NPM) courses that may be counted toward a Native Plant Master Certificate.

Training

Native Plant Master (NPM) courses are offered at various open spaces, state parks, and other public natural areas. Each NPM course is a 12-hour commitment made up of three, four-hour sessions that meet weekly. NPM courses are taught in the field using living examples of the native flora in Colorado. Each course offers a perspective on the local ecosystem and plant life. Topics for each course include:

  • Session 1: Plant identification with an emphasis on scientific names, families and use of a botanical key.
  • Session 2: Ecological relationships, including non-native plants.
  • Session 3: Landscape, food and other human uses.

Native Plant Master Certificate

To become certified as a Native Plant Master, complete 36 hours of field training in three NPM courses. Classes may be taken in any county. Upon successfully completing the training, participants are awarded the Native Plant Master certification.

For more information, visit the Foothills to Plains Native Plant Master Program website.

You can also sign up to receive notifications about future class offering here. For questions on specific classes, please email Dawn Fradkin at dfradkin@arapahoegov.com.

Colorado State University Extension provides information and education and encourages the application of research-based knowledge in response to local, state and national issues affecting individuals, youth, families, agricultural enterprises and communities of Colorado. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination. Colorado State University Extension, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Colorado counties cooperating. If you have a disability for which you seek accommodation, please notify dfradkin@arapahoegov.com at least 30 days before the event.

 

 

$161.90