ERO Resources Corporation (ERO) continues its partnership with Denver Parks and Recreation to enhance the habitat of the Duck Lake island in City Park. Our work has been instrumental in addressing the challenges facing the island’s colonial nesting double-crested cormorants, the population of which has been declining due to deteriorating nesting trees and soil conditions.
Since our initial site visit in March 2024, ERO has played a key role in guiding restoration efforts, including installing groundwater monitors, analyzing soil samples, and evaluating the health of existing trees. These studies have informed plans to stabilize and preserve the island’s critical habitat. Restoration activities now include reinforcing trees with bracing cables, planting new native species such as plains cottonwoods and Rocky Mountain maples, and installing artificial nesting platforms to compensate for the loss of natural nesting structures.
A recent article by Patrick O’Driscoll details the broader efforts at Duck Lake, including innovative measures such as floating wetlands to improve water quality and additional tree plantings to support the cormorant population. Read the full article here: https://dfobirds.org/DFO/LarkBunting.aspx?id=547846760#gsc.tab=0
We’re proud to be part of this ambitious project with the City and County of Denver to preserve and restore Duck Lake!