Friends of the Florissant Fossil Beds Inc

A nonprofit organization

$1,473 raised by 22 donors

49% complete

$3,000 Goal

Remember the first place, as a child, you paused and deeply experienced the sights, sounds and smells of the natural world? 

Your donation today helps over 70,000 people pause annually and have this powerful experience.

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is such a place on 6,000 acres with 15 miles of trails just one hour west of Colorado Springs.


Friend supported programs include:

  • K through 12 onsite and classroom programs with bus transportation and educational materials
  • Art in the Park family friendly experiences
  • Financial support for paleo research interns and interpretive ranger interns
  • Purchase of trail maps, Jr. Ranger booklets, fossil research equipment, infrastructure and trail project materials
  • Purchase of astronomy equipment for the Monument's Dark Sky programs attended by over 1000 visitors each year
  • Seminar education on a wide variety of topics related to the environment, fossil research and the cultural history of the Pikes Peak area
  • Supplies for Citizen Scientist and Heritage Day programs for visitors of all ages

If you establish a monthly recurring donation it makes you eligible for an annual membership to the Friends of the Florissant Fossil Beds!

Giving Activity

Mission

The Friends of the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is a non-profit organization that helps support and promote a wide variety of park activities through fundraising, educational programs, friend raising, volunteerism and awareness building.

The Friends assist the National Park Service in protecting our national treasures for future generations.

We support the park with their interpretive, educational and scientific research activities. Activities include providing for the park's Junior Ranger program, educational field trips, seminars, community outreach programs and the Geo Scientist in Parks Intern Program. We support park environmental restoration endeavors and infrastructure projects.

Background Statement

The Friends of the Florissant Fossil Beds, Inc., is the organization that since 1987 has supported Colorado's own National Park Service site, the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. With views of Pikes Peak, it offers rich displays of Eocene fossils, massive petrified redwood stumps, and historical ranch buildings to explore. A diverse ecosystem, that changes with the seasons, provides potential glimpses of elk, antelope, bear, Abert squirrels, prairie dogs and mule deer.

Our 21st century forest has also been a living lab for research of wildflowers, birds, insects and climate for decades. It is located just an hour west of Colorado Springs in Florissant. The Friends have supported fossil research interns and K through 12 educational experiences in the classroom and onsite to connect students to our high montane ecosystem.

Our historical education programs teach about the Indigenous people, the early settlers and the impacts of our modern civilization on the environment.

The National Park Service budgets for interpretive staff, maintenance of park infrastructure, scientific research and educational displays. The Monument staff are interpreters and guardians of the fossil and wildlife resources. It is a family-friendly place for picnics and a site to learn more about the relationships of Indigenous people and modern settlers on this land.

The Friends’ financial support pays for trail maps, Jr. Ranger supplies, outreach materials and transportation for school districts, recreational programs like Art-in-the-Park and outdoor exploration. They purchase benches and maintenance materials for the trails. The Friends have even supported major infrastructure projects that were beyond the Park Service budget. The all-volunteer Friends of Florissant partner with the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society for Night Sky programs at the Monument, and the Lake George and Colorado Springs Gem and Mineral organizations for educational outreach programs around the state.

Since its inception, the Friends of Florissant have provided countless volunteer hours at the Monument, scholarships for advanced-degree research paleontologists, biologists and educators. Your support can continue this vital work, so many more children and adults can experience this local Colorado gem.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Friends of the Florissant Fossil Beds Inc

Year Established

1987

Tax id (EIN)

84-1114146

Category

Education, Environment, Arts, Culture & Humanities, Recreation & Sports

Organization Size

Small Organization

Address

PO BOX 851
FLORISSANT, CO 80816

Service areas

CO, US

other

719-684-6405

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