Brush Creek recreational path receives new bilingual interpretive signage
Goal of signage is to to educate public on wildlife, ecosystems and responsible recreation
Zoe Goldstein/Vail Daily
At the end of last week, new interpretive signage went up on the paved Brush Creek recreational path in Eagle that provides education on the local wildlife and riparian ecosystem for recreationalists.
The approximately 19 bilingual signs, in Spanish and English, each provide unique information on the Brush Creek ecosystem, including details on the wetlands and the wildlife that call the area home throughout the year. Every sign includes a call to action for readers, such as “Leash your dog! Keep your distance!” and “Keep it clean downstream!”
“These signs will have an array of different types of depth to them, so there should be something for everybody, so even folks that are extremely knowledgeable about the area can probably still learn something from it,” said Brian Lieberman, the open space and trails manager for the town of Eagle.
The town of Eagle owns and manages around 1,400 acres of open space, including 20 miles of paved paths and 15 miles of singletrack designated for recreation. The Brush Creek recreational path was selected to receive signage due to its accessibility and proximity to wetlands.
“We wanted to find an area that we felt was most accessible by the greatest amount of people in our open space, and so this being on a paved path, wheelchairs and other power mobility driven devices can access the area, and then also you don’t have to be a superstar athlete to get to it,” Lieberman said. “We heard a lot of interest from the community about additional education for wetlands and riparian areas, and so this path goes right along Brush Creek, which is probably the most biodiverse region in the whole Brush Creek Valley area.”
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To create the signs, Eagle’s Open Space Department staff partnered with Walking Mountains Science Center and Colorado Parks and Wildlife for accurate written content. Artist Cassy Jo Creative created illustrations and local wildlife photographer Rick Spitzer provided photographs, while CTM Mapping contributed the maps and CW&H Graphics completed the graphic design. The project was funded by the town of Eagle and the Eagle Ranch Wildlife Committee.
The signage initiative follows Eagle’s Open Space and Trails Master Plan, adopted in July 2022. In creating the plan, the town asked the community which types of wildlife, ecosystem and habitat-related projects were most important for recreational improvements. “One of the projects that came up as a high priority from our community was more interpretive signage in our open space properties,” Lieberman said.
Eagle residents indicated a particular interest in receiving more information about hydrology, wetlands and watersheds, as well as wildlife and how to minimize impacts on wildlife during recreation. Educating visitors on local ecosystems was also identified as a priority.
Many of the signs will focus on how to protect the ungulates that call Eagle home during the winter. Due to its lower elevation and lower snow totals, Eagle serves as prime winter range habitat for elk and deer. “It’s critically important during that period that we minimize impact to them by not disturbing them,” Lieberman said.
As elk have moved into the Eagle Ranch area over the last 20 years, conflict among people has increased surrounding the topic of off-leash dogs and wintering elk.
“I think the signage is in response to that conflict that we’ve been feeling in the community,” Lieberman said. “We have a ton of signage throughout the entire open space that says, ‘closed during the winter,’ or ‘dogs on leash,’ and I think the real goal of this signage was to provide the why to all of those questions.”
Dogs need to be leashed while in elk winter habitat “because elk and deer often view dogs as a predator, and during the winter, they need to minimize their activity so that they can survive through the winter on the minimal food that’s available,” Lieberman said.
Lieberman said he hopes the education provided by the signs will help recreators better understand the rules in place on open space land. “Maybe if folks start to dig in a little bit more … they might be more apt to follow the rules and be respectful while they’re recreating in the winter.”
Now that the signs have all been posted, “I highly recommend that people take the walk and go read the signs,” Lieberman said. “Hopefully you learn something new about how we can minimize our impact on the natural resources, the environment and our wildlife while we’re outside recreating, and then also learn something about the complex relationships and ecosystems and wildlife that we share the open space with.”
Lieberman encouraged those with specific questions to reach out to the Eagle Open Space Department or Colorado Parks & Wildlife for any additional information.
