Imagine standing where chemical weapons were once manufactured. Now envision it teeming with wildlife. This is the story of Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.
This unique refuge stands adjacent to Denver and Commerce City Colorado. It’s a testament to nature’s resilience. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge spans almost 16000 acres. Once a US Army chemical weapons manufacturing facility it has transformed.
Let’s rewind to 1942. The US Army built the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Its mission was to produce chemical weapons during World War II. After the war in 1946 a portion was leased for petroleum production. Agricultural and industrial chemicals were also manufactured here. As the American chemical weapons program shut down after the Vietnam War the Rocky Mountain Arsenal became a dismantling site. In the 1980s Shell Oil Company produced pesticides here.
However environmental testing in 1987 revealed severe pollution. The site landed on the National Priorities List. This list designates hazardous waste sites eligible for Superfund cleanup.
But nature had other plans. In 1986 a winter roost of bald eagles was discovered. These eagles were then an endangered species. Further investigation revealed over 330 wildlife species. The arsenal unsuitable for humans became a potential wildlife haven.
Congress acted. In 1992 the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge Act was passed. President George H. W. Bush signed it into law. The Act stipulated that most of the site would become a national wildlife refuge after environmental restoration.
The cleanup cost a staggering 2.1 billion. Yet the result is a thriving ecosystem. In 2004 the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge formally opened. Walking trails and bus tours allowed visitors to witness the transformation.
Today more than 330 wildlife species call this refuge home. Raptors deer raccoons coyotes and white pelicans roam freely. Black-footed ferrets black-tailed prairie dogs and bison also thrive.
Speaking of bison sixteen of them were brought here in 2007. They came from the National Bison Range in Montana. This was part of the USFWS Pilot Bison Project. The herd grew to 87 by 2013. The USFWS had to reduce the herd due to limited acreage. Plans are underway to expand the bison acreage. This would allow the herd to grow to an anticipated 210 animals.
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge plays a role in bison conservation. The 2020 Bison Conservation Initiative aims to restore bison populations. It focuses on wild healthy herds genetic conservation and ecological restoration.
The refuge’s Visitor Center opened in 2011. It offers exhibits and activities. Two-thirds of the refuge is mixed-grass and shortgrass prairie. The rest is forest shrubland and lakes.
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge stands as a conservation success story. It demonstrates how a polluted site can become a thriving wildlife sanctuary. A place where nature triumphs over past mistakes. A place where you can witness this amazing transformation firsthand. In 2023 a record 950000 people visited the refuge.