COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Just a short drive from downtown Denver, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge offers something increasingly rare, a place where wildlife can freely exist.
Spanning more than 15,000 acres, the refuge is home to bison, deer, birds and plenty of other species. But it’s also a place where people can learn about nature, often with the help of volunteers like Candy Jones.
Jones has spent the past seven years volunteering at the refuge’s visitor center, greeting guests, answering questions and helping people discover wildlife across the property.
“It’s an amazing place where refuge animals can just be themselves,” Jones said. “They have a safe place to live their lives and not be bothered by poaching and hunting.”
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge draws more than one million visitors a year, according to staff. Volunteers help guide guests through the experience, explaining the refuge’s wildlife, trails and scenic drives.
“This refuge is a place for wildlife and people to thrive,” Kim Lopez, volunteer coordinator for Friends of the Front Range Wildlife Refuges, said. “Kids are growing up in an urban environment and are seeing less opportunities to explore the outdoors.”
Jones’ connection to the refuge began years ago when she regularly visited to walk the trails and photograph wildlife.
“I always walked around out here anyway with my camera,” Jones said. “One of the rangers asked me one day, ‘Why don’t you just volunteer here? I started volunteering because I was retired. I had the time, and it was perfect,” she said.
Jones volunteers three days a week, two mornings at the refuge’s visitor center and another day at the nearby National Eagle and Wildlife Property Repository, which is located on the refuge grounds. In total, she has logged more than 2,700 hours volunteering at the refuge.
“Candy has been a volunteer with us for over seven years now,” Lopez said. “In that time, she has seen the refuge grow from seeing about 500,000 visitors a year to that over 1 million threshold.”
Much of Jones’ work involves connecting with visitors, helping them find the best places to see wildlife and learn about the refuge.
“It’s mainly just interacting with the people and making sure they learn about this place and the importance of the wildlife refuge,” Jones said.
She is also an avid wildlife photographer. Some of her photos taken at the refuge have even been turned into postcards sold in the visitor center gift shop.
“To see our photos in the gift shop as postcards is an amazing honor,” she said.
Beyond helping visitors, Jones also contributes to conservation research. She monitors butterflies along a designated trail at the refuge and reports the data to the Colorado Butterfly Monitoring Network, helping scientists track ecosystem health.
“It turned out to be a really fun project,” Jones said. “I’ve been doing that for six years.”
Staff say Jones’ dedication and her ability to connect with people makes her stand out.
“She is so warm, so kind. She has great enthusiasm for the wildlife out here,” Lopez said.
Jones’ passion for the refuge, Lopez said, has had a lasting impact on both visitors and fellow volunteers.
“When someone comes in and they see Candy, I just know that they’re going to see the best places at the refuge,” Lopez said.
For Jones, volunteering has become more than just a way to spend time in nature, it’s a sense of community.
“The rangers and the volunteers here are kind of like family now to me,” Jones said. “How can you not keep coming back?”
Jones said the experience has enriched her life and given her a renewed sense of purpose.
“It’s all part of living a quality life and helping other people out,” Jones said.
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