Plains Top Minnow

Environmental Learning Center, Ft. Collins, CO - 2025

Plains Topminnow: The Way to Regeneration is a sculptural public artwork created for Colorado State University’s Environmental Learning Center in Fort Collins as part of a larger restoration effort along the Cache la Poudre River.

The sculpture is located in a specially constructed hatchery pond supporting the recovery of the Plains Topminnow, a small native fish whose populations have declined as waterways have been altered and fragmented.

Constructed from stone, the sculpture draws inspiration from stacked-stone cairns found along hiking trails - markers that help travelers find their way. Here, the cairns become a metaphor for regeneration, pointing toward a future shaped by habitat restoration, biodiversity, and ecological stewardship.

The Plains Topminnow moves through the stone forms, connecting the artwork directly to the living habitat beside it and reflecting both the fragility and resilience of natural systems.

Designed by Katy Casper and fabricated in collaboration with Carey Building Services, The Way to Regeneration invites visitors to consider how restoration begins with recognizing our place within the larger living systems that sustain us.