2012-Earth Day: Black Forest Regional Park Trail and Habitat Restoration

Start Date-End Date: 04/21/2012-04/21/2012 Land Manager Office: El Paso County Parks Land Manager Contact: Jason Meyer Funding Partner: Programmatic Partner: Summary: Celebrate Earth Day with the whole family at Black Forest Regional Park! Description: STEWARDSHIP SITE Black Forest Regional Park is located in the Black Forest area of El Paso County, just north of Colorado Springs. The park's moderately rolling hills and open pine forest make it a popular destination for hikers, equestrians, and picnickers. Black Forest Regional Park is part of a larger forest of ponderosa pine that extends eastward on a high elevation ridge from Palmer Lake to Elbert County. The park supports Ponderosa pine woodland, foothill prairie, and wet meadow plant communities. VOLUNTEER PROJECT - WHAT & WHY Over the years, park visitors have created a series of user-created social trails that cause erosion, disturb wildlife, and create unsafe conditions. As part of the Black Forest Regional Park Master Plan (2011), which outlines over 14 miles of trail improvements, volunteers will construct new single-track trails and reclaim social trails using materials found onsite, crushed limestone provide by El Paso County, and seeding. This unique combination of trail construction and re-vegetation will create a new 3/4 mile loop trail in the Regional Park. Re-seeding work is easy and suitable for families and children. For those who want more of a challenge, there is more strenuous trail building that will require a walking distance of about one mile with tools. PARTNERS El Paso County Parks Roundup Riders Heritage and Trails Foundation OTHER FUN STUFF Meals: light breakfast, lunch Latitude/Longitude: 39.02370071411133, -104.69329833984375 Additional Information: Camping Available: No Physical Difficulty: Easy, Moderate High Altitude Project: No Desired Number of Volunteers: 100 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 90 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 17 Total Volunteer Days: 100 Total Unique Volunteers: 107 Total Volunteer Hours: 1328.5 Staff Hours: 90 Stipend Hours: 198 Project Summary: Successes and Challenges: Lessons Learned: Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Crew learned about social trail impacts. Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Provide additional training to NCCC leader on technical aspects of the project prior to project day. See project evaluation in project folder. Description of Accidents/Incidents: None Description of Work Completed: We had over 100 volunteers. Volunteers built approx 1,300 ft new trail, closed 1,4000 ft of social trails, built over 25 check dams, 2 turnpikes that went over natural dry creeks, hauled several tons of crusher fine for trail building, and re-seeded closure areas. Re-routed 2 major sections of trail away from existing trail areas that are eroded. We have people of varying ages, abilities, families, and groups such as AmeriCorps NCCC, Boy Scout Troop 199, Jaxon, and Black Forest Trail Association assisting with the project. Breakfast from local CO Springs Starbucks, Einsteins. Discounted sandwiches from Subways at DTC Orchard Rd. Post-project celebration with chips from Raquelitas and homemade salsa donated by Crew Chef Dawn Healy and homemade baked goods from Crew Chef Rose Beyer. Everyone enjoyed donated t-shirts from the Humane Society and many donated item for the raffle include hats and kleen kanteens from El Paso County as a small token of appreciation for the volunteers hard work.