Description
Start Date-End Date: 06/01/2012-06/02/2012
Land Manager Office: Partners for Access to the Woods (PAW)
Land Manager Contact: Carol Hunter
Funding Partner:
Programmatic Partner:
Summary: Celebrate National Trails Day with VOC by building a one-of-a-kind trail near Empire.
Description:
STEWARDSHIP SITE
This is a unique site near Empire, Colorado that is currently being developed by nonprofit, Partners for Access to the Woods (PAW), to be used as an outdoor classroom. The goal of the outdoor classroom is to teach outdoor recreation providers and college students how to include persons of all ages and abilities in an outdoor recreation experience. The site will eventually offer a trail, Colorado history exhibits, and parking for visitors of all ages and abilities.
VOLUNTEER PROJECT - WHAT & WHY
Celebrate National Trails Day by getting involved in this truly special trail project! This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to help construct a trail that will eventually become a national model for trail design. This trail is intended to become an outdoor classroom demonstrating a variety of trail materials and installation for ADA trail design. It is designed to showcase the importance of running grade, cross-slope and surface material in determining the level of difficulty for a person with a mobility impairment as well as the general public enjoying a recreation trail. This project takes lessons learned from Gary's Trail at the Easter Seals Camp that VOC volunteers helped install.
On Friday, volunteer work will involve digging and preparing the trail bed, creating overhead clearance, and removing obstructions on the trail such as rocks and tree stumps. This work to prepare the site for the materials will be a bit more strenuous and is appropriate for volunteers age 12 and up.
On Saturday, volunteer work will involve moving and installing a variety of trail materials using with the assistance of manufactures on site. There is a steep grade in some sections. This work will be easier and is appropriate for volunteers age 8 and up.
PARTNERS
Partners for Access to the Woods (PAW)
OTHER FUN STUFF
Meals: Light breakfast and lunch on both Friday and Saturday
Camping is available for volunteers who wish to stay over Friday night. However, dinner will NOT be provided.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN CAMPING FRIDAY NIGHT, PLEASE INDICATE SO IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OF YOUR REGISTRATION.
Latitude/Longitude: 39.76622772216797, -105.78414154052734
Additional Information:
Camping Available: No
Physical Difficulty: Easy, Moderate
High Altitude Project: No
Desired Number of Volunteers: 40
Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 66
Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 3
Total Volunteer Days: 60
Total Unique Volunteers: 47
Total Volunteer Hours: 1059.5
Staff Hours: 159
Stipend Hours: 0
Project Summary:
Successes and Challenges:
Lessons Learned:
Special Notes:
Stewardship Education:
Trail design for individuals with disabilities. However, project-day changes in the design on the trail at the request of the partner may have created some challenges on the trail that may be very difficult for some users.
Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers:
Less thank 50% of the desired number of volunteers needed to accomplish the scope of work.
Rototillers and powered tampers were needed for the work. Didn't have any partner staff to operate equipment. Volunteers operated equipment. We should find ways to avoid having volunteers use power tools and leave that to the partner. Challenge comes when there is not much information about the material installation and the need for these tools happen on the final planning week or when the partner is a non-profit without technical land management staff.
Do not have unsupported overnights close to the metro area. When volunteers leave and come back the next day, a large attrition of those people happened on the 2nd day.
See project evaluation in project folder for additional information.
Description of Accidents/Incidents:
None
Description of Work Completed:
Volunteers cut in approx 600 ft of new 6ft-wide trail, built 10 in-line "rest area"on thetrail, and one challenge area to allow a person in a wheelchair to learn how to maneuver cross-slopes. This trail is unique because it is accessible to individuals with wheelchairs and it also has sensory strips on and along the trail for individuals with visual impairments.
Breakfast from Starbucks on Alameda & Downing, Einsteins, Raquelitas, and Royal Crest. Volunteers enjoyed a variety of delicious salads for lunch made by Crew Chef Lisa Thilker.
Additional support was provided by Clear Creek County and CDOT. PAW obtained a donation from Invisible Structures who supplied tactile strip to indicate that a rest area and interpretive sign was adjacent to the trail. They also got a generous donation from Midwest who not only supplied chemicals to harden the trail but also sent out a special truck from California to apply the product on the trail.
PAW donated t-shirts for the volunteer appreciation raffle as a small token of their appreciation for the volunteers' hard work.
Details
| 8 and older |
