2013-Earth Day: Cherry Creek Habitat Restoration

Start Date-End Date: 04/20/2013-04/20/2013 Land Manager Office: City and County of Denver - Parks and Recreation Land Manager Contact: Laura Hiniker Funding Partner: Mile High Flood District Programmatic Partner: Summary: NOTE: Registration for this opportunity is full. If you register, you will be placed on the wait list. Help restore a portion of the Cherry Creek habitat at Four Mile Historic Park. Description: STEWARDSHIP SITE Located just four miles from downtown Denver on the banks of Cherry Creek, Four Mile Historic Park is a slice of history and nature rolled into one. All that remains of a 600-acre homestead, the 12-acre park is home to cottonwood-shaded Cherry Creek, open parkland, a working farm, and the oldest existent structure in Denver. VOLUNTEER PROJECT - WHAT & WHY Unlike most habitat restoration projects, this project will take place in an urban setting.Four Mile Historic Park, known for its historical preservation, is looking to restore and preserve the native Cherry Creek habitat. Volunteers will plant natural vegetation and transplant special soil berms along a portion of the northern bank of Cherry Creek. PARTNERS Denver Parks and Recreation Four Mile Historic Park OTHER FUN STUFF Meals: A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Latitude/Longitude: 39.70348, -104.929453 Additional Information: Camping Available: No Physical Difficulty: Moderate High Altitude Project: No Desired Number of Volunteers: 20 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 22 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 12 Total Volunteer Days: 34 Total Unique Volunteers: 34 Total Volunteer Hours: 202 Staff Hours: 9 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: Successes and Challenges: Lessons Learned: Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Provided by Urban Drainage and Flood Control for the Habitat Restoration Portion 4 Mile Historic Park provided information on their land. Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Messages: Hi Emily, The District would like to the Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado and, especially to you for organizing the work on Cherry Creek at Fourmile House. Would you please provide me with an address where we could send a letter? We were very impressed and thankful for the opportunity to partner with VOC and to work with all of the great people you had at the site. 800 Square Feet of Channel Bank restored. 27.3 pounds of native grass seed (uplands and wetlands seed). 25 Chokecherry shrubs, 300 wetlands plugs and 400 uplands plugs. I will definitely keep you in mind for future opportunities. We would like to do at least one project per year! Sincerely, Mike Michael Sarmento, SET Senior Construction Manager Design, Construction and Maintenance Program Urban Drainage and Flood Control District Description of Accidents/Incidents: Some small finger cuts from volunteers - nothing major. 2 bandaids were provided. Description of Work Completed: 20 volunteers in the morning arrives to build 3 levels of erosion control barriers long cherry creek near the 4 mile historic park in Denver. The volunteers totaled about 800 square feed of erosion mitigation. The volunteers staked, hauled soil and sand, seeded and secured the erosion levels all morning. In the afternoon, an additional 10 volunteers arrived to help lay more native grass seed and plant 25 chokecherry shrubs and plant over 700 wetland and upland plugs. Quiznos donated a portion of the lunches, while 4 Mile Historic Park purchased the rest from Subway. 4 Mile Historic Park also donated 4 free passes to their park for raffle prizes over lunch.