Description
Start Date-End Date: 04/26/2014-04/26/2014
Land Manager Office: El Paso County Parks
Land Manager Contact: Jason Meyer
Funding Partner:
Programmatic Partner:
Summary: NOTE: Registration for this opportunity is full. If you register, you will be placed on the wait list. As space becomes available, we will move individuals off the wait list. See the Volunteer Calendar for other flood restoration projects that you can help with.
Description:
STEWARDSHIP SITE
Fountain Creek Regional Park is a 460-acre linear park situated along Fountain Creek between the cities of Colorado Springs and Fountain. The park includes a creek-side trail, Willow Springs Ponds, and the Hanson Nature Park.Downstream, the Fountain Creek Nature Center serves as the educational focal point for Fountain Creek, the watershed, and riparian ecology. Farther south, the Duckwood Active Play Area consists of a 12-acre site with multi-purpose fields, picnic shelters, and a playground.
VOLUNTEER PROJECT - WHAT & WHY
In September 2013, heavy flooding devastated areas along Fountain Creek, leaving substantial amounts of debris in its wake, inhibiting recreational use. Volunteers will work to remove heavy woody debris and noxious weeds from riparian and wetland areas along trails and within open spaces. The removal of flood debris and noxious weeds will promote healthy wildlife habitat along Fountain Creek and increase access for recreational users.
PARTNERS & SPONSORS
El Paso County Parks
Xcel Energy
The Boeing Company
Oracle
The Anschutz Foundation
Anadarko
Clif Bar & Company
OTHER FUN STUFF
Meals: A light breakfast and lunch will be provided.
Latitude/Longitude: 38.7080, -104.7134
Additional Information:
Camping Available: No
Physical Difficulty: Moderate
High Altitude Project: No
Desired Number of Volunteers: 45
Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 53
Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 11
Total Volunteer Days: 64
Total Unique Volunteers: 64
Total Volunteer Hours: 395
Staff Hours: 30
Stipend Hours: 0
Project Summary:
Successes and Challenges:
Lessons Learned:
Special Notes:
Stewardship Education:
Jason, from El Paso County Parks, talked to the volunteers about how Fountain Creek carved out a completely new path for itself in the floods of 2013. A whole cottonwood forest was demolished, as was a good chunk of the park's trail. Jason explained that the volunteers would be helping to restore the wildlife habitats, and keep the water clear of trash and debris.
Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers:
This project went very smoothly. Jason, from El Paso County Parks, said this was by far the most productive clean-up they've had to date. Volunteers finished everything that the park needed, and they can now move forward with other park plans, like rebuilding the trail. There were a few volunteers that were frustrated, because there wasn't as much man-made trash in the park as they thought, and they felt like they weren't doing flood restoration work.
Description of Accidents/Incidents:
Description of Work Completed:
We had 64 volunteers come out on Saturday, April 26th to do trash and debris removal from Fountain Creek State Park, which was affected by the 2013 floods. Volunteers were divided into 4 groups with a VOC crew leader, and each took a different section to sweep. Two 30-cubic-yard dumpsters were filled within the first hour of work. Volunteers also filled trash bags and staged them along the trail, and made piles of logs and other woody debris. Approximately 85 acres were covered in the 4 hour work day.
Details
| 10 and older |
