2015-National Rural Electric Cooperative Association SWAT at Parkfield Lake Park

Start Date-End Date: 08/23/2015-08/23/2015 Land Manager Office: City and County of Denver - Parks and Recreation Land Manager Contact: Kelly Uhing Funding Partner: Programmatic Partner: Summary: NRECA SWAT at Parkfield Lake Park Description: NRECA SWAT at Parkfield Lake Park We will be adding crusher fine to the trail around the park, as well as planting some native plants along the shore and removing invasive weeds. Latitude/Longitude: 39.792335, -104.806367 Additional Information: Camping Available: No Physical Difficulty: Easy High Altitude Project: No Desired Number of Volunteers: 65 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 46 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 0 Total Volunteer Days: 46 Total Unique Volunteers: 46 Total Volunteer Hours: 184 Staff Hours: 32 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: On August 23rd, 46 volunteers and 4 members of the VOC staff and 3 members of Denver Parks and Recreation Natural Areas staff worked on improving Parkfield Lake Park. The volunteers were able to plant 150 plants (milkweed plants, shrubs and native grasses), spread crusher fine over one-third of a mile of trail, pull weeds over 10 acres of the park (musk thistle, prickly lettuce, diffuse knapweed, common mullein and yellow sweet clover), fill 20 large trash bags with trash picked up around the lake perimeter and paint 10 trees that were covered in graffiti. Successes and Challenges: The volunteers were excited and ready to work in the morning when they arrived. Unfortunately, the bathrooms had been moved from the meeting site to the recreation center nearby. The volunteers had to be shuttled to the bathroom site, causing a delay in the start time. It was unclear why they had been moved, but maps and emails with the meeting site had been sent to the land manager well in advance of the project. There was also not enough crusher fine on the trail, or even in the truck that added to the trail later in the morning, to keep the volunteers busy for long. The volunteers worked really hard, even after picking weeds for hours and helped to get everything done on the list (and then some!). The day was called a little early (around 11:30 AM) because the volunteers were getting warm and tired. The volunteers really enjoyed the lunch (Which Wich) and the free re-useable bags that VOC provided. Lessons Learned: Special Notes: Stewardship Education: VOC was able to explain briefly for the need of the work in the morning and the importance of the park to the nearby community. Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: VOC was able to explain briefly for the need of the work in the morning and the importance of the park to the nearby community. The land manager was supposed to elaborate in the morning, but unfortunately was not present when we started because they were still putting out plants at the project site. In the future, the land manager should make sure to have everything set up further in advance prior to the volunteers arriving. Also, for large groups, the land manager must understand in the future to have enough supplies for certain projects like crusher fine spreading over the trail.The land manager, while very kind, was not adequately prepared for this project, but hopefully will do better in future projects. Description of Accidents/Incidents: None. Description of Work Completed: