2015-O'Fallon Park Forest Health and Fire Mitigation

Start Date-End Date: 05/29/2015-05/29/2015 Land Manager Office: City and County of Denver - Parks and Recreation Land Manager Contact: Andy Perri 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. Description: ABOUT THE STEWARDSHIP SITE O'Fallon Mountain Park is part of the Denver Mountain Park network, whichcomprises one of the most expansive and unique park systems in the West! O'Fallon Mountain Parkprovides Front Range residents with superb hiking and biking opportunities only 25 minutes from downtown. The area's rolling hills, flower-filled meadows, ponderosa pines, and great views reward users with a gorgeous mountain escape from city life. ABOUT THE VOLUNTEER WORK Volunteers are needed for important fire mitigation and resource protection. The fuels within parts of O'Fallon Park have built up over the years and must be reduced. Volunteers will cut and limb smaller trees within the park to reduce these fuel levels, increase overall forest health, and mitigate the potential harm from hazardous wildfire. This project will also help to maintain critical wildlife habitat and reduce impacts from erosion. Volunteers will use hand tools to remove small diameter pine trees that grow in thick clumps in the park. Work will be off trail, moving over moderate and uneven terrain. A free light breakfast and lunch will be provided. PARTNERS Denver Parks and Recreation - Denver Mountain Parks Latitude/Longitude: 39.635243, -105.279048 Additional Information: Camping Available: No Physical Difficulty: Moderate High Altitude Project: No Desired Number of Volunteers: 45 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 38 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 0 Total Volunteer Days: 38 Total Unique Volunteers: 38 Total Volunteer Hours: 228 Staff Hours: 30 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: 38 volunteers on May 29th helped to thin trees at Pence Park, part of the Denver Mountain Parks system. In total, the volunteers thinned 3 acres of conifer trees. Through this work, volunteers were able to help reduce fuel loads in order to mitigate risks of harmful wildfire, as well as increase overall forest health. Successes and Challenges: The weather was perfect and the volunteers seemed to really enjoy the work. Post-lunch the volunteers were definitely getting tired, but they really worked hard and noticed how much of a difference they had made in the forest from just one day's worth of work. Lessons Learned: Volunteers were told to work with a buddy for the day and work in specific areas of the forest (mostly below a trail line). By the afternoon, the volunteers were fairly spread out and it was a little difficult rounding them up at the end of the day. A whistle would have potentially been beneficial to help notify volunteers of the time. Special Notes: There were several volunteers who were volunteering with VOC for the first time. They seemed to really enjoy themselves and were eager to join future projects! Stewardship Education: Andy Perri, Forester for Denver mountain Parks, offered information on the importance of the volunteer work and how the thinning would impact the forest at the start of the day and around lunchtime. Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Description of Accidents/Incidents: None. Description of Work Completed: Approximately 3 acres of trees were thinned.