Description
Start Date-End Date: 06/20/2015-06/20/2015
Land Manager Office: USFS - South Platte Ranger District
Land Manager Contact: Paige Fulghum
Funding Partner: Coalition for the Upper South Platte
Programmatic Partner:
Summary: Help continue critical post-fire restoration efforts at Waldo Canyon so that the area can see greenery in its future.
Description: ABOUT THE STEWARDSHIP SITE
The 2012 18,500-acre Waldo Canyon Fire went down in history as the single most expensive wildfire in Colorado's history, only to be eclipsed by the Black Forest Fire in 2013. Wildfire experts say that nearly 20 percent of those acres were burned so severely that no living vegetation was left on the surface, nor root systems left below the surface to a depth of about four inches.Three years later, the severity of the damage is still dramatically slowing the recovery of the ecosystem and presenting near-constant flood risks-risks, which experts say may threaten the area for the next decade. This project will address fire damage in the Wellington Gulch area near highway 24.
ABOUT THE VOLUNTEER PROJECT
The fire may be over, but the restoration is far from complete. VOC returns to Waldo Canyon again this year to help mitigate flooding and repair fire damage.These burn areas are still subject to erosion and mudslides, which threaten Colorado Springs' municipal water supply, Highway 24, and public and private infrastructure. Work will involve re-shaping the ground surface, re-seeding, and building erosion control structures. Work will be moderate- to- strenuous in nature.
A free light breakfast and lunch will be provided.
PARTNERS
U.S. Forest Service
Coalition for the Upper South Platte
Latitude/Longitude:
Additional Information:
Camping Available: No
Physical Difficulty: Moderate
High Altitude Project: Yes
Desired Number of Volunteers: 70
Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 43
Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 4
Total Volunteer Days: 47
Total Unique Volunteers: 47
Total Volunteer Hours: 376
Staff Hours: 34.5
Stipend Hours: 0
Project Summary: On June 20th 47 volunteers came out to help restore a portion of the Waldo Canyon burn scare on the Rampart Range in the Pike National Forest. This is the 3rd consecutive year that VOC has partnered with CUSP to help with fire restoration projects in this area. Volunteers seeded and raked 3.5 acres of the land that are yet to recover. The grasses root systems will help stabilize the extremely erosive soils. A separate group of volunteers hiked in to a remote and steep section of the burn scare to install 36 Log Erosion Barriers. These structures will also help stabilize the erosive soil and prevent material from was downhill and into the community and water supply of CO Springs.
Successes and Challenges: This project, and all of the project on the weekend of June 20th experienced a lot of late cancelations. Maybe due to a nice weekend free of rain or maybe b/c it was Father's Day.
Lessons Learned:
Special Notes:
Stewardship Education:
Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers:
Description of Accidents/Incidents:
Description of Work Completed:
Details
| 16 and older |
