2016-BLM SWAT Trail Maintenance at Green Mountain

Start Date-End Date: 06/15/2016-06/15/2016 Land Manager Office: City of Lakewood Land Manager Contact: Erik Nilsen Funding Partner: BLM - Colorado State Office Programmatic Partner: Summary: Trail Maintenance at William Frederick Hayden at Green Mountain will include the removal of debris from water diversion structures, reshaping water diversion structures, light trail corridor clearing, and possible trail reshaping. Description: Trail Maintenance at William Frederick Hayden at Green Mountain will include the removal of debris from water diversion structures, reshaping water diversion structures, light trail corridor clearing, and possible trail reshaping. Latitude/Longitude: 39.683514, -105.179211 Additional Information: Camping Available: No Physical Difficulty: Easy High Altitude Project: No Desired Number of Volunteers: 30 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 19 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 1 Total Volunteer Days: 20 Total Unique Volunteers: 20 Total Volunteer Hours: 156 Staff Hours: 17 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: We had 19 brave volunteers from the Bureau of Land Management came out to Green Mountain in the city of Lakewood for a Corporate SWAT project. The weather was scheduled to be very warm and the work was anticipated to be strenuous to say the least. The hot coffee was not very popular that was donated from Starbucks, but the chocolate and glazed donuts were a hit. We began work on the Green Mountain Loop Trail that swings to the east of the mountain with expansive views of the Denver skyline. The volunteers began clearing out water bars that were almost non-exisistant due to the heavy amount of sedimentation that was deposited into the drainage area. As many of the trails on Green Mountain were born from an old road bed, they are highly erosive and do a great job of channelizing water. That being said, the work was challenging and the day was warming up by the time we hit our last large structure where the trail started to get steep and rocky. We installed almost 15 water diversion structures and constructed two very wide check dams to reduce erosion. Erik Nilsen from the City of Lakewood and myself were the only two staff that were onsite to instruct the trail work. Fortunately we had two individuals from the BLM that had a background in trail building and they were able to lead some of the volunteers in the work. We all tried to huddle under shade somewhere in the parking lot and hydrate ourselves. One gentlemen from the BLM was kind enough to grab a bag of ice when he went to pick up his lunch. Everyone was now interested in making iced coffee to fuel the rest of the increasingly hot day. Work resumed after lunch as we went straight up from the main parking lot on the Green Mountain Loop. This section is immensely popular with trail users and very steep. We began the same type of work, cleaning out water diversion structures and breaking down the berm that had developed along the critical edge of the trail. Volunteers were definitely feeling the heat and talk began of ending the day a bit early. We made it to the the third switch back up the hillside (about 1/4 of a mile). After a discussion with Erik Nilsen and Jack Placchi (BLM) we decided that finishing the day around 2:30 would be greatly appreciated among the sun scorned crew. Successes and Challenges: Successes: constructed 10 water diversion structures, 3 large check steps, and maintained over 22 different water diversion structures. I also consider it a success that we had a decent turnout from the BLM as this day was a reschedule from the original rained out date. Challenges: It was hot and the work was difficult for most people that had never built or maintained a water diversion structure before. Another challenge was finding shade for people to have a bit of respite during lunch. It is also a challenge when VOC is limited on the budgetary spending for these corporate SWATS and we would like to provide ice,or cold drinks to individuals that are working very hard. Lessons Learned: I should think about packing a pop-up tent for these days when the sun is bright and hot. Ice and a cooler would also go a long way in making people happy. Special Notes: Green Mountain needs alot of work. Water diversion structures appeared as if they had not seen maintenance in about two years. This might be something to consider as the days in the mountains get colder and snowier, that we could have many opportunities along the front range for work. Stewardship Education: Green Mountain is one of the first places where people are able to access the Rocky Mountains to recreate. With more than 2,400 acres of open space, William Frederick Hayden Park on Green Mountain is the second largest park in Lakewood. The park features a challenging network of multi-use trails. The summit, at 6,800 feet, offers unique and stunning views of the Denver metropolitan area to the east, as well as high mountain peaks to the west. Once home to the buffalo, this park now provides rich habitat for a diverse array of wildlife, including coyotes, hawks, rattlesnakes, bluebirds, rabbit, mule deer and an occasional mountain lion. Erik Nilsen and I were able to talk a bit about the native vs invasive plant challenges facing Green Mountain today and how the budget constraints for land managers facilitates the need for more volunteers to work on the trails and ecosystems. Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Volunteers seemed happy to get out of the office for a day, some were more enthusiastic than others. Description of Accidents/Incidents: There were no accidents or incidents to report. Description of Work Completed: