2016-CYL Youth SWAT: LNT Training & Seed Collection at the Arsenal

Start Date-End Date: 03/05/2016-03/12/2016 Land Manager Office: USFWS - Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR Land Manager Contact: Hannah Atkinson Funding Partner: Colorado Young Leaders Programmatic Partner: Leave No Trace, Inc. Summary: HS students will come out to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR to go through a LNT training, and then help with seed collection in the afternoon. Description: HS students will come out to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR to go through a LNT training, and then help with seed collection in the afternoon. Latitude/Longitude: 39.815113, -104.880346 Additional Information: Camping Available: No Physical Difficulty: Easy High Altitude Project: No Desired Number of Volunteers: 20 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 3 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 17 Total Volunteer Days: 20 Total Unique Volunteers: 20 Total Volunteer Hours: 160 Staff Hours: 10.5 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: On Saturday, March 5th, a group of high school students came out to Rocky Mountain Arsenal for a LNT training and stewardship activity. The students were associated with Colorado Young Leaders or VOC's Cairn program, with a few outliers. The Leave No Trace training was provided by professional staff from the Center for Outdoor Ethics in Boulder. It was a very thorough training, and each student received a certificate for participation. In the afternoon, we watched a video on the history of the Arsenal, and got to see the endangered black-footed ferrets and the bison herd. We then covered 10 acres, and collected fourwing saltbush seeds. These seeds will be planted in a few weeks as a native erosion control plant, and as a barrier to the growing prairie dog popultaion. Successes and Challenges: The LNT training was very well done. The Center for Outdoor Ethics provides free training through their roving crews, which would make for a cool Cairn activity in the future. Lessons Learned: Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Provided by Center for Outdoor Ethics and the Rocky Mountain Arsenal staff. Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Description of Accidents/Incidents: Description of Work Completed: