Description
Start Date-End Date: 05/19/2018-05/19/2018
Land Manager Office: City and County of Denver - Parks and Recreation
Land Manager Contact: Bob Finch
Funding Partner:
Programmatic Partner:
Summary: Celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day on this large, Front Range project.
Description: About the Stewardship Site:
With forested foothills, picnic areas, and the popular Evergreen Lake House, Dedisse Park provides a variety of recreational opportunities right in the heart of Evergreen. The nearly 100-year old park is managed by Denver Mountain Parks and connects visitors with Jefferson County's Alderfer-Three Sisters park through a series of trails on the North side.
About the Volunteer Experience:
Celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day by building a sustainable trail in Evergreen's Dedisse Park! On this 100-person project, volunteers ages 14+ will work in small groups of 8-10 people to create a new section of trail that will direct users away from the many "social trails" in the park, which lead people off designated trails and damage the environment. In addition to building the trail, volunteers will also work to close these social trails by laying down woodstraw mulch and native seeds in order to bring the area back to its natural state. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
About the Overall Impact:
This project is one of many that have taken place in recent years to improve the trail system in Dedisse Park. By creating this new section of trail, volunteers will help reduce the negative impacts of erosion and off-trail use while providing visitors with an enjoyable, sustainable singletrack trail that traverses the hillside and improves connectivity to Jefferson County's Alderfer-Three Sisters Park.
Need-to-Know Details:
Minors:All youth under 16mustbe accompanied by an adult 21 years or older on single-day projects.
Cancellation:Our land manager partners rely on VOC volunteers to accomplish critical stewardship needs, and our projects often have wait lists. If you need to cancel, pleasecontact Jamie Burkeat 303-715-1010 ext. 116 as soon as possible so we can free your spot for another volunteer and have a full workforce.
Latitude/Longitude: 39.634942, -105.340261
Additional Information:
Camping Available: No
Physical Difficulty: Easy, Moderate
High Altitude Project: No
Desired Number of Volunteers: 100
Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 79
Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 15
Total Volunteer Days: 94
Total Unique Volunteers: 94
Total Volunteer Hours: 596
Staff Hours: 28.5
Stipend Hours: 0
Project Summary: All objectives and goals of the project were met, and they were met efficiently. We had a goal to create roughly 1500 feet of trail. With this, closing surrounding social trails, laying down woodstraw, and seeding them with native plant seeds. We even completed 2 timber stair cases that we were anticipating to not complete due to the weather. Overall, the accomplishments from the project include:
845 feet of new trail
8 timber steps with rock cribbing
2000 feet of restoration of old user created trails: seeding, wood straw, and slash
Successes and Challenges: Successes: Despite the gloomy and wet weather, we still hit our desired number of people to show up to the project. The volunteers still had an incredible attitude about the work and the impact they were making. We worked very efficiently, and we were able to complete all work objectives earlier than anticipated.
Challenges: Leading up to the project, my project team had only the "Do Not Use" pick mattock handles to use. Another project valley was occurring that weekend as well. I was a little skeptical and worried that we would not have enough tools for the project, but also tools that could potentially hurt someone. Moving forward I think it will be best to coordinate with other project teams to make sure that not every usable tool is not taken to one project.
Lessons Learned: When we arrived on site, we were expecting a porta-john for the volunteers since the closest bathroom was a mile away; however it was not there. The bathroom had been dropped off in a different location. Sending out an email reminder to the project partner about securing sanitation and making sure that it will be at the work site will help alleviate any bathroom issues the morning of your project.
It was a bit difficult to gather everyone at lunch to do the raffle drawing because everyone was spread pretty far from each other. I had to wait until the end of the work day to do the raffle. By this point, about half the volunteers left after returning their tools. There was still a nice turnout for the raffle, but it would have made for larger event, and a little more special if I were able to do that at lunch.
Special Notes: The trail construction performed on this project is going to make it easier for folks utilizing the Denver Mountain Park trails to access another trail system nearby in Jefferson County. the Three Sisters Park. A number of social trails were closed as well. closing these social trails will prevent future erosion damage to the trails system.
Stewardship Education:
Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: At this time of the year, the weather can be a bit unpredictable. We were expecting to a lot of rain on this project day, thankfully it didn't pour and the weather held up. However, this is something to still keep in the back of your head thinking about where to place volunteers. Will the area they will be working in be slippery and unworkable?
Description of Accidents/Incidents: One young volunteer sprained her ankle on this project. When I reached her and her mother. They explained to me that she was moving buckets, and slipped (on what I assume was a rock). By the time I reached them, coming from the other side of the trail, the volunteer's ankle had been taped and she had taken a pain reliever. I suggested that I can give them a splint to wrap her ankle with. Her mother was very calm and had taken her to an urgent care center to get her ankle looked at.
Description of Work Completed:
Details
| 14 and older |
