Description
Start Date-End Date: 05/05/2018-05/05/2018
Land Manager Office: Aurora Open Space and Natural Resources Division
Land Manager Contact: Eric Watts
Funding Partner: City of Aurora
Programmatic Partner:
Summary: Build a new natural-surface trail in Aurora; open to volunteers ages 12+!
Description: About the Stewardship Site:
Located just north of the Aurora Reservoir on the East side of Denver, the Pronghorn Natural Area is a newly-accessible open space that offers visitors and nearby residents a welcome respite from urban life with a pristine prairie experience and plentiful opportunities to view the namesake Pronghorn Antelope, Mule and Whitetail Deer, as well as various raptor and other bird species. The trail that volunteers build will become part of the Triple Creek Trail, a $1.5-million project to connect the southern end of the Sand Creek Greenway to the Aurora Reservoir, linking to regional trail systems that will eventually provide a loop from the Aurora Reservoir west through Highlands Ranch, north to Arvada, and back to Aurora through Commerce City.
About the Volunteer Experience:
On this large project of 100+ people, volunteers ages 12+ will work in small groups of 8-10 people to build a new, natural-surface trail in Aurora's Pronghorn Natural Area. This is a great opportunity to spend time with family, discover new, local places to explore, get your feet wet as a new volunteer, or meet people from across the Front Range! Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
About the Overall Impact:
With only a few established trails, visitors have limited options for exploring the Pronghorn Natural Area. By building the new trail, volunteers will improve public access to preserved, natural places in the face of continued development on the East side of the Denver Metro area and help establish a regional trail system.
Need-to-Know Details:
Minors:All youth under 16mustbe accompanied by an adult 21 years or older on single-day projects.
Parking, Food & Facilities:VOC will provide all tools and equipment, including work gloves. There is ample parking, though volunteers may need towalk up to 1 mileto the project site. Volunteers will have access to port-o-lets and our volunteer Crew Chefs will provide breakfast and lunch.
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: 39.638351, -104.678616
Additional Information:
Camping Available: No
Physical Difficulty: Easy, Moderate
High Altitude Project: No
Desired Number of Volunteers: 120
Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 101
Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 20
Total Volunteer Days: 121
Total Unique Volunteers: 121
Total Volunteer Hours: 974.5
Staff Hours: 48.5
Stipend Hours: 0
Project Summary: Volunteers spent the day of May 5th building new trail at the Pronghorn Natural Area. Managed by City of Aurora Open Space, this unique property provides a primitive prairie experience, with opportunities to see wildlife including Raptors, mule deer and namesake Pronghorn Antelope.
Volunteers constructed 4,800 feet of new trail at Pronghorn, turning a hiking route previoulsy only accessible from a two track road into a more primitive and natural experience. The segment will also ultimately become part of the Triple Creek Trail, a regional 12 mile route that will connect from the southeastern end of the Sand Creek Regional Greenway to Aurora Reservoir.
Successes and Challenges: Ultimately and excellent start to a hopefully long future relationship with Aurora Open Space. Agency rep Eric Watts could barely contain his excitement at what VOC was able to accomplish.
Staff had a few concerns with the trail design. TAs did the best they could. It ultimately came down to COA's desire to have a natural surface (no crusher through flat areas) and limit they gave as to how far off the established road the trail could deviate. Most of the trail should remain sustainable, but they may experience maintenance issues through a few flat spots.
With no shade, heat became and issue as the day wore on. A handful of heat exhaustion cases and a lot of people departing before the official stop time.
Lessons Learned: When working on this property in the future, emphasize in info email the lack of shade and need for hats and other appropriate clothing.
Special Notes:
Stewardship Education:
Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers:
Description of Accidents/Incidents: A few minor heat exhaustion cases and at least one run in with a cactus, but no major incidents or emergencies.
Description of Work Completed:
Details
| 12 and older |
