Description
Start Date-End Date: 05/02/2019-05/02/2019
Land Manager Office: CPW - Cherry Creek State Park
Land Manager Contact: Jonathan Kingery
Funding Partner:
Programmatic Partner:
Summary: 24 3rd and 4th graders will be removing mullein at Cherry Creek State Park for a half day project. The schedule will be as follows:
? 9:30 AM Arrive at Cherry Creek State Park
? 9:30-10:00 AM Intro and Icebreakers
? 10:00-10:45 Stewardship work
? 10:45-11:00 AM Snack break
? 11:00-11:45 AM Stewardship work
? 11:45-12:00 PM Cleanup and Wrap-up
Description: Cherry Creek State Park is Denver's closest natural and spacious backyard playground! There is so much to see and enjoy. Anchored around a 880 surface acre reservoir, the park offers a natural prairie environment of gentle, rolling hills and complete outdoor recreation facilities, including camping, picnicking and facilities for group events. Your work at the park will be to help tackle their Common Mullein problem. Mullein is a noxious weed. Noxious weeds are non-native plants that disrupt native vegetation because they are able to adapt to varied climate conditions. They compete against plants that are native to Colorado for resources like water. With each plant holding 100,000 to 250,000 seeds, it is an ongoing effort to help remove this plant.
Latitude/Longitude: 39.625261, -104.830661
Additional Information:
Camping Available: No
Physical Difficulty: Easy
High Altitude Project: No
Desired Number of Volunteers: 30
Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 6
Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 24
Total Volunteer Days: 30
Total Unique Volunteers: 30
Total Volunteer Hours: 90
Staff Hours: 8
Stipend Hours: 0
Project Summary: This was a super successful youth project with 30 very enthusiastic and engaged volunteers. The 24 3rd and 4th graders from Mackintosh had a blast removing mullein and the 6 chaperones and teachers seemed to really enjoy the day as well.
We began the day with a name game and a mullein tag game that the kids loved. We broke the group up in 2 and had one group drive with John from Cherry Creek to a location with mullein and thistle. The other group stayed with me, Delaney, and walked around the park office to look for mullein. The groups came back after about 45 minutes, ate some chewy bars, and then we did about 30 minutes around the meeting area of mullein removal in the two separate groups. Energy after the break was very low, and we probably should have taken a lunch break early to get the kids energized before doing a second session of weeding.
Overall, the kids really enjoyed removing mullein and had a blast at Cherry Creek. Megan even mentioned that a group of students saw mullein along the S Platte during a walk they and were eager to pull it out. Megan was great to work with and wants to bring the kids out on future projects with VOC.
Successes and Challenges: Improvements (from survey we sent out):
Teachers provided some pre trip information about mullein and invasive species. If there is curriculum information on these types of projects, we would appreciate it. We (Mackintosh) should've let the kids eat lunch early, they may have re bounded better after the first half of the event.
Comments (from survey):
As a chaperone, it was fun to watch engaged and energized students work to rid their state park of an invasive species.
Lessons Learned:
Special Notes:
Stewardship Education:
Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers:
Description of Accidents/Incidents:
Description of Work Completed:
Details
| 8 and older |
