Description
Start Date-End Date: 07/11/2019-07/11/2019
Land Manager Office:
Land Manager Contact: Bob Finch
Funding Partner:
Programmatic Partner:
Summary: Help forests thrive on this Thursday project. **EXCESSIVE WAITLIST: REGISTRATION BY REQUEST ONLY**
Description: Project photo by Kimbo Explores Photography.
PLEASE NOTE:This project has an excessively long waitlist! Please contactEmily Schaeferat 303-715-1010 ext. 116 if you would like to register for the waitlist.
Where You'll Be:
Not far from Denver off I-70, Genesee Park feels a world away with over 2,000 acres to explore. It is one of the oldest parks in the Denver Mountain Parks system and is home to the historic Beaver Brook Trail, coveted hiker-only trails, and a herd of bison! Its proximity to Denver and diverse recreation opportunities - from picnicking to backcountry hiking - make this park a popular pick with everyone from families to groups.
What You'll Do:
Spend your Thursday helping forests thrive in Genesee Park! Volunteers ages 12+ will take part in simple, but important, tasks designed to improve the health of native ponderosa pines and reduce the severity of wildfires. The majority of work will involve using handsaws to cut smaller trees at ground level, which will then be collected and removed from the area. Lunch will also be provided.
Why It Matters:
When trees grow in clusters, they compete for moisture, nutrients, and sunlight. This weakens the trees and makes them more susceptible to bark beetles and diseases, which in turn leads to dead trees - perfect fuel for wildfires. By reducing the density of Genesee Park's ponderosa pines, you will reduce the impact of wildfires and help the trees grow stronger and more resilient.
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 Emily Schaeferat 303-715-1010 ext. 116 as soon as possible so we can free your spot for another volunteer and have a full workforce.
About Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC)
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) is the state's oldest, largest, and leading outdoor stewardship nonprofit organization. Founded in 1984 to motivate and enable people to become active stewards of Colorado's natural resources, VOC has engaged nearly 120,000 people in more than 1,000 volunteer projects for a donated labor value of $24 million. Through award-winning youth and volunteer programs, leadership training, capacity-building programs, and collaborative efforts with nonprofits and land management agencies, VOC is an invaluable resource in Colorado, especially as our outdoor stewardship needs are approaching near-crisis levels. For more information, visit www.voc.org or call 303-715-1010.
Latitude/Longitude: 39.703205, -105.293631
Additional Information:
Camping Available: No
Physical Difficulty: Easy
High Altitude Project: No
Desired Number of Volunteers: 50
Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 40
Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 2
Total Volunteer Days: 41
Total Unique Volunteers: 42
Total Volunteer Hours: 295
Staff Hours: 15
Stipend Hours: 0
Project Summary: About 40 volunteers arrived to help clear downed trees and other debris by consolidating materials into slash piles that Denver Mountain Parks will hopefully burn this winter. This was the second day VOC committed to this project this season, and is an ongoing effort for Denver Mountain Parks that started a few years ago. There is plenty more to do! The midsummer heat was noticeable as the day went on, but volunteers were in good spirits and worked well through lunch. We cleared about 6 acres of land and built about 27 new slash piles, while adding to other smaller piles already started. Volunteers were thankful to end the day an hour early around 2:00 with some cold lemonade and an appreciation raffle.
Successes and Challenges: Successes:
- good amount of work accomplished
- no tools lost! Clearly communicated during the morning announcements that everyone would be responsible for turning in the same tool they took out, and all tools came back. No scrambling to find lost saws.
Challenges:
- high level of attrition. Only 40 out of 60 registered participants showed up, which made planning for food difficult. Ultimately not a big deal though
Lessons Learned:
Special Notes:
Stewardship Education:
Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers:
Description of Accidents/Incidents:
Description of Work Completed:
Details
| 12 and older |
