2022-SWAT: Galloway @ Staunton State Park

Start Date-End Date: 07/28/2022-07/28/2022 Land Manager Office: CPW - Staunton State Park Land Manager Contact: Dale Specht Funding Partner: Programmatic Partner: Summary: Help us reestablishing the original features of the Staunton Ranch Trail! Join your colleagues in this important task to make the trail corridor more sustainable, and more aesthetically pleasing by reestablishing the original 6' tread width on the trail as much is feasible Description: Where You'll Be: In 2013, Staunton State Park became the newest place to earn Colorado State Park designation. Frances Hornbrook Staunton donated the first 1,720-acre parcel of land in 1986, and subsequent acquisitions allowed Colorado Parks & Wildlife to create the park that exists today just 40 miles southeast of Denver. With an area of 3,828 acres, Staunton boasts geologic features including soaring granite cliffs, unique soil composition and impressive water features, setting the backdrop for a range of recreational opportunities. What You'll Do: Restore the original trail back slope, reestablishing tread out slope, and planting guide structures (rocks, log ends, etc.) on edges of the widened sections of trail to encourage hikers to walk in the middle of the tread more. Efforts will also be made to revegetate with native grasses and shrubs along critical sections of the widened trail so to create a narrower, more sustainable, and more aesthetically pleasing trail corridor. Why It Matters: Wider trails are more susceptible to erosion due to increased surface area of the tread/increased runoff and over time they become less sustainable, more labor-intensive to maintain, and less visually appealing to trail users as they do not move through the landscape in a natural way. Latitude/Longitude: 39.6332466, 105.4657354 Additional Information: Camping Available: No Physical Difficulty: Moderate High Altitude Project: No Desired Number of Volunteers: 15 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 17 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 0 Total Volunteer Days: 17 Total Unique Volunteers: 17 Total Volunteer Hours: 102 Staff Hours: 13 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: We had 17 Galloway volunteers. All volunteers arrived to the meeting point (Mason Creek Parking Lot) early. Registration took less than 10 minutes since all volunteers had signed waivers online. Volunteers were welcomed by VOC and Staunton State Park staff. We explained the different projects we had planned for the day and highlighted the importance of monitoring weather since rain and lightning was in the forecast starting around noon. Galloway volunteers worked on closing 1/4 mile trail behind the Archery Range for an hour and a half. This trail needed to be closed and the mineral soil needed to be expose for future reseeding. Users and visitors at Staunton State Park did not like/feel safe hiking close to the Archery Range. Galloway volunteers split into two groups and each group started working on opposite ends with the goal of meeting in the middle. Once this part of the project was completed, and the weather was still safe to continue working on the trail, volunteers drove to the new working area at Meadows Lot. For the second half of the project, volunteers moved branches and rocks to restore the original ~8' width of the Staunton Ranch Trail. In this section, volunteers split in two different groups and worked from opposite ends. Once we completed the 1 mile between parking lots, volunteers met again for lunch. Galloway volunteers used one of the picnic areas and had lunch as one big group. By this time, the rain started to approach so we finished work around 2-2:30 instead of 3pm. Successes and Challenges: Successes: All volunteers used VOC system to register Communication with Galloway staff was excellent All volunteers that registered showed up to the project All volunteers were excited about the work and location Challenges: Weather. We had to end the day a little early due to rain/lightning Limited cell service in the area Lessons Learned: Bring radios if working in groups. Cell-service is very limited in the area and communication between groups/crews can be challenging Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Description of Accidents/Incidents: Description of Work Completed: