2022-SWAT: Newmont @Hobbs Peak

Start Date-End Date: 06/10/2022-06/10/2022 Land Manager Office: City and County of Denver - Parks and Recreation Land Manager Contact: Coleman Loughery Funding Partner: Programmatic Partner: Summary: Help forests thrive! Join your colleagues to take part in important tasks designed to improve the health of the forest and reduce the severity of wildfires at Hobbs Peak. Description: What we'll do: We will help Denver Mountain Parks with ongoing tasks designed to improve the health of native Ponderosa pines and reduce the severity of wildfires. The work will involve using handsaws and/or loppers to cut smaller trees at ground level, which will then be collected and chipped. We will be at Hobbs Peak in the Marshdale area of Jefferson County: https://goo.gl/maps/TP2TY9CYxNKqhfJg8 It's about a 40-minute drive from central Denver. Parking and restrooms at the Marshdale Park Soccer Fields. 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 the trees in this area, you will reduce the impact of wildfires and help the trees grow stronger and ensure a more resilient forest. Latitude/Longitude: 39.593695, 105.3035795 Additional Information: Camping Available: No Physical Difficulty: Moderate High Altitude Project: No Desired Number of Volunteers: 25 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 12 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 0 Total Volunteer Days: 12 Total Unique Volunteers: 12 Total Volunteer Hours: 6 Staff Hours: 12 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: Volunteers were instructed to park at the Marshdale Tennis courts and do registration there. All participants arrived before 9AM and checked-in very quickly. We had 2 staff from Denver Parks and Recreation. One of them lead volunteers to the work site (1/2 mile walk) while VOC staff followed the second Denver parks staff on the road to stage tools closer to the work site. Denver Parks and Recreation introduced the work area, gave a safety talk and showed the best practices to take the trees down using hand saws. Some of the volunteers were using the hand saws and others were moving the trees closer to the chipper. Denver Parks and Recreation were the only ones working near the chipper for safety purposes. Hobbs peak area offered great views and shaded areas for breaks. Newmont staff had ordered lunch from a restaurant. Denver Parks staff drove Newmont staff to the meeting point (tennis courts) and back to the project site. We all stopped working once the shipper truck was full, 40 minutes before our schedule finish time. Volunteers spent the rest of the time spreading bigger branches and small trees around the work site to make it look more natural. Successes and Challenges: Succeses: -Parking at Marshadale tennis courts work great. Volunteers were able to find it easily and walk from there to the work site. -Denver Parks and Recreation did a great job at informing home owners in the area about the project. -Coordinating the lunch delivery was easy Challenges: -One volunteer was late and cell-coverage is very limited in that area -Volunteers did not use the VOC system to register Lessons Learned: The chipper is loud. Bring ear pro Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Description of Accidents/Incidents: Description of Work Completed: