Most Viewed Stories
UPDATE: Volunteers needed for Waldo Canyon fire rehab project
Volunteers are needed to help with a Waldo Canyon fire rehabilitation project.
Seventy-five people are needed to work between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday (Aug. 10) to help repair fire damage and to mitigate possible flooding at the Flying W Ranch. The work is being coordinated by the Coalition for the Upper South Platte, an organization that has worked on many rehabilitation projects following the Hayman fire.
The Flying W Ranch land is subject to erosion and mud slides that could threaten Colorado Springs’ municipal water supply, organizers say.
Work will involve removal and chipping of burned and hazardous trees, re-shaping the ground surface, re-seeding, mulching, and building erosion control structures to stabilize drainages prone to flooding.
You must be registered to assist. To register, send an email to: Lisa@uppersouthplatte.org.
UPDATE (Aug. 7): Due to overwhelming response, project organizers ask volunteers to fill out the registration form on the Coalition website: www.uppersouthplatte.org.
Members of the Coalition of the Upper South Platte will try to match volunteers with appropriate projects, of which there will be many. Volunteers also can call the office at 719-748-0033.
The Aug. 10 project is limited to adults and teens ages 16 and 17 who are accompanied by an adult. Future projects may be open to younger volunteers; age restrictions are set based on the work required.
See photos of the burned area.
The group will provide hard hats, tools and other materials necessary to complete the work and conduct a safety review before work begins.
Volunteers should take applicable medicines (including epi-pens, insulin and inhalers), sunscreen, sunglasses or safety glasses, work gloves, a water bottle and a sack lunch.
Volunteers should wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and sturdy shoes with good tread.
Volunteers must be ready for:
* driving or riding mountainous roads with loose gravel and high flash flood potential;
* exposure to sun, wind, lightning and rapidly changing weather conditions;
* working with sharpened tools in areas with unstable terrain and footing;
* possible falling trees; and
* hiking at significant elevation.
There will be portable restrooms at the work site.
