Hello Friends of FDRD!

 

I hope you are all enjoying the great early season snow and gearing up for a fun winter season. 

As the season of giving is upon us, I reflect back on the past year with FDRD and am very thankful for the support, both on-the-ground and financial, you have given us.  This support is critical to our efforts to promote stewardship on our local National Forest lands.  As we move forward through our strategic planning process and into our future, please let us know what we can do to continue our rewarding relationship that we have with you. 

If you have any feedback, suggestions, and ways to improve this newsletter, please share them with me.  ENJOY!! 

 

 

 

FRIENDS OF THE DILLON RANGER DISTRICT

December 2005 Newsletter

                                

#8

 

WHAT’S HAPPENING

 

Dillon Ranger District (DRD) Tree Cutting Permits – Each year DRD helps people enjoy the great holiday tradition of cutting down their own Christmas tree.  DRD will be selling an unlimited number of permits this year for tree cutting at Old Dillon Reservoir and Miners Creek (near the County Commons).  Cutting dates are from November 23 through December 23 and permits are required.  Permits may be purchased at DRD office, 680 Blue River Parkway, Silverthorne, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5:00 pm.  Permits will also be available at the Old Dillon Reservoir cutting area on the weekends of December 3 & 4, 10 & 11 and 17 & 18 from 8:30 am to 4 pm.  Visit http://www.dillonrangerdistrict.com/xmas_tree.htm for more information on cost, tree limits, and other helpful information to make your tree cutting experience an enjoyable one! 

FDRD Strategic Planning – Our strategic planning process is going full steam ahead!  After 2 meetings, we have created the route for our future direction.  In the next 2 months, we will draft the plan and shortly thereafter, will host a forum seeking feedback from our members and interested parties.  We invite you to attend this forum and to participate with FDRD in the creation of this final document.  We will inform you of the date, time and location of this forum in future newsletters.    

FDRD Sub-Committee Volunteers Needed – Are you looking for ways to become more involved in the great work of FDRD?  We Need You To Help Us Navigate Our Route!  Our strategic plan will generate actions plans and sub-committee work for programs, membership and volunteer recruitment, fundraising and grant writing, and marketing and promotion.  Please contact Guff Van Vooren at 970-389-6058 or guffvanvooren@msn.com to join us on the sub-committee that interests you most.

 

 

WHAT’S HAPPENED

 

2006 Project Application Accepted – FDRD’s application for a 2006 summer trail project with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) has been accepted!  In partnership with VOC, we will host 150 volunteers for a three-day trail project at Mohawk Lakes over Labor Day Weekend, September 2, 3, and 4.  Please mark your calendars for what is sure to be a FUN and productive weekend!  The project will include trail maintenance and restoration, trail closures with one defined trail delineated, sign installation, rock work, including rock walls and water bars, and erosion control along 1 ½ miles of this trail link to the Wheeler Recreation National Trail and the Spruce Creek Trail. 

This area has been identified by CSU’s The Colorado Natural Heritage Inventory as having serious problems with the braided social trails, which have negative impacts on rare and imperiled plant species, specifically Grays Peak Willow Grass (Draba Grayana).  Reconstruction and trail rehabilitation along this section of this trail are necessary, in order to provide for a more sustainable route and minimize impact on these plant species.

This project represents an excellent opportunity for Summit County volunteers to get involved in an effort that will have a large positive impact on this high profile and heavily used trail.  In addition, this project gives Summit County an opportunity to showcase itself as the terrific recreation destination that it is to VOC and its statewide volunteers. 

FDRD is very excited to partner with VOC and looks forward to similar collaborative efforts with other local organizations.  Please consider joining us for this three-day project. 

FDRD Website – FDRD is pleased to announce our new website – visit www.FDRD.org to learn more about us.  A huge thanks goes out to Joe Casselberry, FDRD Board Member, for his tremendous effort as our Web Master.  Thanks Joe!

 

DISTRICT HAPPENINGS

 

Dillon Reservoir Campsites – This past summer, the DRD thinned pine beetle-infested lodgepole pine trees in and around these campgrounds - Peak 1, Prospector Point/Windy Point, and Heaton Bay.  Next summer, they will continue this effort with a replanting project in these areas.  The replanting project will consider species diversity, forest health, shading, human impact, and esthetics.  DRD is accepting your comments and ideas on the replanting project, including types, sizes, and amount of trees to re-plant.  To comment, send an email to: Ken Waugh at kwaugh@fs.fed.us.

Northern Colorado Mountain Pine Beetle Strategy - White River National Forest and 2 other National Forests are partnering with state and local officials to create a strategy regarding the effects of the MPB on Colorado’s forestlands.  For more information on the plan, contact Rick Newton, DRD District Ranger, at 970-262-3451.

A-Basin Montezuma Bowl Expansion – In addition to the expansion into the Montezuma Bowl, the A-Basin proposal also includes a lift realignment of the Exhibition Chairlift and changes to parking infrastructure.  The scooping notice of this expansion is available at DRD.  For more information on the expansion, contact Peach Keller, DRD NEPA Coordinator, at 970-262-3495.  DRD is accepting comments of this proposed expansion through December 31, 2005.  Send comments to comments-rocky-mountain-white-river-dillon@fs.fed.us.

Keystone Resort Upper Independence Cat Skiing – The scoping notice for this proposed plan is available at DRD.  For more information on the plan, contact Jessica Pettee, DRD GIS Coordinator, at 970-262-3499.  DRD is accepting comments on this proposal through December 31, 2005.  Send comments to comments-rocky-mountain-white-river-dillon@fs.fed.us.    

 

 

DATES TO REMEMBER

  • Sat-Sun-Mon, September 2, 3, and 4 – VOC/FDRD Mohawk Lakes Trail Project (it’s never too early to mark your calendar!)

 

 

NEXT BOARD MEETING

 

Monday, December 5, at 6:00 PM at the Dillon Ranger District.  Open to our members and other interested parties.  To RSVP or to include potential agenda items for FDRD Board consideration for this or future meetings, contact me at guffvanvooren@msn.com by Sunday, December 4. 

 

 

I hope you have a great holiday season!  Thanks for all that you do for FDRD.  I really appreciate your efforts and hope you will consider extending your support to our sub-committee efforts.  Together, we can accomplish great things for our local National Forest lands!

  

We look forward to working together with you in the future.

 

See you on the trails!

 

With sincere thanks,

 

Guff Van Vooren

Executive Director

Friends of the Dillon Ranger District

 

 


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