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Greetings from Friends of the
Dillon Ranger District! I hope you enjoyed our May
newsletter and that the Summit County 2005 Summer Volunteer Calendar provided
you with useful information. As
we head into FDRD’s busy summer months, I would like to invite you to join us
for our service projects. They
are lots of fun, you will meet wonderful people, and you will be making a big
difference in the sustainable management of our local National Forest lands! If you have any feedback,
suggestions, and ways to improve the newsletter, please share them with
me. ENJOY!! |
FRIENDS OF THE DILLON RANGER DISTRICT
June 2005 Newsletter
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WHAT’S
HAPPENING
Saturday, June 11 – Forest Restoration Day – 9:00 AM- 1:00PM – Please join us for
a fun day on the trails! Volunteers
are needed to restore elk habitat in the White River National Forest. By taking down barbed wire fencing in this area of
National Forest land, volunteers will assure an improved elk habitat in this
important wildlife corridor. We
will meet at 9 AM at the Iron Springs access road
just north of Summit High School on Highway 9 (1.8 miles south of Frisco’s Dress for a day outdoors - dress in layers, bring water,
work gloves, long pants, sturdy boots, sunglasses, sun hat, rain gear,
sunscreen, and lots of enthusiasm. Snacks and beverages will be provided at
the end of workday tailgate party (around 1-ish). Contact Troy Wineland at troywineland@comcast.net
or 970-485-2961 to RSVP for this service project. Service Project Team – We are looking for volunteers to be a part of a
team that makes these projects possible. This effort includes:
·
distribute
flyers throughout the county
· solicit food donations for the day · pick up food donations for the day · distribute press releases and contact the media for exposure By being a part of our Service Project Team, you will help
to assure the smooth organization and logistics for each of our volunteer
days. If you are interested in
participating on this team, contact Troy at the email above. |
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WHAT’S
HAPPENED
Volunteers filled a horse trailer
with trash at the French Creek trailhead in Breckenridge Saturday, May 21 – National Forest Clean-Up Day – A huge thanks goes out to all of
our “friends” who participated on this day. These 25 volunteers generated 100 hours of stewardship for
our National Forest lands. They
filled up 4 trucks and 1 horse trailer with trash bags full of, well, trash -
a Red Bull "trash can"-sized advertising container, a set of brake
pads, an entire abandoned campsite - including camper top, tent, pillow,
sleeping bag, plastic garbage can (full) wired to a tree, and many other
treasures at the various trailheads throughout Summit County. By collecting trash on these trails, these volunteers
helped to assure the pleasing experiences for future users of these
incredibly popular trails. A special thanks to our sponsors - New Belgium Brewery, City Market, and Safeway – for providing us with much-deserved, delicious treats at the end of the day! Remember to support our sponsors on your next food and beverage run!
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DATES TO
REMEMBER
Mark your summer calendars for these upcoming FDRD
events:
·
Volunteer Crew Leader Training and
Trail Days (Various) ·
Invasive Species Weed Pull Day
(Sat., July 9) ·
Wilder Gulch Trail
Restoration-Dillon Ranger District/Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado
(VOC) (Sat.-Sun., July 30-31) ·
Gold Hill Trail Restoration-Dillon
Ranger District/VOC (Sat.-Sun., July 30-31) ·
Fuels Mitigation Day (Sat., August
6) ·
Volunteers Celebration Day (Sat.,
September 10) ·
Make a Difference Day (Sat.,
October 8) |
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NEXT BOARD MEETING Monday, June 6,
at 6:00 PM at the Dillon Ranger District. Open to our members and other interested parties. If you are interested in attending,
RSVP to guffvanvooren@msn.com by
Sunday, June 5. |
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NATURE NOTES(send in your cool facts, stories, or activities for future publication) Nature has many stories to share
with those who are listening.
These stories can connect people to each other and to the natural
world around us. Further, this
connection can provide human beings with a greater understanding of our role
on this planet and with ways that we can improve ourselves within this
role. One such story by Oscar
Schisgall, which has been a guiding principle for me for several years,
follows: I looked up and saw a squirrel
jump from one high tree to another.
She appeared to be aiming for a limb so far out of reach that the jump
looked like suicide. She missed,
but landed, safe and unconcerned, on a branch several feet lower. Then she climbed to her goal, and all
was well. An old man sitting on a bench
said, "Funny, I've seen hundreds of 'em jump like that, especially when
there are dogs around and they can't come to the ground. A lot of 'em miss, but I've never
seen any hurt in trying."
Then he chuckled, "I guess they've got to risk it if they don't
want to spend their lives in one tree." I thought, "A squirrel takes a chance - have I less nerve than a
squirrel?" Since then, whenever I have to
choose between risking a new venture or hanging back, I hear the old man on
the bench saying, "They've got to risk it if they don't want to spend
their lives in one tree.."
So, I've jumped again and again.
And in jumping I've realized why the squirrels so often do it -- IT'S
FUN!! Next
time you’re out on the trails, experience the stories that nature has to
share with you. It’s fun! Guff
Van Vooren Executive
Director Friends
of the Dillon Ranger District |
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Thanks again for a successful
service project last week. I hope to see you on June 11 at our Forest
Restoration Day, and hope that the Summit
County 2005 Summer Volunteer Calendar will be a valuable resource for your
fun-filled volunteer efforts this summer! See you
on the trails! With sincere thanks, Guff |