Hello Friends of FDRD, 

I hope everyone is enjoying the early season snow!  If you haven’t already, it’s time to dust off your sled, shovel, snowshoes, skis, board, snowmobile, and all your other winter toys. 

This fall has been very productive for FDRD - we’ve written four grants and one project application for 2007 programs and projects.  We’ve approached several local organizations regarding sponsor partnerships.  Our final two summer projects and our Forest Stewards Celebration added an exclamation point to our 2006 volunteer season!  Read on to learn how to get involved in these FDRD efforts. 

For more information about FDRD, please visit our website at www.fdrd.org.  If you have any feedback, suggestions, and ways to improve this newsletter, please share them with us.  ENJOY!! 

FRIENDS OF THE DILLON RANGER DISTRICT

November 2006 Newsletter --- #19

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Dillon Ranger District Tree-Cutting - Volunteers Needed - Be a part of Summit County’s Holiday Cheer!  Each year DRD helps people enjoy the great holiday tradition of cutting down their own Christmas tree. Join a DRD staff member at the tree cutting site on the following weekends in December - 2 & 3, 9 & 10, and 16 & 17.  Available shifts for each day are 8:30 - 12:30 and 12:00 - 4:00.  Contact Guff Van Vooren at guffvanvooren@msn.com or 970-389-6058 to sign-up for these shifts.  Additional Information on Tree Cutting - DRD will be selling an unlimited number of permits this year for tree cutting at the West Bound I-70 Scenic Area (between Frisco and Silverthorne) cutting area.  Cutting dates are from November 22 through December 22 and permits are required.  Purchase your permits during this permit period at the Dillon Ranger Station office, 680 Blue River Parkway, Silverthorne, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5:00 pm.  Permits will also be available at the cutting area on the weekends of December 2 & 3, 9 & 10 and 18 & 19 from 8:30 am to 4 pm.  Additional information will be forthcoming (cost, tree limit, and other helpful information to make your tree cutting experience an enjoyable one!).

We Want You! - Join FDRD’s Leadership Team – As the summer project season slows down, the winter planning season speeds up.  The winter months provide many different ways for members and volunteers to become involved in FDRD efforts.  As part of our 3-year strategic plan, we are developing sub-committees for each of the 6 goals of the plan - membership recruitment and development, fundraising, marketing, training, education, and forest stewardship. We invite you to participate in the great work of these sub-committees, as a member of the committee that interests you most. 

As well, we are recruiting for Board Members.  This diverse group works closely with the Dillon District Ranger and Recreation Staff Officer to determine the best possible ways for FDRD to support the DRD. 

By participating on a sub-committee team and/or the Board of Directors, you will help assure the future growth and continued stewardship impact of FDRD on our local National Forest lands.  Please contact Guff Van Vooren at 970-389-6058 or guffvanvooren@msn.com to join us in these most important efforts. 

WHAT’S HAPPENED

Serenity Spa Staff admires the astounding views from the Windy Point Trail during their trail maintenance project

Monday, October 2 – Serenity Spa Trail Project – FDRD would like to thank the wonderful staff of Serenity Spa and Salon for joining us on a beautiful fall day at the Windy Point Trail Project.  

These 10 volunteers, along with 2 FDRD volunteers, generated 48 hours of volunteer stewardship on our local National Forest lands.  They performed trail maintenance, including delineation of a single-track trail and trail closure and restoration work in braided and road grade areas. 

In doing so, these volunteers helped provide for a more natural trail experience in the forest, resulting in an excellent opportunity for a gentle hike to a beautiful destination for the many users of Summit County’s local National Forest lands! This effort is one in a series of FDRD trail maintenance days in this popular area.

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FDRD Volunteers proudly show off their newly constructed buck-n-rail fencing at the Windy Point Trail 

FDRD Volunteers fill a heaping 2 truck-loads of barbed wire they removed from the Lakeview Meadows Area

Saturday, October 14 – FDRD Make A Difference Day Project Sites – With over 500 volunteers participating in over 30 project sites for MDDAY, Summit County enjoyed another great day of community volunteerism!  A big thanks goes out to our volunteers who joined in on the fun at our two sites!  51 volunteers and 3 Forest Service personnel generated 179 hours of volunteer stewardship on our local National Forest lands. 

At our Lakeview Meadows (southeast of Ophir Mountain) site, 18 volunteers took down 1 mile of barbed wire fencing (4 miles of barbed wire!) in this important elk habitat.  This project is the third such FDRD effort in this area and with one more project’s efforts, we hope to completely remove the fencing on the forest lands in this area.  By pulling up this fencing, these volunteers helped to assure the improved habitat in this important elk migration corridor. 

At our Windy Point site, 33 volunteers and 3 forest service personnel built and assembled 600 feet of buck and rail fencing along the trailhead.  This is the second FDRD effort on this fence and we hope to host a project next summer to complete the construction and assembly of the entire fence line.  By constructing this fence, these volunteers helped provide for a safer and more esthetically pleasing experience for the users of this popular trail. 

True to the theme of the day, these volunteers made a BIG difference on our local National Forest lands and to FDRD. Thank you so much for your great work – it was wonderful to spend the day with such terrific people. 

HUGE Kudos to all volunteers in these two-year (and counting) FDRD efforts, to all the wonderful Summit County volunteers that participated in this day, and to the MDDAY hosts, Summit Prevention Alliance, Youth and Family Services, and their team of dedicated volunteers for their efforts in such a successful day! 

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Forest Stewards Update – WOW!  What a fantastic inaugural season’s efforts by FDRD’s 20 Forest Stewards.  Due praise and appreciation goes out to: Beverly Breakstone, Joe Casselberry, Lin Denham, Karen Fox, Am Goetz, Marilyn Fenner, Heather Gerhart, Shari Johnson, Matt Kohn, Andy McIntyre, Jenni Mullins, Michal Stefanacci, Paul Stefanacci, Colleen Richmond, Mark Richmond, Kurt Steuer, Linda Tatem, Kenny Van Howe, Guff Van Vooren, and Hal Williams.   FDRD is very thankful for your tremendous efforts on our local National Forest lands, including:

• Participated in training and leadership development (six sessions) and mentoring sessions.  In addition, 10 Crew Leaders participated in a 3-day statewide crew leader training (attended by 30 crew leader trainees), co-hosted by Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC), Summit County Open Space and Trails, and FDRD.
• Crew Leaders led 119 volunteers on 5 trail maintenance projects on 3 miles of trails and 1 trailhead buck-n-rail fence project.
• Ranger Patrols conducted 31 patrols on 17 different trials.  On159 miles of trail, they encountered 680 users, contacted 298 of them.  
• Outreach Educators volunteered at DRD front desk on 5 days – on these days, approximately 250 guests visited and approximately 245 guests phoned the office for information.  They hosted 6 trailheads, contacting 679 of 1,045 users they encountered.
• In partnership with VOC, 284 volunteer service days were generated at a three-day maintenance project on 1.5 miles of trail on the Upper Spruce Creek Trail at Mohawk Lakes.
• In partnership with Keystone Science School’s School Groups Program, 27 patrols on 14 different trails were conducted.  On 60 miles of trail, they encountered 289 users.
• The above efforts generated nearly 4,400 volunteer hours, valued at nearly $78,850, on the White River National Forest in Summit County.

 But the fun did not stop here!  In early November, DRD staff and FDRD Board, Staff, and Stewards celebrated these remarkable efforts.  Each Steward was recognized and provided with a gift package, including an FDRD baseball cap, “The Greatest Good” DVD, and a Summit County Topo Map.  The following awards were presented for outstanding achievements:

• Golden Clipboard Award (Most People Encountered) – Marilyn Fenner
• Golden Boot Award (Most Miles Hiked) – Karen Fox
• Golden Trailhead Sign Award (Most People Contacted) – Linda Tatem
• Golden Pulaski Award (Most Trail Crew Projects) – Kurt Steuer
• Golden Glove Award (Budding Technical Advisor) – Hal Williams

And the fun doesn’t stop there, either.  Interested Stewards will continue with Winter Patrols, trading in their hiking boots for their favorite winter travel equipment and gear.

Speaking of gear, we are gearing up for the 2007 summer season – this fall, FDRD submitted four grants to further develop the Forest Stewards Program.  In addition to growth and continued development of the three initiatives mentioned above, FDRD will initiate Youth Stewards, Family Stewards, and Adopt-A-Trail efforts next summer.  We are currently recruiting for these efforts and hope you will consider joining our Stewards in the growth of this program.  Please contact Guff at 970-389-6058 to learn how to get involved with your friends, family, and co-workers in these exciting, and very fun, opportunities to “Give Back To Summit’s Greatest Gift – Our Local National Forest Lands”.

DRD HAPPENINGS

Colorado Trails Grant Program – Improving trail opportunities on Summit County’s National Forest lands is one of DRD’s highest priorities.  To address this issue, DRD, Friends of the Eagles Nest Wilderness (FENW), and FDRD partnered to apply for 5 grants with the Colorado Trails Grant Program.  If these applications are successful: 1) trail condition surveys will be taken on all DRD trails to determine trail maintenance needs of these trails; 2) FDRD, FENW, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, and VOC Volunteer Crew Leaders and crews will improve trail conditions, with a new tool cache, on seven popular local trails, including Lower Spruce Creek, Peaks, Mount Royal, North 10 Mile, Buffalo Cabin, Wheeler Lakes, and Mahan Lake Trails; and 3) FDRD and FENW Volunteer Ranger Patrols and Outreach Educators will patrol the DRD trails and trailheads, surveying and educating users on issues relating to these lands.  A greater number of miles of maintained and patrolled trails in Summit County will allow for the increased enjoyment of visitors of these lands and for the improved quality and management of our local natural resources.  

Update - Resort Partnerships to Raise Funds for Local Forest Conservation Projects

With early November opening days for Copper Mountain and Vail Resorts, each of their voluntary $1 per guest donation programs begins to generate funds for local conservation projects on Summit County’s National Forest lands.

These two partnership programs, collaborative efforts with the respective resort, the USDA-FS, and the National Forest Foundation (the NFF), bring in much-needed funds for organizations and projects dedicated to the stewardship of these lands.

DRD has initiated a process to identify priority projects for 2007.  The NFF-Resorts-USDA-FS are currently determining processes for the implementation of the grant program.  FDRD will include details in future enewsletters as they are made available.

Update - Travel Management Plan

As the 90 day comment period for the White River National Forest Travel Management Plan came to a close the last week of October, the DRD would like to thank all interested parties and various user groups that dedicated their time and energy to the process through comment letters, open houses, local meetings, and review of the plan.  Your participation is very important to the WRNF and the DRD and helps ensure that your interests are represented in the plan. 

For more information on Travel Management in the WRNF, visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/whiteriver/projects/travel_management/index.shtml.  

DATES TO REMEMBER

(mark your calendars!!!)

Tues, Nov. 21  – 6PM – 9PM –– Silverthorne Pavilion - Friends of the Eagles Nest Wilderness Benefit.  Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Eagles Nest Wilderness with John Fielder’s slide show of the Gore Range.  His autographed books and calendars will be on sale that evening.  Ticket sales and a percentage of book-calendar sales will benefit FENW – start your holiday shopping early!  Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at Wilderness Sports, Mountain Outfitters or at the door. For additional information, please call 970-547-2104. 

NEXT BOARD MEETING

(FDRD Board Members will meet on the first Monday of each month at DRD at 6PM)

Monday, December 4, at 6:00 PM at the Dillon Ranger Station.  Open to our members and other interested parties.  To RSVP or to include potential agenda items for FDRD Board consideration for future meetings, contact Guff at guffvanvooren@msn.com by Sunday, December 3. 

Thanks for your continued support of FDRD.  I really appreciate your efforts and hope you will consider extending your support to our sub-committee and Board of Directors efforts and to the growth of our Forest Stewards Program.  Your participation in this exciting work ahead is critical to our efforts to promote stewardship in the White River National Forest in Summit County.   I 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