Big Mother Hill Restoration Project

Hauling mulch bales to the work site

We had a great time joining the Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WLRV) to help seed and mulch an area of a mountainside north of Boulder, Colorado, that had been severely eroded by off road motor traffic.

 Our crew was assigned to the lower portion of the Big Mother Hill, which was a surprisingly steep work site that was even a little challenging just hiking to the project, especially while carrying our work tools, seed, fertilizer, etc.  Fortunately, most of the bales of mulch had already been placed in position, although we did have to do a bale run at the end of the day.  It didn't seem like hard work at the time, but the next morning my back and neck felt like I'd been run over by a Mack truck.

Getting organized

We prepped the work site with rakes, scattered seed by hand, applied fertilizer, and then covered it all in mulch.  Although some of the spectacular views were shrouded most of the day in a persistent and misty fog, it was actually a blessing in disguise.   The fog helped keep the temperatures down and made the physical work much more comfortable.  Later in the day we transplanted a few small pine trees.  It will be interesting to return to the site in the coming years to watch the progress.  

Steep work site

Over the past six years, WLRV collaborated with the US Forest Service, James Creek Watershed Initiative, Walsh Environmental Services, and Trail Ridge Runners, to complete the first six phases of this award-winning restoration project benefiting hundreds of acres of forest habitat and downstream water quality.

I can't say enough good things about the WLRV projects that I have participated in.  They are always well organized with knowledgeable and friendly crew leaders, and they go out of the way to make sure it is a safe and fun experience for the volunteers.  Following a project they almost always have some sort of after party where they provide food, snacks, and libations for the whole crew.   It really is fun time and a great way to give back to the community, meet new people, and help preserve and restore the wilderness that we all so much enjoy.

More project photos can be found here.

WLRV Volunteers

Volunteering is fun, and WLRV has many projects throughout the season.  They are always open to recruiting new volunteers (all age ranges), and projects range in difficulty from seed collection to high altitude trail building.   For more information on upcoming WLRV projects, check out their website: http://www.wlrv.org.

AIDS Walk Colorado

I Participated in the AIDS Walk Colorado fund raiser again this year.   It is always a mixed day of emotions - I am encouraged to see so many people out supporting a great cause and uplifted by all the enthusiasm.  It is also a solemn time to remember those we have lost and to continue to hope for the day when this scourge of a disease is wiped away forever.

According to the AIDS Walk Colorado website, the event "is the Rocky Mountain Region’s largest and most successful HIV and AIDS fundraiser. More than 8,000 people from throughout the state come together as a community, fueled by donations from more than 13,000 individuals, to raise money for vital services for HIV/AIDS clients of Colorado AIDS Project and more than 20 other outstanding AIDS service organizations.

The event serves as a day to remember those we have lost to the disease with prominent speakers and panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, in addition to the Celebration of Life Festival, live music, food, beverages and the 2nd annual AIDS Walk Colorado Volleyball Tournament, held in conjunction with the Colorado Gay Volleyball Association."

These types of events, whether it be an AIDS Walk or a March for Breast Cancer Awareness, are a great opportunity to get out and show support for your community.  They also serve as an important reminder to us all that we are interconnected and need to support one another, especially in the fight against seemingly unconquerable health challenges.

Trying to be Greener

With the endless news coverage of the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico lately, it got me wondering just how many barrels of oil are polluting the ocean each day compared to the amount of oil that enters the atmosphere from our gasoline consumption.

It turns out that the number of barrels of oil currently billowing into the Gulf from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig is less than 1%* of the number of barrels of oil that the US consumes in the form of gasoline each day. America is up in arms about the Gulf Oil Disaster (as we should be), but this incident pales in comparison to the amount of pollution** that we release into our atmosphere every day from driving our cars and trucks.

The Gulf Spill will someday (hopefully soon) be capped, and the Gulf will recover in the months and years to come. However, the toxins, greenhouse gases, etc. that we are adding to our atmosphere continues, and the effects from global warming will be much more far reaching and a full recovery impossible to foresee in our lifetime.

(Visualization: Gary Strand, NCAR)

This little bit of knowledge has inspired me to try to be more green in my habits and actions. As a first step, I vow to take the bus to work more often. Using public transportation will add over an hour to my roundtrip commute time, but it will save me money on fuel and wear and tear on my vehicle, and hopefully be the beginning of a greener Tim.

*The BP oil spill is polluting the ocean with 60,000 barrels/day (current worst case estimate). Americans consume 9,000,000 barrels/day of motor gasoline.