Thirteen Friends of Browns Canyon volunteers and three U.S. Forest Service staffers from the Salida Ranger District joined forces to complete a work project Friday, June 25, in the Aspen Ridge Roadless Area of Browns Canyon National Monument. We hiked a mile into the monument to the work site, where we built buck-and-rail fencing to prevent natural resource damage from illegal motorized access.
Under the guidance of Forest Service staff, our volunteers enhanced the buck-and-rail barrier by positioning fallen trees at either end of the fencing. At the same time, other volunteers worked to restore the illegal trail to a natural condition by mitigating soil compaction, transplanting native grasses and incorporating organic matter to facilitate revegetation.
We also repaired a barrier from a previous work project that had been vandalized on a nearby trail and installed a sign at the trailhead of Hefley Saddle Trail, newly named in honor of Congressman Joel Hefley (R, Colorado Springs) who advocated for protecting the natural landscape of Browns Canyon.
The Forest Service provided the lodgepole logs used to construct the fencing; Friends of Browns Canyon provided other fencing materials, tools and equipment; and Sorelle Deli in Buena Vista provided tasty sandwiches for lunch. Everyone enjoyed a beautiful day in the national monument, and weekend rains were perfectly timed to benefit the restoration work on the trail.
We sincerely appreciate all of the volunteers who worked with us to fulfill our stewardship mission in Browns Canyon National Monument. Now that the national monument Resource Management Plan is being implemented, we look forward to supporting the Forest Service and BLM by organizing volunteers and donating materials for additional work projects that help preserve this natural treasure. Please consider joining us on future projects or making a small donation to help purchase materials.
