Final Project Assignment: Design, lead, and document a portion of the final field trip
The final two class meetings will consist of field trips on the following days: June 30 and July 1.
The class will be divided into teams of two students.
Each team of two students will be responsible for planning and leading a one hour segment of the field trip.
Activities
Possible activities for the field trip include but are not limited to visiting natural and man-made features of interest, identification of plants and animals, etc. General topics could include botany, ecology, history, geology, and recreation.
Sources of information
I expect you to use at least two of the following sources of information:
OSMP or POS website
Guidebooks or reference books
Interviews with relevant staff or other experts
Deliverables
9 copies of 1-2 pp handout/worksheet for each student to fill out during/after the field trip
1 copy of an 8-10 page background report (12 point times, double-spaced) from each team of two students
Background Report
• Introduction and rationale for the location and topics covered in your one-hour segment
• Detailed description of location and activities in your one-hour segment (as if you had to explain to a teaching assistant what to do and why)
• List of learning objectives and which activities during your hour support each learning objective
• List of sources of information used with a brief description of why each source was chosen
• Report on the actual field trip and recommendations for future modifications
Evaluation
30 pts Field trip presentation is coherent and well-researched
15 pts Worksheet helps organize and reinforce material presented during field trip
10 pts Background Report is free of grammar and spelling errors and adheres to specified format
5 pts Background Report contains all (5) required sections
25 pts Teaching Assistant could take Background Report and lead effective field trip because all information is present (sections 1, 2, and 3 of Background Report)
5 pts Quality and justification of sources
10 pts Report and reflection on field trip experience
·US is different than the rest of the world because of our background
·It is important to understand our background to understand our wilderness and wildlife
·Sportsmanship and gadgetry are too closely related.We need to stop relying on gadgets and focus more on experiencing nature.
oMaking your own wilderness tools is much more rewarding than buying them
oControlling animal populations and using gadgets to hunt is not hunting in the true wilderness
·We do need better industry and urbanization but we also need to keep some wilderness
oWe need it for recreation
§Canoeing and Packing
·We are quickly running out of wilderness which leaves us unable to do some of the things Leopold suggests to connect with wilderness
oPack animals create the most trail damage per use and since we have so few trials now it is hard to use them like Leopold suggested.
·Wilderness is a resource which can shrink but not grow
Mike
·Not much has changed with the mountain bike conflict since 1985 when mountain bikes were banned
·Rides Mountain bikes
·Previous president of Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance
·2/3 of open space acreage in Boulder is in public ownership
·The board of trustees told the volunteers on the CCG (Scott and Guy) to “keep their opinions to themselves”
·Believes that the CCG wont come up with a solution for the mountain bike conflict
·Need to come up with a new definition/vision of wilderness because bikes are not allowed in wilderness
oWe should still be able to protect land from logging, destruction of species, destruction of habitat, etc. while still allowing mountain bikers
·BMA also wants to protect land so they wish that they could work with wilderness organizations instead of against them
oWilderness organizations are too stubborn and refuse to let mountain bikes in wilderness
·Should wilderness be taken care of on a national level or local level?
oShould a senator from NY be able to make a wilderness proposal for Montana?
oLocal groups have a much better perspective of local wilderness problems
·Mountain biking is allowed on National land but not in wilderness areas
·Visitor master plan took 7 years and millions of dollars to put together
oMade BMA stronger because of its’ negative opinions about mountain biking
oSays “the want to make visitors feel welcome” was their number 1 goal but that was not the case
oBMA was able to win OSMP over by building a personal relationship between them OSMP and other recreation groups such as dog groups and horse groups
·Mining had more of a negative effect on the land than recreational users ever will
·Land does recovery from use
oUsed ATVs to help build Picture Rock Trail and now there is no evidence left of ATVs
·Mike believes that if the land can recover from disturbance within 5 years than it is ok to disturb it on order to improve other regions
·BMA specifically met with people from other groups who the knew were more open minded
·Didn’t like CCG caucus process
oEach member should have been specifically picked from each group with the idea of open mindedness as a main deciding factor
·Boulder is not a destination mountain bike area.
oBMA is simply trying to make all trials accessible by bike instead of car
·140 access points to the west TSA at this time
·Want to build a new trail near Eldorado Canyon to connect existing trails in hopes of eventually having a trail from the Mountains to the Plains
·One of the biggest problems facing mountain bikers is being able to build sustainable and rideable trials in the small pieces of land they are given.
oEx) Cliff on one side and private property on the other
·Chunder-pile of rubble left behind when soil is washed away from trials
·Mike believes on repairing trials as soon as they start to get destroyed but the city and the county do not operate that fast
·Mike got Heil Valley Ranch trials shut down earlier this season because of bad conditions
oCitizens of Boulder do not get upset about trail closures if they are for legitimate reasons
·Both the city and the county are running out of trial money because it is being given to other places
·Speed differential is one of the main reasons for conflict between mountain bikers and hikers
·In a case study at the Spring Brook trail 94% of users had an enjoyable experience once trails were open to bikers.
oOpponents of mountain biking used this against them because they were shooting for 95% so it was “an utter failure”
1.) How does Leopold feel about using gadgets in the wilderness?
2.) Does Leopold support hunting and the sportsman use of wilderness?
3.) Why Does Leopold believe we need wilderness?
4.) What position did Mike previously hold on the BMA?
5.) About how much of Boulder’s open space is publically owned?
6.) What does Mike believe the CCG will conclude with the mountain bike conflict?
7.) Why are some of Leopold’s ideas about wilderness use no longer valid?What is an example of an activity he advocated that we can no longer do sustainably?
8.) How was the BMA able to win over OSMP and get them to add more about mountain bikers to the Master Plan?
9.) How long does Mike believe is an acceptable recovery period for a disturbance to the land?
10.) Currently how many access points are there to trails in the West TSA?
11.) What is the number 1 cause of conflict between mountain bikers and hikers
Heil Valley Field Trip with trail builder Mike Rutter
-Built in 2000 using a 4ft wide bulldozer (Sweco) (pic in the back of the pdf that you were assigned to read) -Sandstone quarried there was used to build CU buildings -Heil experienced a very wet spring this year -The water table was already high because of snow and spring rains. Additional water created random springs and water flowed on and through the trail -Area is very rocky and sandy -Leads to Erosion issues -Volume and speed of water=greatest threat -more volume=more ability to transport sediment -more speed also = more ability to transport sediment -Water cuts into the trails and carries sediment downhill (sometimes into riparian areas) -Water also exposes the many rocks underneath the trail -Solutions to Erosion -Can be fixed by making the trail UAM -Undulate and Meander -Grade Reversals also a common solution to divert water off of the trail -This method forces water off the trail. -The use of pavers and road base helps -Pavers cover the width of the trail -Road base doesn’t erode as easily and absorbs water -Box culvert- allows water to run underneath trail by using two bricks and a paver -Create climbing turns for MTBers -Slight uphill before and after turn keep rider’s speed down -Riders do not need to slam on the brakes going into the turn -One turn can take over a week to build -Ditching -used to catch water coming downhill towards the trail and diverts it over pavers, box culverts, etc -The original trail has been rerouted to make it more sustainable -Optimal grade between 6-8% -Trails designed to “feel fast” for MTBers -Because bikers are forced to constantly think and watch the trail for choke points, etc. the feel as if they are going fast, but in reality they are not going as fast as they think they are -Trees were used on the Wild Turkey Trail near a climbing turn to keep hikers from cutting thru and creating an undesignated trail -60% of trail users are MTBs (on the County Parks and Open Space) -Horses have the greatest single impact on a trail, but only account for 3% of trail users
Study questions: 1. Describe a grade reversal and explain its purpose. 2. Why is it so critical to get water off the trail? 3. Why are trails outsloped and how much should a trail be outsloped (look this up in the pdf). 4. What type of rock is the substrate for the soils at Heil Valley Ranch? 5. What must trail designers consider in addition to technical trail qualities such as slope and grade reversals when they decide where a trail is going to be located? 6. Name 3 hand tools used for trail building and describe their uses (look this up in the pdf). 7. How steep is too steep for a sustainable trail? 8. What is the difference between paving and pitching? 9. Who feeds the bears?
What happened at OSBT meeting? Public involvement--comments first. Background: When new Springbrook and Goshawk trails were added, biking group leaders felt that OS board ignored their suggestions for trail safety and joint use. Last night, president of bike association (Jason) briefly spoke, thanked Board for their involvement in the issue now. Bridge out by Red Lion.....may be a while to fix. Expensive new bridge, loss to business there at Chapman Drive Boulder Falls still closed, work to re-open ongoing. Motion passed to allow annexation of Burke property Problem discussed re: allowing voice and sight control for dogs on the part of Continental Trail that runs through annexation. Passed, we think?
Greenways maintained interdepartmentally. Transportation, parks and rec. Concern about how long it was taking to get up to speed on weed control.
Staff report----what CCG is doing, how process is going. Then CCG rep. Got up and gave his resignation speech. Ouch! Said the stress from personal attacks by the Chanahan 6 HOA wasn’t worth it, and he hoped CCG”s purpose would continue without being undermined by further attacks. Left his alternate Guy to fill his shoes.
Guy speaks, talks about his position as a trail user
Next neighborhood rep Scott speaks, he resigns as well!
Next public comment period. LOTS of comments....pro and anti bikes. Mostly against bikes it seemed. Reasons given were potential damages to sensitive environmental areas, danger/discomfort for other trail users and to children around neighborhood area, increased numbers of users from Boulder and Denver may lead to too much trail traffic. Basically the bikers want a total of 13 miles of the trails opened up for their use--mostly flat trails. Perhaps the reason so many people are opposed is because of fear and misinformation==not understanding what the proposal really is.
Point made that HOA should not be given preferential treatment--would preclude others’ voices from being heard.
Other issues to think about: horses on trail; compromise; being aware of community issues;
While there are many positives to Open Space, also some negatives depending on viewpoint--what is nature, and how should we treat it? First settlers see New World as virgin wilderness--untouched by humans. This implies that humans’ impact on nature is negative--we should leave it pristine and untouched. Another view is that using labor to tame the land is a good thing, humans are mandated to use the land to better themselves. Transcendentalists (thoreau and emmerson) start publicizing views that nature is actually there to give humans a personal spiritual connection and a vehicle to get closer to God....humans should be outside, in touch with nature....complete immersion with nature was Thoreau’s viewpoint. He secluded himself in nature, wrote books. What a life.
After transcendentalists, we have progressives: Muir, Pinchot (1st forester in US, started forestry school at Yale). Pinchot saw nature as a valuble resource, very anthropocentric; embraces using resources wisely, with eye to the future; doesn’t see humans as part of nature. Thought govnt and scientists should be ones to make decisions.
John Muir, contemporary of Pinchot, were friends. Muir loved to “commune” with nature--represented spiritual experience for him. Muir saw nature as threatened more than Thoreau did, but they have much in common. Both Muir and Pinchot thought govnt should be the one to protect nature.
Building of Hetch Hetchy Dam---moment when idea of govnt as main protector/parent of nature is cemented. Nature still seen mainly as resource for humans.
After these progressives came Leopold. He fought against the view that nature was just there to be mastered by science. He saw nature as a teacher to humans--we have much to learn from nature. Ecosystem and community: not necessarily responsibilities in an ecosystem, whereas in a community there are specific obligations to others--your actions impact others.
What is nature, are humans part it, how should humans interact with it, who makes those decisions---his 4 questions
Leopold differed from Muir in that he wanted to provide a practical view of nature for humans where they could live from the land and enjoy it without destroying it or its purity/symbolism. wants people to be educated about nature so they can make choices on their own without being forced to by law. He saw this as a better way to accomplish conserving and protecting the land. Muir was more about conserving nature entirely pristine--use power of govnt to accomplish this. Leopold says use education and experience to teach value of the land to people. Also can be a very messy process, not always a neat system.
1. Who maintains Boulder’s Greenway system? 2. What were reasons given at the meeting by those opposed to bikes on trails? 3. What is a possible explanation for why so many people were strongly against opening trails to bikes? 4. What are practical ways that ‘opposing’ trail users can compromise? 5. Can we have our cookies and eat them too? 6. Muir and Leopold were both avid lovers of the land--how did their views differ practically? 7. What are the two biggest ways that Leopold would say this land ethic can be instilled in people? 8. What are some of the negatives associated with Open Space?
• Gus Heil is the last descendant expected to work the land. The Heil family has expressed selling the remaining privately owned land to Boulder Open Space, or to developers. • The existing Heil homestead is assessed at over $20 million (600 acres).
Kevin Grady (CSU, Natural Resource Management) is the caretaker at Heil and a POS ranger and he discussed the smooth fencing option rather than barbed wire, or the Lodgepole pine fencing for their (elk) eyesight to see better and avoid going through the fence, but still have access over it. He talked about the urban interface studies of tagged wildlife, including the 180# male mountain lion who called Heil Ranch his home (and where all he had travelled). Kevin also talked about weed control using herbicides, bioagents, and volunteer man power to reduce the invasive weeds among the trails and parking lot areas.
Nick Stremel (CU, Geography/ENVS) from the Forestry Department discussed several issues regarding forest management:
• Main goals are restoration, fire mitigation, habitat creation and maintenance. • #1 way to monitor and manage the forest is to walk and hike into the areas of study and collect data from the field. • Boulder County acquires land that has been grazed, logged, or mined and where the trees have been removed or clear cut. • Other land has been (fire) suppressed so the trees are dangerously dense and must be masticated or chipped by using machinery (that's one way to thin the forest). • The remains of the tree particles are left as fine fuel in the understory of the lower montane ponderosa pine open space where invasive species like the Mullen or thistle plants sprout through the disturbance but will eventually be choked out by the native revegetation process (hopefully). • BCPOS reintroduces native species of vegetation and wildlife. • The desired outcome of prescribed burning is increased diversity in ecological wildlife, vegetation, and forestry so the user experience is enjoyable and the properties are protected.
Methods of calculating tree density and study areas for habitat:
• Thinning structure of stand is calculated by targeted basal area where the tree diameter is considered per square acre. • Where 3000 smaller 1" diameter trees will have the same basal area of 4 large 20" diameter trees based on canopy base height, thickness of bark, and width of branch sprawl. • Ideal tree stands will have 100-150 basal area depending on the diameter of the remaining choice trees. • Prescription parameter objectives for "restoration" structures that consider historical climate indicators attempt a grouping of mosaic variation where multiple species cohabitate. • Tree stands can remain in cluster areas with open Savannah type meadows of grasslands in between to mitigate crown fire fuel. • Indicator species like the Abert's Squirrel which prefer a clumpy tree stand structure, and the migratory Myotis Bat, are each increasing in population and considered a success after the last mastication process of thinning tree densities in 4/09-6/09. • The wildlife specialists proposed a "buffer" space of disturbance around the bat nests on the northern ridge to consist of 1300 ft, however the fire division based the buffer criteria on the steep slope area below the nests which is around 650 ft, where the bat is still protected, while the forest can be managed through planned disturbance. • Compromise is key when varying open space departments express varying concerns from wildlife, botany, fire suppression, trail use, and private residence. • Human values and property possession make clear cutting or demolition fires impossible, so the county works with land owners to clear cut a specified area around private property. • Patch cutting protects property values and increases the intrinsic value of open space land by fulfilling human expectations of experiencing thriving flora and fauna among natural habitats. • Balancing values of staff/public/species is the ongoing goal of Boulder County Open Space. Historical Climate indicators: • Tree ring analysis • Climatology almanacs • Historical photos • Vegetation • Fire scars • Stumps
Some thoughts on fire suppression: • Beginning in 1860-1867 fire suppression began in Heil Ranch. • 40 year fire frequency with varying intensity, meaning some constructive fine fuel fires, and some destructive crown embellishment. • Untreated stands with no understory have tier system of vegetation: top- domination, middle-medium, and lower-crippity crap. • 150 years ago there where maybe 12 Ponderosa in a small area compared to 300 Ponderosa today due to fire suppression. • Maintenance is now the goal rather than destruction--small patchy areas of tree stands, rather than large overgrown areas of forest surrounded by large areas of grass meadows. Pine beetle behavior and prevention:
Mainly are known to attack older mature Lodgepole Pine in upper montane with thick bark and rich sap content, but are now attacking younger, varying tree species even in lower elevations. Since many of the stands are the same age, pine beetles have an unlimited "buffet" of food supply. Patch cutting increases mosaic and variable ecosystems which accelerate regrowth after pine beetle disturbance.
Overland Fire 10/29/03-10/31/03 • Largest fire in Boulder County history, 3500 acres. • 270 fire fighters responded with no casualties. • Ignited in the evening by downed power line in Jamestown. • Chinook westerly winds at 50mph pushed the fire directly west to east down the Lefthand Canyon ridge from Jamestown through Heil Ranch. • 300 families were evacuated but only four structures burned. • The total damage assessed to $400,000. • Rocky Mountain Fire Department lit back fire below, which swept westward and charred the fine fuel prior to the crown fire reaching the lower areas. • Eastern cold front pushed westward 36 hours after initial fire started, shifting the winds to an upslope low pressure system, bringing precipitation and snowfall, with much needed fire suppression.
Questions: 1. Fires generally burn uphill. Why did the Overland fire burn downhill? 2. Why do log fences work better for elk migration than wire fences? 3. What is "crippety-crap"? 4. Why does the POS forestry department feel the need to "treat" the Ponderosa forests of Heil Ranch? 5. What are some of the other factors (besides restoring the structure and function of the forest) must the forestry staff consider when planning forest treatments? 6. Why not just return fire to Heil without thinning beforehand? 7. What is the historic fire regime in the Lower Montane Forests?
