Hayman Restoration Partnership Launches Work
By Jennifer SchoonenMarch 12, 2010
DENVER, Colo. – March 12, 2010 – The National Forest Foundation (NFF), Vail Resorts and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) will begin on-the-ground restoration work in the Upper South Platte watershed thanks to the Hayman Restoration Partnership - Working Together for Healthy Forests and Clean Water. Field work made possible by this partnership will begin with debris removal from Horse Creek on the Pike National Forest – South Platte District by representatives with the volunteer-based Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP).
The overall project aims to restore the Trout Creek, West Creek, Manitou, and Fourmile watersheds and increase ecosystem resiliency. The total project area for the partnership spans more than 115,000 acres, with work focused on 45,000 acres of the most severely affected watersheds feeding into the Upper South Platte River, Denver’s main water supply.
NFF President Bill Possiel explains, “Under our Treasured Landscapes national restoration campaign, this collaborative endeavor aims to restore forest health and improve water quality in this critical forest ecosystem, which is a source of fresh water for residents of Denver just 70 miles away. Although the restoration needs are tremendous, we can already see the results possible when dedicated organizations and individuals work together to protect and improve our natural resources. ”
Dave Rosgen, a leading expert in stream restoration, is working with CUSP to determine the most critical needs to restore the Upper South Platte watershed. Rosgen is recognized worldwide for his expertise in restoring natural stability to streams after a major disturbance. His work on this project signifies the importance of this watershed and how together we can improve water quality for generations to come.
Work this year will be multi-faceted and include trail maintenance, trail construction, road decommissioning, invasive species treatment, thinning brush and small trees, tree planting and hazardous woody debris removal. The majority of the work will take place during the summer field season. The Mile High Youth Corps will employ a crew to revegetate Ruby Gulch, shoring up a sediment-producing trail, and thinning understory on the Pikes Peak Ranger District. Additional partners this summer will include Wild Connections and Rocky Mountain Field Institute.
“The health of the Upper South Platte River is vital to a lot of forest resources and millions of Colorado citizens," said Bob Leaverton, Forest Supervisor of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands. "The jump start we are receiving from this partnership will help the forest accomplish critical restoration that would otherwise take years to complete.”
This three-year project is taking a comprehensive approach to implementation that extends beyond the on-the-ground work to engaging local governments and residents, Vail Resorts employees, conservation organizations and the entire Front Range community.
“Our goal with the Hayman Partnership has been to focus our efforts on the highest priority for the future of Colorado – water,” said Rob Katz, CEO and chairman for Vail Resorts. “In addition to pledging funds to catalyze this project, our employees have also committed more than 1,500 volunteer hours to help restore this vital ecosystem, which impacts the water supply for most of Colorado, as well as wildlife and recreation opportunities.”
Announced last September, the Hayman Restoration Partnership is one of several large-scale restoration projects initiated under the NFFs Treasured Landscapes national conservation campaign. The Hayman project was launched with the catalyzing support of the U.S. Forest Service and Vail Resorts, which are providing much of the public and private funding for the estimated $4-million effort.
For 20 days in the summer of 2002, the Hayman fire burned a total of 137,760 acres in Colorado’s Pike National Forest. In its wake, the fire destroyed 600 structures, burned forest vegetation and wildlife habitat for threatened species, damaged recreation sites, trails and roads, and resulted in frequent closures of Highway 67. To this day, the fire’s aftermath continues to severely impact the water supply for more than 75 percent of Colorado residents. Without forest vegetation cover, severe erosion in the badly burned areas of the Upper South Platte River watershed has led to significant sediment deposits in streams and reservoirs, loss of fish and other native species, and impacts to the majority of Denver’s water supply.
For more information and additional press materials, visit the Hayman Restoration Partnership web site.
-end-
About the National Forest Foundation
Founded by Congress in 1991, the National Forest Foundation works to conserve, restore and enhance America’s 193-million-acre National Forest System. Through community-based strategies and public-private partnerships, the NFF enhances wildlife habitat, revitalizes wildfire-damaged landscapes, restores watersheds, and improves recreational resources for the benefit of all Americans. The NFF’s Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences national conservation campaign is uniting public and private partners to conduct large-scale forest and watershed restoration and revitalize ecosystem resiliency in iconic National Forest System sites around the nation.
About the USDA Forest Service
The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of National Forest System land, provides stewardship assistance to non-federal forest landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. The Pike National Forest covers more than 1 million acres in central Colorado. The Upper South Platte River that runs through the forest landscape provides over 60 percent of the water used by citizens of Metropolitan Denver.
The overall project aims to restore the Trout Creek, West Creek, Manitou, and Fourmile watersheds and increase ecosystem resiliency. The total project area for the partnership spans more than 115,000 acres, with work focused on 45,000 acres of the most severely affected watersheds feeding into the Upper South Platte River, Denver’s main water supply.
NFF President Bill Possiel explains, “Under our Treasured Landscapes national restoration campaign, this collaborative endeavor aims to restore forest health and improve water quality in this critical forest ecosystem, which is a source of fresh water for residents of Denver just 70 miles away. Although the restoration needs are tremendous, we can already see the results possible when dedicated organizations and individuals work together to protect and improve our natural resources. ”
Dave Rosgen, a leading expert in stream restoration, is working with CUSP to determine the most critical needs to restore the Upper South Platte watershed. Rosgen is recognized worldwide for his expertise in restoring natural stability to streams after a major disturbance. His work on this project signifies the importance of this watershed and how together we can improve water quality for generations to come.
Work this year will be multi-faceted and include trail maintenance, trail construction, road decommissioning, invasive species treatment, thinning brush and small trees, tree planting and hazardous woody debris removal. The majority of the work will take place during the summer field season. The Mile High Youth Corps will employ a crew to revegetate Ruby Gulch, shoring up a sediment-producing trail, and thinning understory on the Pikes Peak Ranger District. Additional partners this summer will include Wild Connections and Rocky Mountain Field Institute.
“The health of the Upper South Platte River is vital to a lot of forest resources and millions of Colorado citizens," said Bob Leaverton, Forest Supervisor of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands. "The jump start we are receiving from this partnership will help the forest accomplish critical restoration that would otherwise take years to complete.”
This three-year project is taking a comprehensive approach to implementation that extends beyond the on-the-ground work to engaging local governments and residents, Vail Resorts employees, conservation organizations and the entire Front Range community.
“Our goal with the Hayman Partnership has been to focus our efforts on the highest priority for the future of Colorado – water,” said Rob Katz, CEO and chairman for Vail Resorts. “In addition to pledging funds to catalyze this project, our employees have also committed more than 1,500 volunteer hours to help restore this vital ecosystem, which impacts the water supply for most of Colorado, as well as wildlife and recreation opportunities.”
Announced last September, the Hayman Restoration Partnership is one of several large-scale restoration projects initiated under the NFFs Treasured Landscapes national conservation campaign. The Hayman project was launched with the catalyzing support of the U.S. Forest Service and Vail Resorts, which are providing much of the public and private funding for the estimated $4-million effort.
For 20 days in the summer of 2002, the Hayman fire burned a total of 137,760 acres in Colorado’s Pike National Forest. In its wake, the fire destroyed 600 structures, burned forest vegetation and wildlife habitat for threatened species, damaged recreation sites, trails and roads, and resulted in frequent closures of Highway 67. To this day, the fire’s aftermath continues to severely impact the water supply for more than 75 percent of Colorado residents. Without forest vegetation cover, severe erosion in the badly burned areas of the Upper South Platte River watershed has led to significant sediment deposits in streams and reservoirs, loss of fish and other native species, and impacts to the majority of Denver’s water supply.
For more information and additional press materials, visit the Hayman Restoration Partnership web site.
-end-
About the National Forest Foundation
Founded by Congress in 1991, the National Forest Foundation works to conserve, restore and enhance America’s 193-million-acre National Forest System. Through community-based strategies and public-private partnerships, the NFF enhances wildlife habitat, revitalizes wildfire-damaged landscapes, restores watersheds, and improves recreational resources for the benefit of all Americans. The NFF’s Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences national conservation campaign is uniting public and private partners to conduct large-scale forest and watershed restoration and revitalize ecosystem resiliency in iconic National Forest System sites around the nation.
About the USDA Forest Service
The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of National Forest System land, provides stewardship assistance to non-federal forest landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. The Pike National Forest covers more than 1 million acres in central Colorado. The Upper South Platte River that runs through the forest landscape provides over 60 percent of the water used by citizens of Metropolitan Denver.
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