A special thanks to Joe for organizing the clean up efforts at Last Chance! Woo hoo! Deb Carstensen, Littleton CO
Sent from my iPhone On Apr 7, 2013, at 2:54 PM, Joe Roller <[email protected]> wrote: > Birders and other friends, > Most of you are aware that the famous migrant trap, the Last Chance Oasis, > suffered from the June 2012 wildfire. Last November birders joined local > folks and held a clean-up day > there to show our appreciation for the generous and open access we have > enjoyed for decades at this > birdy site. Although many shrubs and trees are bouncing back, lots of trees > and grassy slopes were burned black, burned down and won't be coming back. > > Yesterday, April 6th, an even dozen birders*, tools in hand, joined members > of the Woodlin Lions Club to help mitigate habitat losses from the fire. > A lot got done, and we also strengthened friendships among us birders and > local residents. Johnny Miller, > whose grandfather pioneered the area, helped out. Lois Scott, local news > reporter, delighted us with tales of the old days. > > What we did: > 1) We prepared the soil and broadcast over a wide area a custom blend of > native grasses (switchgrass, both big > and little bluestem, side-oats and blue grama) and wildflowers (yarrow and > prairie coneflower). > > 2) We planted over 100 fruit-bearing bare-root shrubs, e.g., sumac, sand > cherry, chokecherry, native plum, > and trees in containers such as Hackberry, Rocky Mountain Juniper, and even a > few oaks. Each of these was planted > with a fertilizer pellet and was surrounded by rabbit-resistant mesh, and > supported > by small bamboo poles. Hundreds of feet of a drip irrigation system were laid > out to water each plant and > give them a chance during the dry summer. > > 3) Big piles of downed and burned limbs were sorted into smaller branches > (deemed a fire hazard and hauled off at Mr. Miller's request) > and larger limbs that we set aside as artists' materials. In late May, > eco-artist Lynne Hull** and Colorado University Boulder art students will > repurpose these > as only artists know how to do. What will that look like? Come out in June > and see! > They will also fabricate a naturalistic Bat House, a Kestrel box and a Barn > Owl box to be placed under the bridge. > > Illustrative of the project are nice photos taken by Tom Wilberding at this > link... http://bit.ly/ZGyT98 > > The noon we enjoyed a big pot-luck lunch and social hour, then it was back to > work. > > We realize that not everything we planted will thrive and turn the place into > Sherwood Forest overnight! But we do > hope that 75% will become established... and there is always next Spring to > replant if need be. > > None of this could have happened without the big water tank local caretaker > Jim Kleinschmidt will place on the > west slope of the Oasis, keep filled with water from his deep well and supply > the drip irrigation system until plants > get established, which will take years for some of the trees. What a guy! > > Birders are also very grateful to: > Rose Cronk, Woodlin School Superintendent, a horticultural expert who > tirelessly gathered all the supplies and energetically led the group by her > example. > Noe Marymore, a habitat specialist with RMBO and NRCS, who gave us needed > professional input. > Landowner Johnny Miller and other Lions like Ken Cronk. > Tom Thompson, pastor at the Howard Methodist Church at Last Chance, the > effective community leader who helped us all get together in the first place. > (Pardon me if I left someone's name out inadvertently). > > The project could not have happened without a generous grant from the DFO and > checks from over 15 birders and tour groups to defray the cost of materials. > We are close to our goal > of $1,500 now. > > And finally, watch for an article about the history, birds and people of Last > Chance in this month's Colorado Birds, the CFO quarterly. > > *Birders who participated were: > Chuck Hundertmark, > Tom Wilberding, > Edie Israel, > Kevin Corwin, > Betsy Shaw, > Doug Kibbe, > Lisa Edward, > Maggie Boswell, > Tina Jones, > Gwen Moore > and Paul Slingsby > > > ** (examples of Lynne Hull's work can be seen at > http://www.google.com/search?q=lynne+hull+eco+artist&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=zNhhUeOYApG6qQGPpIGoBw&ved=0CEsQsAQ&biw=1989&bih=1228 > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Colorado Birds" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
