On Sunday, September 30th, over 400 cadets, faculty, and staff from the Air Force Academy supported another set of erosion control projects Sunday, aimed at speeding recovery from the Waldo Canyon Wildfire. They also worked on mitigation projects to help protect against future wildfires.
Working from 8:00am to 4:00pm, one half of the Academy group assisted the City Forestry Division in removing burnt Gamble Oak, seeding and spreading wood chips in the Mountain Shadows Open Space, and assisted a contractor funded by Colorado Springs Together to remove burnt vegetation in the privately owned open space area behind Wilson Road.
The other half of the Academy group executed recovery work in the Blodgett Peak Open Space, west of the Peregrine neighborhood. Working with the City Forestry, the cadets reseeded steep, difficult terrain and performed erosion control work by establishing log and hay barriers and spreading hay. The vast majority of the cadets who worked on this project are freshmen who reported for duty while the Waldo Canyon Fire was still burning.
“We are thrilled to have the support from our neighbors at the Air Force Academy on this important project,” says City Forester Paul Smith. “There is a lot of work to be done in these open spaces after the fire, and having the hard work of 400 cadets, faculty and staff gives us a huge leap forward in the rehabilitation process.”
Please join Mayor Bach and his wife Suzi in thanking these cadets, faculty, and staff for their incredible hard-work and dedication to Colorado Springs.
