Volunteers from La Plata and Montezuma counties are scheduled to be among an estimated 175,000 people nationwide who will give their Saturday this week to perform a day of public service to mark the 20th anniversary of National Public Lands Day.
Last year, an estimated 150,000 volunteers gave their time to improve the condition of public lands.
Twenty-four AmeriCorps volunteers at the Southwest Conservation Corps office in Durango, 15 corps staff members and five volunteers from corps partner agencies will gather at Chris Park Haviland Lake north of Durango to work on Haviland View and Chris Park trails.
The goal of their labor, scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon, is to improve trail conditions long term for hikers, bicyclists and equestrians.
“We’re taking the opportunity to celebrate our 15th anniversary,” said corps program director Kevin Heiner. “We started in Durango and now have offices in Salida, Tucson and Acoma, N.M.”
Heiner said the corps has adopted the trails for maintenance and training. The group has built about 10 miles of trail in three years, he said.
Anyone who wants to lend a hand should call Heiner at 403-0145 or simply arrive at the Chris Park campground before 8 a.m. with boots, gloves, rain gear and water. Tools and food will be provided.
In Montezuma County, volunteers will work at Phil’s World, a 12-mile system of single-track mountain-bike trails east of Cortez.
Trail users have reported that glaring amounts of trash have accumulated since the system was cleaned about five years ago.
Crews will work on the northern portion of the park.
“I have 64 people signed up so far, including Girl Scouts,” said Kathe Hayes at the San Juan Mountain Association, which is organizing the cleanup.
She is working with Kokopelli Bike Club members and the Tres Rios Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management. The outing marks the 14th year the SJMA has done a project on National Public Lands Day, she said.
Volunteers are asked to email her at kathe@sjma.org so she can buy the correct number of lunches, Hayes said.
daler@durangoherald.com
