Category Archives: USFS

April Board of Directors Meeting

April 13 – Tuesday 7:00PM – Tomorrow!

Quarterly Board of Directors Meeting. This will be FOMP’s first quarterly BOD meeting after our recent elections and our change to a quarterly format. BOD Meetings are held in the Fire Center Classroom. For those of you unfamiliar with the classroom building make your first left into the Fire Center after Mt. Herman Rd. turns to dirt, follow the road all the way into the administrative area and the classroom building is the first building on your right.

Our agenda will at a minimum include the following:

  • Summer 2010 events planning
  • Tree Planting Post Mortem
  • Push by USFS for Systemizing Trails
  • Memorial Grove Day
  • Potluck Dinner
  • Seedling Release Plans
  • Trail Maintenance Plans
  • Motor Vehicle Travel Plan for Pike (FOMP Response).

Thanks and we hope to see you there!
FOMP

Upcoming Events

FOMP would like to remind you of several upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.

April 10 – This Saturday – Our second Eagle Scout project will be this Saturday. Zach Anderson will lead this, which includes planting 200 seedlings and releasing as many existing seedlings as time allows. Estimated project time is from 9:00 AM to 3:00PM.

If you would like to participate, please meet us at 9:00 at the Red Rocks Ranch parking lot (intersection of Red Rocks
and Mount Herman Roads).  We plan to shuttle folks just over a mile up the Mt Herman Road, from where we will hike east
into the project area. This spot on the Mt Herman Road will be marked with orange cones, in case you join in late.
Please see attached maps at the end of the message for location details.

Bring gloves and water, and lunch if needed.  Tools will be supplied.

If you want to join in but arrive late, please contact Jon Nordby (640-1347) or Diane Strohm (232-7724), and we’ll
provide directions as to our specific whereabouts.

April 13 – Tuesday 7:00PM – Quarterly Board of Directors Meeting. This will be FOMP’s first quarterly BOD meeting after our recent elections and our change to a quarterly format. BOD Meetings are held in the Fire Center Classroom. For those of you unfamiliar with the classroom building make your first left into the Fire Center after Mt. Herman Rd. turns to dirt, follow the road all the way into the administrative area and the classroom building is the first building on your right.
Our agenda will at a minimum include the following:

* Summer 2010 events planning
* Open Agenda for members

May 6 – Thursday 5:30PM
– Hot Shots and Helitic Crew Dinner – every year FOMP hosts a pot luck dinner for the Hot Shot and Helitac crew based in the Preserve. We will have dinner ready for the crews at 5:30 that day. We are asking for donations of prepared food such as the following:

* Casseroles, crock pot dishes,etc.. for the main course.
* Salads, breads,fruit and desserts to accompany the meal.

The FOMP coordinator for the event is Diane Bandle and she can be reached at dmbandle@hotmail.com. Please let Diane know what you might be able to provide or bring to the work center that day between five and five thirty. If you can not attend but would like to cook some food please let Diane know and she can accomodaye a drop off at her house prior to the event.

Thanks and we hope to see you out there soon!

Parking Area and Dropoff Point
Parking Area and Dropoff Point
Project Area Map

Project Area Map

Mt. Herman Rd. Cleanup this Sunday October 18

Last minute project!

FOMP has just been informed that this coming Sunday October 18th there is an organized cleanup of Mt. Herman Rd. This effort is being run by Leslie Hull and will focus on cleaning up trash and debris along Mt. Herman Rd. from the intersection with Red Rocks Dr. to as far up as Rampart Range Rd. time permitting.

Here are the details for this Sunday’s clean up:

  • The project site/meeting point will be the intersection of Mt. Herman Rd. and the intersection of Red Rocks Dr.
  • Organizers or a USFS representative will be present at the project meeting site from 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Sunday if you are only able to attend for a part of the day please stop by to find out where the group is working
  • The USFS will provide a briefing at 8:00 a.m.
  • The USFS will be providing a dumpster for this project
  • Stop by any time and work  for as long as you are able!
  • Lunch will be provided mid day

Hopefully you can find some time to join in this effort to get some much needed clean up completed on Mt. Herman Rd.

Trail Work and Board Meeting

First, thanks to tall of the volunteers that were able to help out putting on last weeks pot luck dinner for the hot shots crew – they were very appreciative and we had a great turnout despite having to re-schedule at the last second. Thanks everyone for your patience and flexibility!

This is a brief reminder that Friends of Monument Preserve (FOMP) hold our monthly board meeting tomorrow Tuesday May 12, 2009 at 5:30 PM in the main trail head parking lot. Board meetings are open to all members and the public so please feel free to join us.

Immediately follow the board meeting at 6:00PM we will hold our second trail work session of the season.

FOMP and USFS provide all necessary tools. Volunteers should wear appropriate clothing for performing outdoor landscaping type of work, leather gloves, bring their own personal water supply, eye protection sunscreen, and bug repellent. We meet rain or shine unless there is lightning active in the area. In the event that you are joining us late we always leave a note at the trail head parking lot or you can call Chris or Jon (numbers below) to find out where in the preserve we are working that evening.

We make every effort to accommodate volunteer preferences and abilities at each event. Generally we perform activities such as water bar building or renovation, trail renovation, maintenance, and trimming, etc. So, pretty much everything from trimming back scrub oak or digging lots of dirt to moving boulders. We assign duties based on interest and capabilities. Kids are welcome to join their parents; however, we do ask that you evaluate whether this is an appropriate activity for your child or not.

We look forward to seeing you out there!

Chris Tirpak – mobile: 719.439.8865
Jon Nordby – mobile: 719.640.1347

Hot Shot Pot Luck Dinner Re-scheduled

Sorry for yesterday’s short notice to those planning on attending the hot shot crew pot luck dinner. We received word at 4:30 that the crew needed to go to a fire near Divide. That fire is now apparently under control and we are expecting the crew to be back late this afternoon. So, we are going to re-schedule the dinner for this evening at 6:00 PM in the fire center classroom building. Thank you everyone for your flexibility.

For those folks unfamiliar, FOMP throws the hot shot and helitac crews stationed in the Preserve an appreciation dinner every year as they begin their season. If you would like to join us and meet these fine folks please feel free – and if you can bring a dish of any kind go for it.

So, 6:00 PM tonight May 8 in the classroom building – the first building on your right when you enter the work center.

Questions – please call Chris Tirpak at 719.439.8865

Dyad drilling decision delayed

FRERC.ORG has just setn the following news release to all of its memebers, FOMP would also like you to be aware. More info at www.frerc.org

“U.S. FOREST SERVICE COLLECTING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Dyad Petroleum Decision Delayed

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 25, 2008.Pike National Forest, Pikes Peak Ranger Brent Botts said more information has been requested from Dyad Petroleum before a thorough Environmental Assessment (EA) can be completed for the El Paso County project. No decision on the exploratory drilling proposal is expected prior to the Spring of 2009.According to Botts, “We asked Dyad Petroleum representatives for additional information about the site, roads, air and water quality and they responded favorably. It will likely take at least another six months to evaluate the information and prepare the environmental analyses.”The Forest Service will prepare a formal scoping statement and solicit public comment following receipt and evaluation of the additional information requested of Dyad.”

Trails/Email List/WebSite

Hello everyone!

There are several things we’d like you to know about including some changes to how FOMP manages our email list and a website re-design:

1. Tomorrow (or perhaps today by the time I finish this and it gets out the door) 5/20/2008 Friends of Monument Preserve is scheduled to re-attempt to hold our first Trail Day for 2008. We will meet at 6:00pm in the main trail head parking lot located on the corner of Mt. Herman Rd. and Nursery Rd. weather permitting – which is pretty much rain or shine from now on unless there is lightning activity in the area. We will have 2 activities lined up:
— Trail Work
— Tree Trimming – we need several volunteers to help Dianne Strohm trim back some scrub oak from some evergreens that are struggling to grow. If we have a small crowd this will be our first priority tomorrow.

Meet at the parking lot at 6:00pm and depart from there. FOMP / USFS will supply all tools and supplies that you need. Please dress appropriately, bring gloves, water, and eye protection (sunglasses or similar). If you are going to trim scrub oak we recommend long sleeves regardless of the weather. If you are running late you can cal Jon Nordby on his cell phone 719.640.1347 and he will tell you where the groups(s) are located.

2. Our web site received a minor face lift this week. The location is the same and most of the materials are still there. If there is something you feel we should add please let us know by sending an email to info@fomp.org

3. Email list management. We’ve installed some software to help us manage our email list more efficiently. It’s nothing super fancy but it will allow you to update your preferences or unsubscribe from our email list which is something Chris has cobbled together manually over the years. You should be able to set which information you’d like to receive from us. We seem to have a few major things we update you on: Trails, Board Meetings, Limbaugh Canyon, Special Events/Announcements, Vandalism. And then there is the siple category “ALL” – which is pretty much what it sounds like. Needless to say we really don’t send out that many emails every month but you can refine what you receive. While you are there please take a second and make sure we have your name too! www.fomp.org/newsletter Thanks.

4. Vandalism? Yes! The Preserve has been the recent target of more than one spray paint “tagging”. The old caretakers structure on the South side was spray painted as were several other structures. Also, on Saturday night several signs including the map of the district were all destroyed. If you know anything about ither of these events please pass that on the board at info@fomp.org or call CHris at 719.488.9850. You can also call officer Tom Healy of the USFS at 719.477.4204 to report any vandalism. The FOMP board also met with officer Healy recently and one of the things we’re going to do is make sure that he has an avenue to reach out to the community in a timely manner. Hence the FOMP email list re: vandalism. We’ll use that to pass on requests from officer Healy regarding any vandalism to our local USFS resources. Hopefully we won’t need to use it very often.

Gazette Article – Pike forest could be ground zero for new drilling

Today the Gazette published an article regarding oil and gas drilling in the Monument area. FOMP has been aware of this effort for nearly 5 years and has been opposed to Oil and Gas drilling on Mt. Herman since we first heard about it. Frankly, I was surprised to find that there were only 17 comments (for or against) filed during the initial comment period 4 years ago; however, I expect that to change now that we are actually about to have live drilling rigs in Monument full time. People from Manitou to Cheyenne (yes, Boulder too) are going to realize that oil and gas companies are serious about drilling all up and down the Front Range. If Dyad discovers natural gas in Monument, the battle of the Roan plateau will look like a friendly intellectual dinner table discussion.

Stay tuned.

Gazette Article – Pike forest could be ground zero for new drilling

As a partner organization with the USFS FOMP will be reviewing the EA when it becomes available in the near future and submitting comments as an organization. We encourage you to get involved and review the EA as well and make comments as individuals.

Note: I have already received several questions regarding why FOMP is opposed to this effort and I will articulate those reasons here shortly. — Thanks — Chris / FOMP Board

Board Meeting 08-23-2006 – Minutes

In attendance:

Chris Tirpak, Jon Nordby, Kim Nordby, Janna Preheim, Amy Smith, Bill Benson, Herman Spielkamp

  • Discussed cleaning up the pond. Amy will investigatge various treatment options.
  • Limbaugh Canyon update – the Canyon 40 purchase/swap is still moving through the USFS system. The Nevins family is still interested in making it happen and all parties are waiting for assessments to be completed. Forecast is late 2007 with a trail re-opening in early 2008.
  • Amy Smith has completed the newsletter. We reviewed and approved the newsletter to go out, our first in 2+ years. Thanks Amy!
  • All board members are going to try and get 2 corporate sponsors signed up and participating in a member benefits program.
  • Trails – Jon reports (and everyone agrees) the Preserve trails have taken a pounding from the heavy rains this summer. Suggested and agreed to hold two additional trail work days this fall. Remaining trail schedule is as follows:
    • September 12 – Tuesday – 6pm – this will probably be the last weekenight for the year
    • September 30 – Saturday – 9am – 12pm
    • October 1 – Sunday – 1pm – 4pm
  • Meeting Adjourned

USFS Schedule of Proposed Actions

At several board meetings I have referenced the USFS document that is key to tracking what is going on in the Pike Nationalk Forest. This document is called the Schedule of Proposed Actions or SOPA for short. You can find it on the Pike NF Home page under Projects and Plans. Here’s a shortcut (Pike NF SOPA) and there is a permanent link on the right. You’ll need Adobe Acrobat to read it.

Chris