February Board Meeting and Upcoming Elections Notice

This is just a brief reminder that Friends of Monument Preserve will be holding our monthly board meeting Tuesday February 10, 2009 at 7:00 PM 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, the classroom building is the first building on your right.

Also, we will be holding our annual elections meeting on Tuesday March 10, 2009 at 7:00 PM in the Fire Center Classroom. We will be electing the positions of President and Vice-President as well as board members at large. This is a great chance to come and get involved!

Thanks
Friends of Monument Preserve

January Board Meeting

This is just a brief reminder that Friends of Monument Preserve will be holding our first board meeting of 2009 tomorrow January 13 at 7:00 PM 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, the classroom building is the first building on your right.

Hunting in the Preserve

Please be advised that it is legal for hunters to hunt in the Monument Preserve and surrounding National Forest. While we do not encounter hunters in the Monument Preserve proper very frequently it is legal and apparently there was a hunter in the Preserve this morning hunting deer or elk. You might want to wear hunter orange or something similar until the end of hunting season – which appears to be 11/16 for Deer and Elk rifle hunting in the Game Management Unit for the area .

If you are a hunter or know one that operates in the area please remember that the Preserve is laced with trails and trail users at all times of day – most of whom are under the impression that no hunting occurs there.

Thanks and please be careful out there!

Reminder: Final Board Meeting for 2008

Just a quick reminder that Tuesday November 11, 2008 at 7:00 PM will be the final monthly FOMP Board Meeting for 2008. The meeting will be held in the classroom building at the Monument Fire Center within the Preserve. (turn left into the fire center from Mt. Herman Rd and proceed to the first building on your right)

Final Trail Night 2008

Tuesday September 9, 2008 will be the final FOMP Trail work night for the season. So, if you have not managed to make any of our other trail work sessions this is the last chance for 2008. We will be doing a double start time affair as outlined below. The monthly board meeting is canceled in favor of one last chance to dig in the dirt! If there is anything you would like to bring to the attention of the board, please email info@fomp.org and we will make sure it is discussed at the October meeting.

Trail work sessions for Tuesday September 9, 2008 are as follows:
1. 5:00 PM – Meet at the main trailhead at the corner of Mt. Herman Rd. and Nursery Rd. Chris will be leading this group. If you are a few minutes late please call him on his cell phone for directions on how to link up — 719.439.8865

2. 6:00 PM – Meet at the main trailhead at the corner of Mt. Herman Rd. and Nursery Rd. This group will link up with Chris’ group so you either call Jon Nordby on his cell – 719.640.1347 to find us or Chris on his cell phone — 719.439.8865 to link up if you are late.

FOMP and USFS will supply all necessary tools. Please bring water, gloves, eye protection, bug repellent and dress appropriately for the weather and for digging in dirt and moving rocks and debris.

Trail work will be held unless there is lightning activity in the area.

VOC Call for volunteers

Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado has put in a request for help from FOMP members:

(150 volunteers needed — minimum age: 12)

The East-West Trail in Stratton Open Space, just west of Colorado Springs , is a diverse region of five ecosystems. The Parks ponderosa pine forests, scrub oak brush lands, high meadow grasslands, cattail marsh and riparian area are home to a wide variety of wildlife. Thousands of visitors utilize the park each year for its panoramic views and popular hiking and mountain biking trails. Stratton’s popularity has led to a growing network of social trails that threaten its beauty and habitats. Join your Front Range neighbors to construct and rehabilitate 4,500 feet of trail, close social trails and rehabilitate scarred areas by planting native grasses.

Right now we are really short of volunteers and we need you! Please help spread the word.

Work Day is 7:30-3:30

Click HERE to sign up individuals or groups.

Coyote Corner

This year there has been a marked increase in coyote activity in the Preserve and surrounding areas. Many of these coyote’s are attacking dogs and frequently doing so in the presence of humans. These desensitized animals are becoming a nuisance and potential safety issue to Preserve users. We have been in contact with the USFS and The Colorado Division of Wildlife and are working on a solution to these de-sensitized coyote’s. Please pay attention to yourself and your animals when you are in the Preserve. We will let you know what we work out with the various agencies as soon as possible.

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.”

Tree Project this Saturday

We are in a dry spell and it looks like it won’t let up soon.
FOMP members planted 200 pine seedlings in mid-April this year, about
1/3 mile West of Memorial Grove centered around where the trail turns
sharply South and starts its climb to the rocky ridge and traverses
Southwest to 715. We’d like to get some water up to them on this
Saturday, 14-June, at 8am. Jon will have a pickup at Nursery and
Schilling with a horse trough full of water (non-potable!) if folks
would be willing to show up with some plastic jugs and packs to help
these trees through the dry spell. These seedlings are pretty easy to
spot – they were protected from wildlife by yellow-weave basket material
and were planted in natural breaks in the scrub oak. You can spot a few
from the trail even – they are spread out from there covering about 3
acres in a rough circle. We plan to only be at this an hour – a few
folks on bikes might get a couple round trips in. Families welcome! If
you arrive late, fill up with water from the truck, and hike up the road
to Memorial Grove. From there, continue West on the trail about another
1/3rd mile and you’ll find folks in there searching for trees. Bring a
garden shovel to help mulch and build berms to hold runoff near these
trees. Even if you can make that area part of your Saturday walk or
ride, bring a spare water bottle and dump it on a seedling up there.

Thanks,
Questions/Comments to Jon Nordby at 719-640-1347.