Volunteers needed for Aspen’s North Star Nature Preserve project
Volunteers are being recruited to help with a riverbank restoration project at North Star Nature Preserve on Saturday.
Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers is heading the project to regrade a bank of the Roaring Fork River so volunteers can plant native willows.
The preserve east of Aspen provides wildlife habitat along the river corridor and in the adjoining meadows and wetlands. “Early settlers altered the course of the river to create more arable land,” said a statement about the project from Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers. “Over time, this eroded the river banks and destroyed the native riparian habitat.”
One collapsing riverbank threatens a mature stand of cottonwood trees near a rookery where great blue herons nest annually.
The work will be from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., including dinner. It’s a family-friendly project, so children are welcome. A youth coordinator will have age-appropriate projects for kids ages seven and older. Anyone planning on bringing a child should contact Zoe at zmanickam@rfov.org.
Adult volunteers will find a link for registration at http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/ 50413/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=81705.
Gary Tennenbaum, assistant director of Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, which manages North Star, said a lot of people expressed support for the preserve this summer during a management plan debate. He said he hopes people continue to show their support by showing up to volunteer.
Support Local Journalism
Support Local Journalism
Readers around Aspen and Snowmass Village make the Aspen Times’ work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.
Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.
Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.
Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.
User Legend: Moderator
Trusted User
Colorado governor “shocked” federal plans to speed up vaccine distribution are falling short
Colorado was expecting to receive 210,000 coronavirus vaccine doses next week. “Now we find out we’ll only get 79,000 next week,” Gov. Jared Polis wrote on Twitter.