Approximately 25 volunteers along with facilitators from the Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI)worked on creating check dams (rock shelves) that help to slow soil erosion just off Strausenback Trail in the southern section of Garden of the Gods Park on Saturday, May 10.

It was the final weekend forRMFI's annual Garden of the Gods Stewardship & Restoration Program, which has been actively doing restoration work in the city park since 2003.

Volunteer Coordinator Liz Nichol said they had focused on the Strausenback Trail this year because it is one of the main routes for the Academy Riding Stable horse tours, as well as a favorite spot for local riding enthusiasts. "It's not built for that use, so the trail's been badly eroded and rutted," Nichol said.

The volunteers and facilitators have their hands full in Garden of the Gods: Though it has 15 miles of designated trails, a 2001 study showed 46 miles of "social trails" where visitors have literally strayed from the beaten path.

The check dams keep summer storms from washing away soil (a field staff member said they had lost two inches of soil in one area after a storm last year) and re-vegetation efforts help rehabilitate the damaged landscape.

RMFI crew leader Jules deLaunay said the area they were working on Saturday had been part of a social trail and that by building check dams and replanting native plants and grasses, they were "containing the drainage to slow down the water and stop the root exposure."

RMFI field staff member Jen Caplinger said they'd put down erosion control matting on the opposite side of the hill that has seeds from local plants like Mountain Mahogany, Blue Gramma, and sage - and is made from straw and coconut fibers that will fully biodegrade in under 10 years. Caplinger said she takes groups of schoolchildren out each year to collect much of the seeds they use for replanting.

The volunteers passing buckets filled with rocks up the hill came from all over Colorado. Some were local, like 16-year-old Jaclynn Pocchiari, a junior at Falcon High School working on getting the community service hours she needed for membership in National Honor Society.

Others were from out of town, like Adam Powell, who with his son, Trey, were at the Garden along with Boy Scout Troop 280 out of Parker.

The park gets plenty of volunteer help. In fact, Nichol said they'd had to turn away some volunteers this year because they didn't have enough funding to be able to coordinate using everyone. "It costs to have staff to supervise and organize it all, so we've been having to turn away a lot of volunteers," Nichol said.

RMFI executive director Mark Hess said last year RMFI was able to provide opportunities to over 600 volunteers in the Garden. This year, however, they utilized just over 400, and RMFI had to turn away more than 700 people that wanted to help.

"The city faces some fairly ominous challenges because there's no dedicated revenue stream beyond what Garden of the Gods Foundation provides each year," Hess said. "Our challenge is to raise funds from a variety of sources within the community to bring the program to capacity and realize the full potential of our volunteers."

RMFI still needs help with a variety of upcoming projects. The next big volunteer effort will be in the Sangre De Cristo mountains August 17 -23. If you're interested in volunteering, contact Nichol at 471-7736.