Reflection by CR

In regards to fire in forested areas – the overall theme is “ … not a matter of if but rather when”.  That particular theme was played over and over again and as the week progressed – this sentiment applied not only to fire but flooding in fire-scarred areas, as well.

Sunday

We rolled in to the Nature Place and were able to get settled in to our rooms and met with Shawna Crocker, PLT Coordinator and Steve Jennings – Geography Prof. at UCCS.  Steve Jennings lead us in a GPS Activity, punching in latitude and longitude coordinates in our GPS and then going out and locating those points – we ran in to a slight problem, as one of the coordinates took us in to the youth camp – but not a big deal.  Meals at the Nature Place were outstanding.  We ended the evening with introductions to staff at the Nature Place and CSFS.  Materials and schedule for the week was passed out and discussed.

Monday

Met with guest speaker, Amy Sylvester from the Colorado Springs Fire Department.  Amy presented work being done to rate the fire risk of neighborhoods in the Colorado Springs area.  It appears that it will be a valuable tool with more people building in wooded areas – this will assess the risk and educate neighborhoods on things they can do to minimize the risk.

Dr. Peter Brown introduced us to dendrochronology and forest ecology – looking at tree rings and developing a forest timeline.  I was fairly familiar with dendrochronology but enjoyed the new experience of coring a tree and then mounting that core sample.  Demonstrated the adaptations and resilience of forest trees when it comes to drought and fire.

After dinner we watched the movie, Fire Wars – a brilliant film demonstrating the evolution of fire ecology and fire thinking here in the United States.  For a number of years our thinking was we would spot a fire and put it out immediately.  We are now paying the consequences for years of fire suppression and prevention, with little or no management, with extremely devastating fires.  We are now experiencing fires that are burning so hot that they are destroying forests and everything associated with a forest for several years to follow.

Tuesday – Field Day

Traveled to Lake George area – met with Theresa Springer with the Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP).  Theresa shared one major consequences of a fire scar – flooding.  Looked at the Waldo Canyon burn area - Theresa took us up a canyon above Hwy 24 and Manitou Springs and showed the sand bagging and work that they have done to save homes in that canyon and spread out the energy of the water coming down the burn scar.  They have scenarios for varying levels of rain – there will be flooding – depending on the amount of rain and the intensity of that rain will determine the level of destruction.

Met with Eric Billmeyer – instructor in the Department of Geography at UCCS.  Eric led us on a hike into the Blodgett Open Space burn area.  We were looking specifically at the effects of fire on soil.  NEW Learning - Soil, after a wild fire, becomes somewhat water resistant also called Hydrophobic – one thought is that the organic matter in the soil burns leaving a hydrocarbon layer that fills in the pore spaces and repels water, leading to massive runoff in burn areas.  We did some soil tests on the soil in this burn area – tested hydrophobicity of the soil, soil consistency and texture.

-Traveled to Glen Eyrie – looked at the flood mitigation above the castle – two massive catch nets designed to trap debris carried by water flooding out of the canyon.  These catch nets are massive in structure but still are not enough for what they are expecting from the floods in the Colorado Springs area.  Staff at Glen Eyrie was also quick to point out the reinforcement to the lower foundation of the castle – there is an interlocking brick lining along the castle – staff expect the grass and soil to be torn up but hope to hold the foundation of the castle in tact – as one staffer said – “we can do grass” – just thought that was a funny statement – implying that they can easily replace the torn up grass – not quite as easy to replace a castle’s foundation.

Rich Homann with the CSFS met with us that evening – introduced us to COWRAP – a risk management system put out by CSFS – a huge resource for people across the state - coloradowildfirerisk.com/ - New Learning - Rich also mentioned the ICS – Instant Command System – I am still wrapping my brains around this but certainly makes sense that there is a system in place to bring in needed help as fires intensify and threaten life – jurisdiction chief remains in charge but force is brought in to help manage.  It is a national system that enforces the chain of command and command will consist of Federal, State, and Local.  I still need some clarification of this but it sounds like a system that works quite well.

Wednesday

Tree Ring Paper Plate activity – could be used in class setting to introduce tree rings, adaptations and survival.

Rob Jolly – director of the Nature Place – led us on a nature hike and discussion.  Lead to a barrel cactus patch – discussed the fragility of nature but it’s resilience, as well.  Rob mentioned that change happens from the fringes – Barrel cactus in the inner cluster are comfortable and in status quo but mutation and change most likely will happen or occur within the out-lying cactus – challenged us to think about where new thinking and change happens - often happens outside the accepted norm.  Shared an activity – took butcher paper and shook junipers and collected bugs – demonstrating that microenvironments occur all around us.  Pointed out Lichen and talked about Symbiotic relationships – where do we see these w/i us as humans?

Started looking at the FireWorks and FireBoxes that are available – worked on a match-stick activity – excellent demonstration for fire mitigation.

After dinner we watched the movie – The Green Fire – a biographical sketch of Aldo Leopold – an environmental force and author.  I need to read more about this pioneer and environmentalist.

Thursday – Field Day

Drove to Lake George and met with Mike Hessler – District Fire Management Officer – seems to have a different jurisdiction, more on a regional level.  Took us to a prescribed Burn area in the Pike National Forest not far from Eleven Mile Reservoir.  Initial reactions were – opened up area, cleaned up ladder fuels, particularly lower hanging branches, burned off built up debris under trees.  In preparation for the prescribed burn, workers cleared dead needles away from tree base.   Fire happens in forested area, removing extra fuels can prevent a fire from burning so hot that it destroys the forest is one theory of forest management.  A tree infected with “mistletoe” – a parasitic plant that infects trees – tree branches and clusters around the parasite and eventually the tree will die.  We traveled into the Springer Fire area and worked on a wildfire scavenger hunt – fascinating challenge when one slows down and looks for forest damage, adaptations, and recovery.

Met with Fire Chief and Captain “Cricket”

I am still fascinated with ICS and still question who is in charge but it appears that Jurisdiction Chief is in command – I asked about neighboring fire crews helping on fire lines – who direction do they follow?  The chief assured me it is his and made the statement– “it is good to be the King”.

Fire Line – talked about the use of proper equipment – starting with natural fiber clothing.  Looked at Pulaski axe, McLoed tool, fire rakes and shovels.  I got to run a type of fire rake with large agriculture teeth.  This experience allowed me a small peak at what it is like to scrape the earth … the exhaustion of monotonous work – the hope that it will slow down the destruction, constantly looking over your shoulder waiting for the wind to shift and redirect the all-consuming force, full-well knowing you could lose your life trying to save someone’s house or tool shed or life.

Ate lunch at Hayman burn area – massive destruction – 11 years later and the recovery is very slow – the aspens – a pioneer species in the forest – are few are far between and only around 5-6 feet tall.  We met with Tonya Sharp – with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife.  She talked about the effects that wildfire has on wildlife. 

Friday

Started looking at ways to use all the information.  Began collaboration with another science teacher in my district – we are planning to build a series of lesson around adaptions and how some local species are better suited to survive “typical” forest fires. 

We received several resources and activity guides to begin putting together a rigorous unit on Adaptations and Survival.

Put together a presentation on how we are planning to use this information and presented it to the whole group.