On Wednesday, April 24, FOSM volunteers will work on two tasks in Cienega Canyon Picnic Area -- moving branches to be chipped later and hauling donation firewood. The Cienega Nature Trail is one of the two trails adopted by FOSM; therefore, this is a priority project to improve the appearance of our adopted trail.
1. Moving Branches and Wood from Paved Path -- Recently a large fallen Rocky Mountain juniper on a paved path was limbed and bucked in the central part of the picnic area. The branches will be moved to the PA road to be chipped later. The piles will be placed near the second restroom on the left as you go up the road. The bucked trunk will be moved in wheelbarrows to the road, loaded on pickups, and hauled to the SRD hazmat building to be donated to needy families later.
2. Moving Wood and Debris to Nature Trail Parking Lot -- Debris on the Nature Trail will be removed. At least one fallen tree adjacent to the nature trail will be limbed and bucked, and the slash will be moved to the parking lot to chipped later. The wood will be hauled to the hazmat building. In general, the tree trunks and debris adjacent to the trail will be moved to the parking lot. The longer trunks will be bucked with chain saws. A few may be bucked with crosscut saws for practice. Dead hazard trees along the trail will be felled.
Meet at 8:30 am at the FOSM Guard Station behind the Sandia Ranger Station. With seasonal fire fighters now reporting for duty, Kerry Wood has asked that volunteers leave their vehicles in the main parking lot in front of the Ranger Station. This opens up parking for the seasonals, who are at work all week and often training on the roads behind the Ranger Station. This is a courtesy to them and provides safety for the seasonals and volunteers.
Dress warmly and bring work gloves, lunch, snacks, drinks, hard hats and eye and ear protection. Wear long pants, long-sleeve shirts, and sturdy boots with slip-resistant soles. Sawyers must wear chaps and 8-inch high leather boots. Anyone working near the sawyers must also wear protective chaps.
To help us with planning, send me an email (not a reply to this one) at samgbeard@msn.com, if you plan to work on this project.
Sam Beard, Projects Chair
Friends of the Sandia Mountains