One
of our themes this year is preservation of our forests. Colorado is known for
its natural beauty, however in the past years we have taken a beating through
forest fires. One such example is the Hayman Burn of 2002. In a tragic case of
arson, the fire burned over 137,000 acres and consumed 600 residential
structures. The final firefighting cost was $40 million. The Hayman Burn also
deeply affected the ecology of the state as well. The burn severely impacted
the water source for close to 75% of the state’s population. Many researchers
also are beginning to believe that the extreme dryness brought on by the fire
has also caused extreme weather conditions, such as tornados.
UHL
will be participating in a hike-a-thon on October 13th. Students and
faculty will drive through the outskirts of the Hayman Burn and will hike up
the Lost Creek Trail. The aim of the hike is to raise money for planting trees
in the burn area. Later in the spring students can get involved with the actual
tree-planting operation coordinated by the Upper South Platte River Coalition.