August 1, 2019 | A Kaibab National Forest employee was recently recognized for his efforts to bring together diverse stakeholders from across the state to support cooperative investments in technology and to promote data-sharing partnerships.

Mark Christiano, who serves as the forest's geographic information systems coordinator, was the recipient of the Regional Forester's Innovation in Technology Award for the Southwestern Region of the Forest Service.

July 26, 2019 | FLAGSTAFF — At night, when winds are calm, the smoke subsides, revealing a mosaic of orange flames that glows like stars — a galaxy of destruction cradled by the dark mountains sitting below the twinkling night sky.

Mayor Coral Evans saw a similar sight when she was a child... She knows what kind of devastation these fires can cause, long after the flames are out.

Thanks to the quick response from firefighters and some rain, the Museum Fire is nowhere near as intense as the Radio Fire, the 2010 Schultz Fire and some others in recent memory, and the community is grateful for their work.

July 26, 2019 | Southwest Conservation Corps and Mountain Studies Institute have partnered on a project to help landowners mitigate weed growth that came as a result of the 416 Fire.

A work crew from Southwest Conservation Corps sprayed herbicide Monday on invasive plants that sprouted in full force after last year’s 416 Fire burned 54,000 acres north of Durango. More than 100 private lots were sprayed with herbicide, including homes by Trimble Hot Springs and the Falls Creek subdivision.

SCC and MSI hope to control the spread of invasive plants that took root as a result of last summer’s fire, and SCC hopes to position itself as a local resource to help with future initiatives of this kind.

July 24, 2019 | The U.S. Forest Service has embarked on a bit of a science experiment this summer, to see if trees, willows and other vegetation are able to take root on a waste pile near the Brooklyn Mine, located on a mountainside northwest of Silverton, said Gretchen Fitzgerald, a forester with the agency.

“Not much has been done with this waste rock,” Fitzgerald said. “But I wanted to try this.”

If successful, the project could have beneficial effects on water quality and set a precedent for the future restoration of toxic areas.

July 12, 2019 | CREEDE— According to a press release provided by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission, the organization recently approved $4.547 million to fund work on several OHV trails in the state, including one close to Creede— Upper Pole Creek.

July 9, 2019 | Crews from Southwest Conservation Corps will be working on the maintenance and construction of trails on the Alamosa City Ranch. The crews will be here July 8-12 and July 22-26. They will be camping on city property at the North River Pavilion, just north of the Alamosa Disc Golf Course, during these times. The crews are paid through a grant from Great Outdoors Colorado and funded by the Colorado Lottery.

July 4, 2019 | Mountain Studies Institute and Southwest Conservation Corps have received funding from the Colorado Water Conservation Board to assist landowners with control of invasive weed infestation as a result of impacts from the 416 Fire.

July 4, 2019 | San Juan Trail Riders works to dispel stereotypes, educate and advocate for trail use.

Most recently, with the help of other groups such as Trails 2000 and Southwest Conservation Corps, San Juan Trail Riders helped clear downed trees from trails in the 416 Fire burn area. The group cleared more than 400 trees on the Jones Creek Trail alone, in addition to dozens more on the Hermosa, Dutch and Pinkerton/Flagstaff trails.

July 1, 2019 | Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) has generously awarded $60,000 to Colorado Youth Corps Association for a variety of projects across the state! CWCB has selected the following corps projects, which will be completed by three conservation corps between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. One of the selected projects is Southwest Conservation Corps' 416 Fire Local Restoration Project. SCC will partner with Mountain Studies Institute (MSI) to treat weed infestations resulting from the 416 Fire of 2018 on private lands bordering the San Juan National Forest.

June 25, 2019 | Community Stewards Ambassador Morgan Brandenburg is featured on Fox4 Beaumont in preparation for her family fishing event on June 29th at Big Thicket National Preserve. At her event, Brandenburg will teach kids skills in line casting, knot tying, sport safety, fish identification, and size regulations before putting their lines in the water.