“It feels good,” people say after they exercise.
“It feels good,” they say of volunteering.
“It feels good,” volunteers report after they work to keep their community clean and in good repair.
On Saturday, people across America and in Colorado can participate in the trifecta of “feel good” when National Public Lands Day organizes thousands of volunteers across America to build trails, remove trash, plant trees, paint, mulch and any other tasks that need to be done in our community parks.
“Participating in events like NPLD is integral to my mental and physical health,” says Stephen Brockmeyer, a frequent volunteer who lives in Golden. “I get positive, purposeful social outdoor energy from them. You can’t buy this. It is the fountain of youth.”
Getting outdoors is not just good for us; performing these types of tasks is a great calorie burner. For an average individual weighing 150 pounds one hour of strolling (while you pick up trash) will burn 206 calories, gardening and pulling weeds can burn off around 324 calories, painting a cabin can burn 342 calories, and chopping wood can burn off a whopping 413 calories, according to the American Cancer Society.
“Participating in National Public Lands Day promotes personal, environmental and community health,” says Robb Hampton, program director of the volunteer effort.
What began in 1994 with 700 volunteers grew to more than 120,000 volunteers last year. Hampton hopes even more will heed President Barack Obama’s call to service.
Colorado has at least 30 sites to choose from, with tasks varying from park to park. From creating fishing access and fish habitat improvements, to making room for new stands of aspens, to picking up trash, building trails, clearing away undergrowth, and cleaning flowerbeds, there is plenty to do and something for most fitness levels. The volunteering time frame is generally from 8 a.m. until about noon (some may last until 2 p.m.), and many sites are including a free lunch.
The level of difficulty and physical ability to participate also varies from park to park, but if you can garden, walk and do some light lifting, you will have plenty of activities to keep you busy and your body working.
A parent or guardian must accompany children younger than 17. Because the degree of physical effort required varies from project to project, check with the specific park project coordinator regarding children younger than age 14.
Around ColoradoBear Creek Lake Park in Lakewood will need help with lots of shoreline, fish habitat and trail improvements. “Because there is a lot of physical labor involved, volunteers should be in decent physical shape,” says regional park supervisor, Drew Sprafke.
One of the volunteer groups helping at Bear Creek Lake Park is the Environmental Bee Green Army from Goddard Middle School in Littleton. The “army” is an afterschool club that helps with school cleanup and recycling. Iona Bruce and Simone Bernsten, the 12-year-old co-presidents of the club, say the club helped to build a bridge, mend some fences, weeded and collected trash last year. They expect 30 volunteers this year. “This year, we will be working on fish habitat and any other projects where we can help our environment,” Iona says.
Reynolds Ranch in Nederland promises a moderately strenuous day, says Matt Bruce, the ranch’s volunteer coordinator. “We will be building slash piles (pieces of trees that have been cut and cleared by the forest service) and closing social trails (trails created by human activity and that should not be there) so if you can seed, rake, bend, squat, lift up to 30 pounds and walk a half-mile of trail, we need your help,” Bruce says.
Paula McKey of Boulder will return to volunteer at Reynolds Ranch this year. “People should be aware of how good it feels to be outside getting your exercise instead of inside lifting weights,” she says. “Mentally and physically, it is very healthy to give back to the community while at the same time physically and socially working together with others.”
The Greenway Foundation’s South Platte River Sweep, in partnership with the volunteer office of Denver Parks and Recreation, will clean up 11 miles along the South Platte from as far north at 58th Avenue to as far south as Dartmouth Avenue (the main site is Fishback Landing Park between the Downtown Aquarium and the REI flagship store).
The foundation has room for only 400 volunteers, so those interested should pre- register online (greenwayfoundation.org). “This will be a fun, good day for engaging with the community,” says the foundation’s special events coordinator, Cindy Shoemaker. “All you need is the ability to garden, paint, or walk and pick up trash.”
Some of the tasks include thinning plants, mulching, wrapping trees, laying crusher fine (small cement pebbles) along trails, and cleaning the river of trash and other debris.
One of the volunteer groups at the River Sweep is South Platte River Environmental Education, a Greenway Foundation program that brings Denver Public School students to the South Platte River and its tributaries. Nine DPS schools will send volunteers this year. “Our projects are open to ages 5 to 95,” says Greenway Foundation executive director Jeff Shoemaker. “Come help plant, clean, repair and build.”
At North Cheyenne Canyon in Colorado Springs, the primary tasks are trash pickup and trail maintenance. “This is a city park whose funding has dried up,” says John Fuller of Friends of the Cheyenne Canyon. “Last year we carted two industrial Dumpsters full of trash away.” City transportation will drop people off throughout the canyon.
Linda J. Buch is a certified fitness trainer in Denver; linda@ljbalance.com.
Build trails, plant trees, mend fences, feel good
To find a cleanup site near you, go to the National Public Lands Day website, . Click on “Find a site” and go to Colorado. You will find 37 parks that need assistance, from restoring campsites around the Arkansas headwaters in Salida to planting trees at Barr Lake. Each has contact information, including phone numbers and e-mails.
