Foothills Conservation Advisory Committee. Annual Report

Transcription

1 2010 Foothills Conservation Advisory Committee Annual Report

2 Welcome This year has been a busy one for the Foothills Conservation Advisory Committee (FCAC). Long-term negotiation with Foothills landowners and the downturn in the economy provided opportunities to conserve some key properties. Fortunately a $1 million donor also decided FY10 was the right time to act, and so the serial levy funds were stretched a little further. The FCAC continues to discuss conservation possibilities with interested landowners and consider how management of the Foothills for enjoyment by users can be accomplished. Besides advising the open space conservation staff, FCAC also provides guidance to the Ridge to Rivers Trail Partnership and Foothills Learning Center programs. Since its creation in 2001, FCAC has negotiated or facilitated the conservation of 10,421 acres of Foothills property. The job is not yet finished negotiations continue for the payment by Idaho Department of Fish and Game of the $4 million spent to obtain Hammer Flat and take title to that property. Return of the $4 million will make possible the completion of additional (Foothills open space) negotiations, which are ongoing. Sincerely, Chas. F. McDevitt Chairman, Foothills Conservation Advisory Committee 1

3 LEGACY GIFT THREE GREAT DEALS After years of negotiations with the Terteling Family, in late December 2009 Boise City completed a deal to purchase the 1,320acre Stack Rock property for $1.32 million dollars. The public got a tremendous deal as only $320,000 came out of the serial levy fund due to the $1 million donation from Fred Alleman and family. Located about nine miles from downtown Boise, the property is west of Bogus Basin Road in a forested area with steep slopes and old logging roads. The Stack Rock property is a desirable destination for multiple recreational uses, including hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing. Recreational access is possible through connections to the adjacent Ridge to Rivers trail system in the Shafer Butte area. Both Boise City and Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IDFG) had been interested in preserving the 701-acre Hammer Flat property as wildlife habitat. In March, the opportunity presented itself, and Boise City spent $4.1 million of serial levy funds and additional money from the Laurie and Jeff Adams account of the Boise Parks and Recreation Heritage Trust Fund to purchase the property from the Johnson family. The Johnsons and Skyline Development Co. had planned to build a residential development on the site. IDFG hopes that it will be able to acquire Hammer Flat in the near future from Boise City with some wildlife habitat mitigation funds; however, in the meantime, IDFG will manage the site in a manner similar to the neighboring property in the 35,000 acre Boise River Wildlife Management Area. No trails are planned for the property. When the City first announced the purchase of 1,320 acres around Stack Rock, officials said the $1 million came from an anonymous donor. However, after a few months had passed, Fred Alleman, a simple, plainspoken, unassuming guy, agreed to let the City make his name public in hopes of inspiring others to consider similar contributions. Fred has lived in Boise since 1975 and is an avid user of the Ridge to Rivers Trail System. A few years ago, when Fred realized that he d saved enough money to do something significant, he looked for a cause that was simple, straightforward, no-frills. Fred wanted his money to do something concrete not go to overhead, bureaucrats or middlemen who take a chunk of what they raise. He contacted Judge McDevitt about his interest in the FCAC efforts, and Judge McDevitt mentioned that the Stack Rock deal was coming together. Fred liked the idea as it was a way to leave a legacy for future generations. In the meantime, it provided yet another great place for him to go hiking with his family and friends. In April, 80 acres of open space in the Polecat Gulch Reserve was purchased from Sterling Savings Bank. This $270,000 purchase brings the entire reserve to a total of 680 acres and will protect wildlife habitat, preserve rare plants, and enhance recreational opportunities and trail connectivity in Northwest Boise. Northwest Boise was one of three priority areas identified for Foothills land preservation in

4 SNAPSHOT OF TRAIL USE Two years ago, we designed a trail-user questionnaire to gain a better understanding of trail users demographics, use patterns, levels of satisfaction, likes/dislikes, and views on different management strategies. Trail users filled out surveys at the Tending Our Foothills event on October 10, 2009 at twelve trailheads for twelve hours. The intent is to collect this information from users on an annual basis and then to use the data for grant applications, tracking changes over time and to better understand the value of the Ridge to Rivers Trail System to the health of citizens and the business community. In 2010 the questionnaire was available for trail users on Saturday, May 8th. A synopsis of the information gathered is available on the Ridge to Rivers website. UPDATE ON DOGS AND FOOTHILLS TRAILS Starting in June of 2010, the Boise City Council discontinued the contract with the Idaho Humane Society for enforcement of the dog-on-leash ordinance. Since that time the City has assumed the role of animal enforcement in the Foothills and in Boise City Parks. Education of the users about on-leash requirements was the primary focus over the last two years. 3

5 FOOTHILLS LEARNING CENTER It was another wonderful year for the Foothills Learning Center (FLC). Over 9000 students were served with our lessons, and we hosted nearly 1,300 visitors at our Second Saturday events. Among other accomplishments, several new lessons were offered to enthusiastic response, we gained new volunteers, opened the Story Trail, and commissioned a new piece of sculpture for the Native Plant Garden. The FLC partnered with other educators for many events, including Bald Eagle Days; Outside Day; Idaho Master Naturalists; Green Expo; Snow School; composting workshops at Deer Flat Wildlife Refuge, local libraries, and businesses; Project Learning Tree teacher workshops; science nights at several schools; Wildflower Walks; service learning projects for local students; Junior Garden Camp; Log Cabin writing camps; Wild in the City summer camp; a native-grass restoration project; and Teachers Night Out. The Story Trail A new outdoor attraction at the FLC this year is the Story Trail. Each month a new children s book is posted on kidsized platforms around our existing nature trail. The concept originated with The StoryWalk Project, created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg Hubbard Library. FLC staff and volunteers made the Story Trail come alive here in Boise. Our Fellows For the third year, the FLC partnered with Boise State University, thanks to a GK-12 grant awarded by the National Science Foundation. Three graduate students are working with FLC staff to develop and deliver science lessons to local school children. The Fellows develop lessons and Second Saturday events related to their research, teach lessons at the Center and in schools, lead after-school science programs, lead a weekly Lunch with a Scientist Program and generally inspire children to know and love science. Eagle Scout Projects We have been the lucky recipient of two Eagle Scout Projects over the last year. Scouts have designed and built rolling cabinet storage units for our classroom and the trailside platforms for the Story Trail. The partnership with the Ore-Ida Boy Scout Council is definitely mutually beneficial. Volunteers Our volunteer program has come a long way since its inception. This year saw another increase in the number of volunteers helping with FLC programs. The Idaho Master Naturalist program has been a source of many volunteers, as has the Boise State University Volunteer Services Board, Volunteer Match, high school service groups, and other folks in the community who just want to be involved in the fun and education we offer through the Foothills Learning Center. Volunteers spent nearly 1,000 hours with us this year. Native Plant Garden The installation of all the plants is complete in our Native Plant Garden. We installed 18 interpretive signs and began work on a comprehensive garden tour brochure. We also contracted with local mosaic artist Reham Aarti, who is creating a sculpture called Cat s Face Revival to be installed in Spring

6 Partnerships WORKING TOGETHER A few years ago, leaders from land conservation organizations throughout Idaho formed a statewide network to improve communication and strengthen their professional skills to support and improve private land and water conservation in Idaho. This group, which consists of land trusts, and representatives from several local, state and federal government agencies, has named itself Idaho Coalition of Land Trusts (ICOLT). Boise City is a charter member of the group and has played an active role in developing the goals. ENSURING CONNECTIONS For the last few years, the Boise Parks & Recreation Department has been an active partner in the Boise River Wildlife Linkage Partnership (BRWLP). The BRWLP is a collaborative organization, working to provide, maintain and establish effective wildlife crossings and other mitigation enhancements throughout the Warm Springs Avenue and State Highway 21 corridor. The goal is to maintain habitat connectivity and to reduce wildlifevehicle collisions. In spring 2010, we were thrilled to learn Idaho Transportation Department was able to access federal stimulus funds for the construction of a wildlife underpass on Highway 21, the first of its kind in Idaho. The City has invested millions of dollars to protect open space, critical to many species of wildlife in the Boise Foothills. We view this underpass and the associated fencing as essential to furthering the goal of protecting wildlife movement corridors outlined in the interagency Foothills Open Space Management Plan BOISE PARKS AND RECREATION COMPREHENSIVE PLAN The Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Plan is a broad-based, citizen-driven directive that presents the vision, guiding principles, issues, opportunities, and recommendations for the Boise Parks & Recreation Department. This year, the comprehensive plan is being updated. Though the planning process is coordinated by staff members, they are working closely with a 15-member citizen steering committee whose members include representatives of the Board of Park & Recreation Commission, Boise School District, neighborhood associations, user groups and other organizations. The plan covers a broad range of issues from parks to community centers, picnic shelters, swimming pools, health & wellness initiatives, recreation programming, environmental sustainability, partnerships and funding. For the first time, the plan includes a chapter on the Foothills and Open Space. The final document is expected to be completed early in

7 VISION In 2000, the Boise Foothills Management Plan (FOSMP) was completed. The plan describes the location and importance of plants, wildlife, riparian corridors, soils, slopes, recreation and public open spaces. It outlined the need for conserving natural resource values, educating the public, and providing sustainable recreation and resource use. It was created with input from the following seven city, county, state and federal agencies with public land management roles in the Foothills project area: City of Boise Ada County Boise County Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IDFG) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) United States Forest Service (USFS) These agencies support the vision of the FOSMP to create an interconnected system of natural areas, recreation trails, and wildlife corridors that protect the integrity of public land values in the Foothills: A long-term commitment to protect open space to preserve the character and diversity of the Boise Foothills public lands. Conservation and enhancement of the ecosystems for wildlife habitat that rely so heavily on open space. Partnerships between private and public entities to take equal responsibility in maintaining open space in the Foothills as an important place for people to learn, recreate, and rejuvenate. Education of those who use the open space so that they protect the resources associated with it. Adherence to recommendations and policies contained within this plan to perpetuate the character of the Foothills. Boise Foothills Management Plan - STAFF Boise City s Foothills Program staff members are: Julia Kertz Grant, Foothills & Open Space Manager David Gordon, Ridge to Rivers Coordinator Bart Johnson, Trail Crew Foreman Will Taliaferro, Trail Maintenance Worker Rich Gardunia, Part-time Trail Ranger Jennie Rylee, Environmental Education Coordinator Carolyn Volk, Part-time Environmental Educator Kristin Lundstrom, Part-time Environmental Educator and Volunteer Coordinator All staff members are housed at the Foothills Learning Center at 3188 Sunset Peak Road in Boise (mailing address 1104 Royal Blvd. Boise, ID and phone number ) 6

8 THE FOOTHILLS CONSERVATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (FCAC) The 12-member committee was created in Members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. Their mission is to... make recommendations to the Mayor and City Council for permanent protection of natural open space in the Boise Foothills, consistent with the open space serial levy passed by the voters on May 22, Committee members are selected for their interest in public recreation and natural resource management issues, leadership and individual areas of expertise. Committee members are volunteers who meet on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 am in the Foothills Learning Center Conference Room. The public is always welcome at these meetings. The following is a complete list of committee members: Charles F. McDevitt, Chair Shirley Randolph Suki Molina, Vice-Chair Mike Reynoldson Bill Eastlake Betsy Roberts Milt Gillespie Samantha Kiley, Youth Member FY10 Anne Hausrath Sarah Schafer, Youth Member FY10 Chris Thometz David Benjamin, Youth Member FY10 HISTORICAL UPDATE On May 22, 2001, 59% of Boise voters supported a two-year serial levy (2002 and 2003) in order to raise $10 million for foothills land preservation efforts. At the onset of the preservation effort, the 80,000 acres in the Boise Foothills, from Highway 21 to Highway 55, were a scattered mixture of public and private ownerships: 38,000 acres were owned by various state and federal agencies, while the remaining 42,000 acres were in private hands. Since that time, the volunteers serving on the FCAC have been working to efficiently utilize the serial-levy funds to conserve Foothills land in a variety of manners: fee title ownership, conservation easements, trail easements or land exchanges amongst federal and state agencies. Three priority areas for conservation were identified in the 2000 Boise Foothills Open Space Plan for Public Lands. These included: Table Rock Hulls Gulch/Military Reserve Dry Creek/West Foothills 7

9 SERIAL LEVY FUNDS The chart below exhibits how the serial levy funds have been leveraged with each transaction. Of the original $10 million, about $100,000 remains for Foothills preservation efforts. The FCAC continues to talk with Foothills landowners about possible new trail connections, and protection of wildlife habitat and riparian corridors. Discussions also cover preservation of rare plants and historically significant sites, even though funds are not currently available for these purchases. There has also been some expression of interest and inquiry by the public and media of the possibility of a second serial levy. City of Boise s 2010 citizen survey included a question about support for an additional Foothills levy. 3 out of 5 (60%) of respondents support a second levy to continue Foothills conservation efforts. Property Year Acres Market Value* Serial Levy Funds Expended* ORIDA/United Water $160,000 $84,000 Blessinger $850,000 $892,000 Boyer-Satz $700,000 $353,000 Noble $3,000,000 $9,000 Castrango (trail easement) $3,000 $3,000 IDL and IDF&G (administrative land exchange) ,928 $1,375,000 $60,000 Hawkins $2,730,000 $2,516,000 Donnelly $510,000 $373,000 Dengler $720,000 $723,000 BLM, IDL & USFS (legislated land exchange) ,000 $16,500,000 $939,000 Smith $196,000 $3,000 Block $35,000 $0 Oberbillig $960,000 $20,000 Stack Rock ,320 $1,286,108 $288,153 Hammer Flat $4,240,197 $4,232,255 Cartwright $500,000 $270,784 Other properties Ongoing $134,000 Totals 10,355 $33,765,305 $10,900,192 *rounded to the nearest thousand 8

10 RIDGE TO RIVERS ACCOMPLISHMENTS The Ridge to Rivers program completed a number of significant projects in The December 2009 purchase by Boise City of the property surrounding Stack Rock added unplanned trail construction; however as the Bogus Basin to Eastside Trail project funding was lost, this made for a perfect replacement project. Some of the volunteer Trail Rangers participated in the project. Staffing of the Ridge to Rivers program was cut in 2010 due to budgetary constraints. Assistant Foreman Will Taliaferro spent half the year at Idaho Ice World, rather than working full-time with the Ridge to Rivers program. This was significant, as it left the program without additional help during two of our busiest maintenance months April and October. In the future this will revert back to a full-time Ridge to Rivers position. In total, the Ridge to Rivers Trail Crew added 6.33 miles to the system this year, and maintained over 130 miles of trail. A number of other resource management activities were also performed, such as noxious weed spraying in the Lower Hulls Gulch Reserve, and closure of numerous ATV trespass routes off of upper 8th Street Road. As an avid cyclist, I am so impressed with you all and your amazing trail system. I can t thank you enough for all you do and have done. I know nearly one hundred other cyclists who feel the same way. I ve never heard anything but good things about maintaining the trails, creating new ones, and establishing one of the best mountain biking trail systems in the country. You make Boise one of the best places in the world to live. Thank you for the Bogus trails, Watchman and Fat Tire, and your hard work on Stack Rock and all the rest. Please know that I speak for many, many other bikers who feel as I do. I constantly remind them to send kind words to you all. received Since I retired, I have been able to spend quality time using the Foothills trails. We have been living in Boise for close to fifteen years. The quality of management for the trails system has really improved, and I am pretty sure you have a lot to do with that. I know it is a real challenge to change user behaviors. But you have done a great job with signage and trail maintenance. In the last week, I have been out on the Pole Cat Loop, Table Rock, Rock Garden, and Table Rock Loop. And, frankly, aside from my frustration with mountain bikers and hikers inappropriately using trails when they are too wet, I am generally seeing users take greater responsibility for what they are doing out there. As you obviously know, if you provide a quality resource that is clearly wellmanaged, you will get better behavior from the users. So, thanks for the work you have done. It is a resource to treasure and be proud of. (I also said I would be better at providing feedback, good and bad, when I retired... so here is that feedback!) received

11 Freddy s Stack Rock Loop Trail #125 / Big Stack Cutoff #126 Completion of the 3.5-mile Freddy s Stack Rock Loop Trail was a challenging task. For four weeks, the Ridge to Rivers crew biked in three miles a day to work on the trail. While much of the route is composed of old road bed, excessive erosion required significant trail work to put the trail in a sustainable state. In addition, the loop, as it previously existed, crossed onto land owned by Hoff Timber Corporation. Staff met on-site with Brian Hoff to discuss solutions to the possible trespass scenario once trail users arrived at the property boundary. Smooth wire fence was installed at each property boundary, as well as signs provided by Brian indicating that the land behind the fence was private property. A.75-mile-long single-track link was then constructed, linking the upper and lower legs of the old road/trail and completing the loop. Staff also worked with Idaho Helicopters to fly in a large memorial rock that was set at the junction of Freddy s Stack Rock Trail and Mr. Big Trail, commemorating Fred Alleman s generous $1 million donation toward the City s purchase of the Stack Rock property. While working on this project, it was determined that an additional route linking the lower leg of Freddy s Stack Rock Trail to Mr. Big Trail #124 should be brought into the system. This is another piece of old road that has received consistent use by trail users venturing into this area over the years. This.75 mile-long link is now called the Big-Stack Cutoff #

12 Red Cliffs Trail #39 Reroute Relocation of the Red Cliffs Trail has been long overdue. The trail follows an old 4WD route, ascending the fall-line of ridges at grades in excess of 25%. Past scarring makes it easy to determine that this route has shifted as much as 25 feet over the years. Staff relocated the worst two sections of this trail, putting it on an alignment that does not exceed 8%. Construction was done with assistance from 75 volunteers on Tending Our Foothills event in May. In addition, much effort was put in to narrowing up trail sections that were on grade, but in excess of 10 feet wide in many locations. Abandoned sections of trail were fenced, ripped, covered with erosion cloth and re-seeded. Feedback from trail users has been overwhelmingly positive for this project. Morningstar Trail #96 The Morningstar Trail provides a critical, single-track link from Pioneer Lodge down to the Simplot Lodge at Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area. Prior to construction of this trail, users had to use service roads to complete a loop around the mountain. These are steep and frequented by vehicles working on the mountain. The Morningstar Trail now provides a safe, fun, single-track experience to complete these loops. Construction of this trail was done by Ridge to Rivers staff, in conjunction with a sixtyperson volunteer project on September 11th. While the Morningstar route is now complete, staff plans to add technical features such as skinny log rides, banked turns, and small rock drops next summer. Features such as these are built with increasing frequency into mountain bike trails around the country, and are desired by the Treasure Valley cycling community. We have limited opportunity to provide these types of features, but hope to do so where possible. 11

13 Trail Ranger Program Ridge to Rivers had an excellent staff of nine volunteer Trail Rangers in They were: Karen Dreher, Keith Hickerson, Seth Eidemiller, Bryan Zibbell, Tony Plott, John Trojacek, Mark Hodges, Pete Ritter and Cami Hoepke. These volunteers patrolled the trails regularly, providing education and information to trail users. The rangers followed up these patrols with reports detailing their observations. A very successful Kudo program was instituted in Rather than always focusing on people who are doing the wrong things, the Kudo program rewarded users who were doing the right things displaying good trail etiquette such as proper yielding, hiking single file, having good control over their dogs, etc. Ten local retailers (Zamzows, George s Cycles, Idaho Mountain Touring, World Cycle, REI, Dawson Taylor, Big City Coffee, Flying M Coffee, Shu s Running and Bandanna Running) donated thirty coupons apiece to the program. Trail Rangers handed these coupons out over the course of the summer. It provided for very positive interactions while promoting proper trail etiquette. It would be great to repeat the program in 2011, but it will ultimately be up to the retailers. First thank you for the Watchman trail. It has become our new favorite on the Boise Front. I have come to appreciate the new way of making trails, which is to say, traversing in and out and around, instead of the old UP and DOWN option of the older trails. (Pole Cat is another wonderful example.) We ride from our house on Bogus Basin Road, into Hulls Gulch, up over Crestline, down to Military Reserve, up Shanes to Rocky Canyon hardly any pavement and mostly single track for three or four glorious hours touring the Foothills. In the past, Hard Guy has been the option for the Sunday morning long ride, and Watchman is way more fun and not nearly the grunt! (I have almost made it all the way down Three Bears before I walk, which was a personal accomplishment for me, akin to some kind of Olympic medal. Let s hear it for accomplishments!) So thank you for the new trail/s. Secondly thanks for the trails at Bogus. We ve done Eastside before, and today we did Sinker Creek and Mr. Big more glorious riding in the Foothills. We had ridden to Stack Rock several weeks ago, and I love the rock inscription: Hello, future generations. Much gratitude to Mr. Alleman and to you all for making and maintaining the trail, and for perusing maps with a vision, going, Well, hmmm. Wonder if we... received In addition, we held five Trail Awareness Days over the course of the spring and fall. These were staffed by Trail Rangers as well as members of the Foothills Advocates for Shared Trails (FAST) and held at popular trailheads with the goal of promoting proper trail etiquette. Items generously donated by Clif Bar were handed out, along with brochures on trail etiquette. Lastly, a very successful Trail Awareness Run was held July 31st on the trails at Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area. The run was very well attended, and with the help of the Boise Y Striders, even looked quite professional. 12

14 Technical Features on Trails A growing trend among trail users across the nation is the desire for more technical features for mountain bikes on trails. These include things such as log rides, treated lumber skinnies, table tops, rock drops, banked rhythm turns and small gap jumps. Ridge to Rivers staff met with trail managers in Bend, Oregon, and Lake Tahoe, California, in September to tour technical trails in both locations and discuss management strategies for providing such features. While the terrain through which most Ridge to Rivers trails pass is not well-suited to providing natural technical features, there may be opportunities to identify locations where this element can be included into future trail designs. The Morningstar Trail mentioned previously is an example of that, as well as the proposed Around the Mountain Trail. Increase in Vandalism A disturbing trend encountered in 2010 was the increase in vandalism along Ridge to Rivers trails and at trailheads. Graffiti such as that depicted below has become a common sight on Ridge to Rivers signs, kiosks, and in one very large instance, on the Miller Gulch Restroom. Crews also repaired a metal gate that was destroyed at the start of the Homestead Trail on the Wildlife Management Area, in July. Documenting each occurrence of vandalism is now a standard practice for the crew. 13

15 8th Street Trespass Closures During September, twelve unauthorized motorized routes that deviated off upper 8th Street Road were closed and rehabilitated by Ridge to Rivers crews. The routes were created by ATV and motorcycle riders, many on routes that had been closed previously many years ago. The routes were ripped, fenced, signed, Kellyhumped and re-seeded. Fencing materials were provided by both the Forest Service and the BLM, as the trespass routes occurred on both of their jurisdictions. Emergency Assistance In June, the Ridge to Rivers program transferred a Kawasaki ATV it was replacing to the Boise Fire Department, to be used in foothills-related rescues. The ATV was used numerous times and helped facilitate faster response to individuals needing medical assistance in the Foothills. New Website The Ridge to Rivers website was completely redone in The City of Boise now owns all the rights to the website, allowing changes and updates to be made more easily. The new website contains a number of features not available on our old site, some of which include: An interactive map of the trail system, providing users with far more useful and detailed information than they previously were able to access. A video overview of the Foothills and the Ridge to Rivers trail system, produced by Mike Lanza. A daily Trail Condition Report and Trail User Blog allows users to check whether they should be on the trails or not during the winter months, as well as providing items of interest during the warmer months of the year. Greatly expanded information related to trail etiquette. 14

16 Photos by Aaron Beck Boise Parks and Recreation Department Mailing Address: 1104 Royal Boulevard Boise, Idaho Street Address: 3188 Sunset Peak Road Boise, Idaho