San Bernardino National Forest - Forest Aid

[DennisDawg]

As many of you k now, over the past decade the San Bernardino National Forest has been repeatedly hit by fire, decimating the trees in several large areas. Without help, some of these burned areas will revert to desert as plants from that ecosystem invade. What is needed is simple, trees!

Forest Aid is an effort by The Tree People and The San Bernardino Forest Association to replant trees in the burn areas of San Bernardino National Forest. The effort runs all spring while conditions allow for it in both the Arrowhead and Big Bear areas.

Seeds from trees are collected from areas adjacent to the burn areas and grown to create seedlings that are genetic matches for the trees in the adjacent areas. This ensure they are hardy enough to survive in the area they are planted. All that is needed is folks to plant them!

All one need do is sign up and show up. The workday runs from about 9 AM (where you are transported to the planting site) to 1 PM. The work is not hard, kids can even do it and it is a lot of fun. A Reforestation Supervisor will show you how it is done and help you do the work. After you can enjoy the fun in mountains, the trails or head into town!

To sign up please go here: http://www.forestaid.net/

If you have a corporate group or club you can do it as a group! Information is on the web site above.

Hardhats are provided. You should wear hard soled shoes (you need to use your foot to make wholes), bring gloved, water, snacks, layered clothing and just be ready for fun!

[cruiserlarry]

I think we should try to set up an OAUSA Forest Aid Day...

Any thoughts about that ?

[OU812]

I did this last year. Planting usually last for about 4 hours so there is plenty of time to do a trail run when you are done planting.

[unwiredadventures]

As many of you k now, over the past decade the San Bernardino National Forest has been repeatedly hit by fire, decimating the trees in several large areas. Without help, some of these burned areas will revert to desert as plants from that ecosystem invade. What is needed is simple, trees!

I'm up there all the time. I'll check on this and bring my kids.

[DennisDawg]

It is a great way to spend that day and as was mentioned, it ends early enough so you can run a trail or enjoy some time in town after, or make a weekend of it.

Arrowhead plantings usually meet and end at the Elementary School and Big Bear plantings at Camp Whittle. They’ll send details for the one for the date or dates for which you sign up. Both then offer access to trails and then to camping opportunities.

It is a perfect thing for kids. Last year I had groups of Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and families as well as people in college and up for the day from groups and corporations and even a person well over 70! So anyone can help in some way, and it is a team effort.

I am currently scheduled as a Reforestation Supervisor, a volunteer, for April 10 and 17. I will be signing up for other dates as well and would be happy to help any of you come as individuals or as a group.

[DennisDawg]

Pictures from Forest Aid in the Arrowhead area on 04/10/2010 and a quick trip trough Holcomb Valley and out Jacoby Canyon are here: http://www.tacodawg.net/images/Trips/20 ... index.html

[OLLIE]

Dennis,

This is awesome and is exactly what we are trying to promote here at OAUSA. I would have made it but our HRO event in San Diego was a conflict. The weekend of the 17th is taugust's Bradshaw trail camping trip I have promised to take my son on. This forest event is the type of thing I want to get my son (and daughter) involved in at an early age to try and drive the point into them at an early age. The pictures with the kids involved truely mean a lot to me. Thanks for sharing this with us. I wish I could have been there to support this fantastic effort.

[DennisDawg]

The Forest Aid people are out there every Saturday and Sunday in the season (and some weekdays for groups). I am not there for every day, though last year we had one supervisor who was for weekends I think.

I can tell you that all of the supervisors are very friendly folks and we are trained to ensure people enjoy the event and become connected to the forest, as well as in how to plant the trees. People are the big thing, young or old and I even had a sight impaired person with a guide dog in my group this past weekend! I have had groups of scouts, families and all sorts of people. Some groups plant a lot of trees and some just a few, but everyone gets to do something and have fun.

So, I very much encourage you to go when you can and just sign up. Take your kids and make a fun day of it. Take them back every year or so to visit the trees they planted!

I will be there on the 17th, but in Saline Valley the weekend after that, not planting trees. After that, most weekends until they shut down.

The weather is a problem just now because the planting should be moving up to the Big Bear area but winter lasted too long. So, we’ve been replanting problem areas near Arrowhead.

[DennisDawg]

Hello Everyone!

I just got back from the mountains and Forest Aid, and my volunteer gig as a Reforestation Supervisor. We planted a lot of trees today!!! In a few years the burned area north of Arrowhead will look great again! I cannot wait to see it when it is grown up. We had many volunteers today and they planted a lot of trees.

I did not take many pictures. I was busy, more so than any time up there in the two years I have been doing this! I also had one lady, a diabetic, who sat down and could not get going again, shakes, cold sweat, delirious and all and well at the back end of the planting area down a hill. She had me worried but as luck would have it, I had glucose tablets in my First Aid gear that I carry in my Camelback. We use them on the trail (on foot not wheeling) sometimes when we’re fading a bit but cannot stop to eat. A couple of those, some water and then some snacks, shade and rest and she was OK to get up to the trail where I had the Forest Service come get her. She ended up just fine!

But, lesson learned, go through those first Aid kits for stuff you might need but also for items that might help someone else!

Ok, anyway, it was a big day and the few pictures I managed to take are here as always:

http://www.tacodawg.net/images/Trips/20 ... index.html