The City of Wheat Ridge has been awarded a grant from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) in partnership with the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) to mitigate and remove fire fuels and invasive species in the Wheat Ridge Greenbelt. The $61,650 grant funds work by Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) to be conducted over a six-week period in 2023, building on similar work completed by the Corps in 2022. Following the city’s Wildfire Management Plan, Corps members will work with Wheat Ridge Forestry and Open Space team members to mitigate fire fuels throughout the Greenbelt and along the trail network that traverses the east/west length of Wheat Ridge along Clear Creek. Under the supervision of the Wheat Ridge team, Corps members will cut, chip, and remove overgrown species such as Buckthorn, Russian Olive, and dead and downed woody debris.
“The goal of the project is to reduce fuel for forest fires but also acts as invasive species control. The work focuses on cutting a fire break of a predetermined width along either side of the Clear Creek Trail, which passes through the Greenbelt, making the area a lot safer, while improving its appearance,” said Brandon Altenburg, grant and special project administrator.
Expected outputs of this project include maintenance, treatment, and mitigation work along nine miles of Clear Creek, six miles of the Clear Creek Trail, and 300 acres of forested Open Space. CYCA announced that 250 Colorado young people will get jobs this summer working on critical outdoor recreation and land conservation projects in Wheat Ridge and other areas throughout the state.
About the City of Wheat Ridge
The City of Wheat Ridge offers a mix of retail/commercial businesses and unique residential neighborhoods with easy access to the Denver metropolitan area. The community of nine square miles is located immediately west of Denver with a population of 33,000 residents. This home rule city was incorporated in 1969, however, its rich heritage extends back to the 1800s.
Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO)
GOCO invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces. GOCO’s independent board awards competitive grants to local governments and land trusts and makes investments through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Created when voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1992, GOCO has since funded more than 5,600 projects in all 64 counties of Colorado without any tax dollar support. Visit GOCO for more information.
About the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA)
CYCA changes lives and landscapes by creating opportunities for youth, young adults, and veterans to serve their community on public lands. Our mission is to serve on behalf of Colorado conservation corps that transform lives and communities through service, personal development, and education statewide.