Friends of Shimek held a very successful workday.
FOS held their first Workday of 2023 on 5/16. Pictured is part of the crew of 12 FOS Volunteers and 4 DNR crew - Lala O'Hara, Dan and Martha Andrews, Bob and Marsha Achenbach, Sonny and Tammy Gipe, Jo Watson, Ann Bennett, Nancy Graves, Neal Hartman, Teresa Murray, Heath Fraise, Eric Martin, Ben Hassman, Patrick Thomas, and John Byrd worked on trails, hitching rail rocking, campground cleanup, and can sorting for recycling.
FOS Volunteers cleaned all the firepits at the Lick Creek campgrounds on the work day. Here volunteers Dan and Martha are shown shoveling the ashes and trash left into the bucket of the skidsteer. Campers-PLEASE Do NOT put cans and bottles into the firepit. We have recyling bins at both campgrounds for cans and bottles. There are also garbage bins at each campground to place garbage such as diapers and twine in. Only put in the firepits what will burn without creating a lot of smelly smoke and leaving plastic or wire etc behind! The firepits are now clean and ready for the holiday.
This hard working crew sorted and bagged several months of accumulated cans and bottles from the campgrounds. This helps keep the grounds clean and provides a little money for FOS by returning all that are eligible for the Iowa refund which means Iowa refundable bottles and cans that are not squashed and then taking all others to state recycling centers. Please help out by placing empty cans and bottles in the wire bins for that purpose that the DNR Crew places in the campgrounds. Shown are Marsha and Jo (seated) and Nancy and Ann (standing). Thanks very much for that mountain of sorting and thanks to Ann for transporting a horse trailer full of cans to the refund center.
DNR Technician Patrick Thomas unloads the lie chips at the hitching posts while others work leveling the lime chips.
Most every FOS Workday includes clearing brush and fallen trees back from the trails. The DNR Crew regularly remove all downed trees that are blocking passage on the trails but this time of year with windy weather and fast growth, there is always more trail cleanup needed. Both Volunteers and DNR Crew took ATV's, chainsaws and loppers out to clear back trees and brush. Shown here are DNR crew Eric and Heath removing a tree from the trail and FOS Volunteer Neal trimming back some trail side briars and brush. Several other crews were out on the trails as well.
The morning's work was rewarded by sweet treats provided
by the Gipe's and baked at Sprinkles on 5th.
The campground and trails are now ready for the upcoming holiday---Thank you everyone for you very hard work!
Camping, hiking, and riding season is here. It's time to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather and see friends along the trails.
As you ride or hike along, be courteous to each other as you meet on the trail or in the campground. If you come across something that needs to be addressed (a downed tree, a crossing that needs attention, troublesome briers hanging over the trail, etc.) by the DNR crew, please make contact with the forester's office.
We have been blessed with a beautiful forest to enjoy. Let's keep it that way!
Smile because it looks good on you!
May your troubles be less, your blessings more, and may nothing but happiness come through your door. (BG)
Have a wonderful summer!
Kathy
President/Editor
John Byrd Forester -
John Byrd, Area Forester, Shimek State Forest, 33653 Route J56,
Farmington, IA 52626 John.Byrd@dnr.iowa.gov 319-878-3811 (office)
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