Detailed Opportunities to Help Ridge Forestry

Details of Opportunities to Help

• ​Taking Photos

  •  Take pictures at volunteer events.

  •  Take before/after pictures of fire mitigation activities.

  •  Take pictures of dead or diseased trees. 

• Creating Posters

  • Posters are needed so folks can see upcoming Forestry    Mitigation events while driving into the Ridge.

  • We have A-Frame sandwich boards that are placed near Ridge entry points. 

  • Posters can be made new or can be modified from earlier versions

  • Posters need to be easy to read from passing cars and     protected from weather.

  • Need folks to place the A-Frames beforehand and remove after the events.

• Supporting Volunteer Days

  • We typically have 1 or 2 Volunteer Days each year where Sawyers remove trees and limb up branches and our other Volunteers stack this fuel by the side of the road for subsequent pickup.

  • Setup tables for snacks, drinks, Forestry wildfire information and volunteer opportunity information and forms.

  • Provide snacks and drinks for folks who volunteer to conduct fire mitigation of our Open Spaces.

  • Provide ice and coolers for folks who volunteer to conduct fire mitigation of our Open Spaces.

  • Provide assistance at the snacks and drinks tables.

  • Help folks complete attendance forms at events so we can thank and reach out to those folks.

  • Collect volunteer attendance forms and provide to Volunteer Coordinator at end of event.

  • Remove table and its supplies and clean area when event has completed.

• Supporting Christmas Tree Cutting Days

  • We typically have a couple of days in December when Ridge HOA residents can cut down their own trees from designated areas within Ridge HOA Open Spaces.

  • Generate info to publicize the dates/times of the events that will be sent out by our Ridge HOA management company, KC and Associates.

  • Set up a table with Forestry wildfire information and volunteer opportunities.

  • Help folks complete attendance forms at events so we can thank and reach out to those folks.

  • Remove table and its supplies when event has completed.

• Developing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for Contractors

  • Looking for folks with experience in, or an interest in, requesting bids from companies to perform various tasks needed to support Forestry items. Some examples requiring RFPs follow: 

  • We hire companies to perform efforts of reducing vertical surface fuels by chopping/chunking/grinding (aka masticating) trees and shrubs from open space areas.

  • We hire companies to perform efforts related to removing slash from roads along open space areas and homeowners’ property.

  • We hire companies to perform tasks to keep our forests healthy by treating and spacing trees to prevent tree death from infestations like pine beetles. This approach also helps prevent infestations from spreading and causing death to the other trees in our area.

  • We are required to get a minimum of 3 quotes prior to selecting a company.

• Preparing for Forestry Contractor Efforts

  • Appropriately mark all trees for removal and all areas for mastication with ribbons.

  • Monitor contractor performance to ensure all marked trees are cut down and all marked areas are fully masticated.

  • Communicate with contractor to validate efforts are complete or to identify where work still needs to be completed.

  • Before/after photographs of marked trees and areas are needed.

• Meeting Neighbors 

  • Make people aware of Open Space Forestry activities that are planned to occur adjacent to their property.

  • Provide printed materials on Defensible Space to Ridge Home Owners’ Association (HOA) neighbors who want to know more.

  • Join with neighbors to attend volunteer events.

  • Walk the Open Space areas with others to observe and identify potential areas of concern.

  • Help develop a primary Fire Mitigation POC list for each street in the Ridge.

• Getting Trained to Perform Home Defensible Space Evaluations

  • Defensible Space is what is needed to help firefighters improve the probability of saving homes from wildfire damage

  • Training will be provided by Evergreen Fire Rescue.

  • This training will enable you to conduct evaluation of homes for Defensible Space.

  • The homeowner can then use the evaluation results to implement the necessary Defensible Space items.

  • A number of Ridge homeowners are currently on waiting list for Defensible Space Evaluations

• Reducing Open Space Wildfire Risks

  • Review material/websites we have accumulated on causes of wildfire risks.

  • Join other Volunteers for reducing the fuel for fire from our Open Spaces (This includes the gathering and stacking of diseased/distressed/dense trees and branches professionally cut by Sawyers to small sizes for pickup) 

  • Learn what actions we take to minimize potential impacts from fires in our Open Space areas.

  • Identify potential concerns in the Open Space areas.

  • Share info with neighbors.

• Understanding Your Home and Property Wildfire Risks

  • Review material/websites we have accumulated on causes of wildfire risks.

  • Become more aware of the wildfire risks we have since we live among the trees.

  • Learn how to prepare for evacuation in case of wildfire.

  • Share info with neighbors.

  • Preventing/Mitigating Wildfire Risks

  • Review material/websites we have accumulated on reducing risks.

  • Gain more knowledge on what you can do to protect your home and property.

  • Understand risk reduction steps you can take on your own.

  • Share info with neighbors.

• Creating/Maintaining a Forestry Website

  • Looking to establish a Ridge HOA Forestry website.

  • Website would at a minimum provide an overview of Ridge HOA Forestry plans, past accomplishments, upcoming Volunteer days and Ridge HOA Forestry contact info.

  • Bonus Points for including links to various sources for Wildfire protecting and mitigation techniques and for adding folks that want to be on a mailing or texting list for upcoming events and important information.

  • Double Bonus Points for adding a section that allows neighbors to submit any items of Forestry concern in the Ridge Open Space areas.

• Joining the Forestry Committee

  • The Forestry Committee plans and organizes all activities and sets multi-year goals.

  • This is a significant way to help make a difference within the Ridge HOA area.

  • Looking for folks that may have a passion for helping to reduce our wildfire risks and for creating and sustaining the healthy forests around our neighborhood.

  • Looking for folks that will enjoy taking a more active role in helping to develop, implement and manage the various activities of the Forestry Committee.

  • Forestry Committee Members help plan activities like the Volunteer days, Christmas Tree Cutting, Slash pickup and Fire Mitigation Plans.

  • Forestry Committee Members help organize activities and lead Volunteers as necessary for the various needs of the Forestry activities.

  • Forestry Committee Members participate in the Forestry Committee meetings which are typically held about once each quarter.

• Preparing Annual Firewise Reports

  • Firewise is a program to help people reduce wildfire risks in communities and to document levels of compliance to Firewise recommendations.

  • Looking for folks who can prepare a summary report for Firewise once each year.

  • The report is generated annually to summarize actions performed to reduce wildfire risk within the Ridge HOA to help maintain Firewise certification.

  • The report includes info such as how much slash was removed and how many acres of mastication were performed.

• Cutting Down Trees and Limbing Branches (Sawyers)

  • We are looking for those with expertise, or those who want to learn, in this area commonly known as Sawyers.

  • Sawyers do a fair amount of fire mitigation by removing trees and bushes from our Open Spaces periodically throughout the year. They also will limb (cut off) branches to increase the distance from the ground to the first branch. This technique reduces the probability of a ground fire spreading up to the treetops where it will then spread among all the tree canopies where Evergreen Fire Rescue can no longer fight the fire. 

  • Frequently the Sawyers need folks that can help guide the Sawyers’ efforts as spotters from a safe distance. This is a great way to understand better what is required to keep our areas safer.