COLORADO SPRINGS — Tree and debris removal remains a pressing and major project in Colorado Springs. It is clean-up from the massive mid-December windstorm. A one-day disaster, with clean-up that just passed the one month mark.
"We're still responding to high hazard, high priority tree removals. We haven't really started picking up a lot of slash yet, that'll come later," said Colorado Springs City Forester, Dennis Will.
There are still tasks requiring urgent attention. "Trees leaning up against other trees, or leaning against a house, or hangers--they are broken branches up in the crowns,” said Will, “Those are still our highest priority because they can still come down."
The day after the storm, Will estimated two months of recovery work ahead. The timeline is holding true. "About 300 tasks so far to clear this stuff up. We've still got about 200 more tasks to go," said Will. Several weeks of chipping and grinding of material will happen after debris is collected and piled.
The effort also includes collaboration with the city's Landscape Architect to give new purpose to as much of the material as possible. "We have a couple of ideas we want to try and implement," said Senior Landscape Architect, David Deitemeyer
Picture logs in a new bike skills course. They can also line trails. "Utilizing some of the logs…as part of the bridge decking for some of the smaller bridges in the open spaces," said Deitemeyer. The idea is turning reusable hardwood logs into planks.
