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Trustees back Leave No Trace partnership with Ute Pass Elementary
Summary
The town approved a conceptual partnership with Ute Pass Elementary and PPRTA to pursue Leave No Trace site designation and student-led trail stewardship; the school will seek grants for materials and expects no immediate town funding request.
The Board of Trustees approved a conceptual partnership with Ute Pass Elementary School and the Pikes Peak Regional trail partners to pursue Leave No Trace education and a potential gold-standard site designation.
Miles Groth, an 11-year teacher at Ute Pass Elementary, told trustees his class had become "the only public school in the country to receive Leave No Trace youth program certification" and described recent student service days that removed hundreds of pounds of trash and improved trails. Groth said the early steps are an assessment and coordinated signage and that he did not seek direct town funding at the time of approval.
Trustees moved to form a partnership that would be managed through regional trail partners (PRT) and that would rely on coordination among the school, Friends of Green Mountain Falls Trails and town land managers. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote.
Groth said some materials such as bear-proof trash cans could require capital work (concrete pads) and that he expects to pursue grants for equipment if the town agrees in concept to partner. The trustees asked staff to consider a memorandum of understanding to identify responsibilities if the partnership advances.
