FRISCO, Colo. (AP) - The U.S. Forest Service is demolishing an old building in the Eagles Nest Wilderness to preserve the outdoor experience for visitors, using inmates to haul the debris to protect the forest.
The building was an eyesore left over from mining in the 1950s, and it drew people off trails who vandalized it, Dillon Ranger District recreation officials said.
“It’s hard to convey to people why it’s important,” said Ken Waugh, Dillon Ranger District recreation staff officer.
Protected wilderness areas are supposed to be places where no signs of civilization can be found. The building - the only one in the Eagles Nest Wilderness - took away from that experience, Waugh said.
White River National Forest employees considered using dynamite, heavy machinery, ATVs, pack mules, wheelbarrows and volunteer labor to remove the structure. But the Rock Creek Trail is closed to vehicles, and the foresters wanted to follow the rules they enforce with the public.
Officials decided the least impact would be to contract with a crew of inmates who would demolish the structure with hand tools and carry out cinderblocks, chunks of flooring and roofing.
The work is voluntary. Erik Wayland, trail and timber crew boss with Colorado Correctional Industries, said he is flooded every year with applications from inmates who want to work, the Summit Daily reported (https://tinyurl.com/pc4ku5y ).
The inmates are paid $1.60 a day for regular labor and an extra $6 a day if their work involves overnight stays.
The crew will camp at Rock Creek and work for another couple weeks, returning to the prison in Buena Vista on the weekends, Wayland said.
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Information from: Summit Daily News, https://www.summitdaily.com/
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