Around 50 volunteers from the Cemex Lyons cement plant in Colorado planted roughly 600 trees at the Cal-Wood Education Center on Sept. 10 as restoration and mitigation efforts continue in the wake of the 2020 fire that ravaged the area, reported local media.
The Colorado blue spruces, ponderosa pines, chokecherries and more will play a role in strengthening the portion of Cal-Wood’s property that was impacted by the fire.
“We want to restore the forest so that it’s more manageable and so that, in 100 years, a single fire won’t kill every tree,” said Raphael Salgado, Cal-Wood Education Center executive director.
Cemex has been supporting Cal-Wood’s recovery efforts since 2021. The recent planting event marks the largest one held at the facility so far. In addition to tree planting events, Cemex donates coyote willows that grow at the Lyons plant to the education center. The willows help control erosion, which was Cal-Wood’s primary goal in the immediate aftermath of the fire.
Erik Estrada, Cemex Lyons’ plant manager, said Cemex will continue to support Cal-Wood in the years going forward.
“We believe that this kind of project, this kind of volunteer participation, is important because this is our house, and this is our home,” Estrada said. “This is why we are sitting right here at the entrance of the Rockies. We’re going to take advantage of that.”
The Cal-Wood Education Center provides mountain-based environmental education programs and retreats for youths and adults.
