Title: Wet Meadows Restoration with WRV

Short Description: Come restore wet meadows and riparian areas in collaboration with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers near Craig. Camping is optional!

Difficulty: Hard (lifting stones, using tools, working alongside steep embankments)

Project Details: Join us with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers to help restore wet meadows and riparian areas! These ecosystems are vital for carbon storage and wildlife habitat, including Greater-Sage grouse, migratory birds, elk, and mule deer. A number of wet meadows and riparian areas, already compromised by erosion and lower water tables, are likely to be further altered from drought and high intensity rainstorms associated with a changing climate. To address these challenges, we will use innovative, yet simple, restoration methods called one-rock dams to raise the water table and re-establish wetland meadows and riparian areas in sagebrush habitat.

Volunteers may also camp before and after the project on Wednesday and Sunday evenings.

This project is being run by Wildlands Restoration Volunteers. Please follow the link to their website to sign-up for the event.

Title: Wet Meadows Restoration with WRV

Short Description: Come restore wet meadows and riparian areas in collaboration with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers near Craig. Camping is optional!

Difficulty: Hard (lifting stones, using tools, working alongside steep embankments)

Project Details: Join us with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers to help restore wet meadows and riparian areas! These ecosystems are vital for carbon storage and wildlife habitat, including Greater-Sage grouse, migratory birds, elk, and mule deer. A number of wet meadows and riparian areas, already compromised by erosion and lower water tables, are likely to be further altered from drought and high intensity rainstorms associated with a changing climate. To address these challenges, we will use innovative, yet simple, restoration methods called one-rock dams to raise the water table and re-establish wetland meadows and riparian areas in sagebrush habitat.

Volunteers may also camp before and after the project on Wednesday and Sunday evenings.

This project is being run by Wildlands Restoration Volunteers. Please follow the link to their website to sign-up for the event.

Title: Wet Meadows Restoration with WRV

Short Description: Come restore wet meadows and riparian areas in collaboration with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers near Craig. Camping is optional!

Difficulty: Hard (lifting stones, using tools, working alongside steep embankments)

Project Details: Join us with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers to help restore wet meadows and riparian areas! These ecosystems are vital for carbon storage and wildlife habitat, including Greater-Sage grouse, migratory birds, elk, and mule deer. A number of wet meadows and riparian areas, already compromised by erosion and lower water tables, are likely to be further altered from drought and high intensity rainstorms associated with a changing climate. To address these challenges, we will use innovative, yet simple, restoration methods called one-rock dams to raise the water table and re-establish wetland meadows and riparian areas in sagebrush habitat.

Volunteers may also camp before and after the project on Wednesday and Sunday evenings.

This project is being run by Wildlands Restoration Volunteers. Please follow the link to their website to sign-up for the event.

Title: Wet Meadows Restoration with WRV

Short Description: Come restore wet meadows and riparian areas in collaboration with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers near Craig. Camping is optional!

Difficulty: Hard (lifting stones, using tools, working alongside steep embankments)

Project Details: Join us with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers to help restore wet meadows and riparian areas! These ecosystems are vital for carbon storage and wildlife habitat, including Greater-Sage grouse, migratory birds, elk, and mule deer. A number of wet meadows and riparian areas, already compromised by erosion and lower water tables, are likely to be further altered from drought and high intensity rainstorms associated with a changing climate. To address these challenges, we will use innovative, yet simple, restoration methods called Zeedyk structures to raise the water table and re-establish wetland meadows and riparian areas in sagebrush habitat.

Volunteers may also camp before and after the project on Wednesday and Sunday evenings.

This project is being run by Wildlands Restoration Volunteers. Please follow the link to their website to sign-up for the event.

Title: Come help restore wetlands at Jensen State Wildlife Area!

Short description: Join us, alongside Colorado Parks and Wildlife, to construct human-made beaver dams that will help restore wetlands.

Difficulty: Medium (trimming branches, pounding posts, shoveling mud)

Project details: There was once an abundance of beavers and beaver dams on James Creek in Jensen State Wildlife Area. Now there are none, the consequences being fewer wetlands and increased water runoff. To amend this, we will be working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to construct beaver dam analogs (BDAs), or human-made structures that mimic the work of beavers. They are made by pounding posts into the streambed, then weaving trimmed branches in between to create a “dam”. The resulting water build-up creates wetland areas, which are vital to wildlife and will allow for the eventual reintroduction of beavers. Wetlands also sequester and store more carbon than forests, making them an essential tool in the fight against climate change.

Please contact ryan@yvsc.org with any questions.

Title: Come Restore Wet Meadows and Riparian Areas in California Park!

Short Description: Join us, alongside the US Forest Service, to construct rock structures in stream beds to improve water-flow and restore wet meadows, which are vital to wildlife habitat and carbon sequestration.

Difficulty: Medium (lifting and carrying rocks, using tools, working alongside streambanks)

Project Details: Come help restore wet meadows and riparian areas in beautiful California Park! These ecosystems are vital for carbon storage and wildlife habitat, including sandhill crane, boreal toads, and Greater sage-grouse. However, erosion has disconnected these wet meadows and riparian areas from the floodplain, resulting in decreased water retention and loss of vegetation. They are at further risk of deterioration in coming years from drought and intense rainstorms. By using innovative restoration techniques called Zeedyk structures, we will raise the water table, decrease erosion, and re-establish wet meadows and riparian areas in California Park.

Camping is encouraged if you plan to attend multiple days!

Please contact ryan@yvsc.org with any questions.

Title: Come Restore Wet Meadows and Riparian Areas in California Park!

Short Description: Join us, alongside the US Forest Service, to construct rock structures in stream beds to improve water-flow and restore wet meadows, which are vital to wildlife habitat and carbon sequestration.

Difficulty: Hard (lifting and carrying rocks, using tools, working alongside streambanks)

Project Details: Come help restore wet meadows and riparian areas in beautiful California Park! These ecosystems are vital for carbon storage and wildlife habitat, including sandhill crane, boreal toads, and Greater sage-grouse. However, erosion has disconnected these wet meadows and riparian areas from the floodplain, resulting in decreased water retention and loss of vegetation. They are at further risk of deterioration in coming years from drought and intense rainstorms. By using innovative restoration techniques called Zeedyk structures, we will raise the water table, decrease erosion, and re-establish wet meadows and riparian areas in California Park.

Camping is encouraged if you plan to attend multiple days!

Please contact ryan@yvsc.org with any questions.

Title: Come help conduct reforestation surveys near Rabbit Ears Pass!

Short description: Join us, alongside the US Forest Service, to conduct surveys on post-fire seedling regeneration, which will help inform future reforestation efforts.

Difficulty: Medium (up to 5 miles of walking through forested terrain)

Project details: The Routt National Forest in Buffalo Park was ravaged by the Silver Creek fire in 2018. Conifer forests are vitally important in the fight against climate change, as they both sequester carbon and store moisture in our watersheds. The US Forest Service is planning to reforest the area in spring 2023, but must first determine priority sites. To help in this effort, we will be measuring seedling regeneration and mapping future reforestation sites to determine where tree planting will be necessary. This project will occur over three days, so please sign up for whichever days work best for you!

Please contact ryan@yvsc.org with any questions.

Title: Come help conduct reforestation surveys near Rabbit Ears Pass!

Short description: Join us, alongside the US Forest Service, to conduct surveys on post-fire seedling regeneration, which will help inform future reforestation efforts.

Difficulty: Medium (up to 5 miles of walking through forested terrain)

Project details: The Routt National Forest in Buffalo Park was ravaged by the Silver Creek fire in 2018. Conifer forests are vitally important in the fight against climate change, as they both sequester carbon and store moisture in our watersheds. The US Forest Service is planning to reforest the area in spring 2023, but must first determine priority sites. To help in this effort, we will be measuring seedling regeneration and mapping future reforestation sites to determine where tree planting will be necessary. This project will occur over three days, so please sign up for whichever days work best for you!

Please contact ryan@yvsc.org with any questions.

Title: Come help conduct reforestation surveys near Rabbit Ears Pass!

Short description: Join us, alongside the US Forest Service, to conduct surveys on post-fire seedling regeneration, which will help inform future reforestation efforts.

Difficulty: Medium (up to 5 miles of walking through forested terrain)

Project details: The Routt National Forest in Buffalo Park was ravaged by the Silver Creek fire in 2018. Conifer forests are vitally important in the fight against climate change, as they both sequester carbon and store moisture in our watersheds. The US Forest Service is planning to reforest the area in spring 2023, but must first determine priority sites. To help in this effort, we will be measuring seedling regeneration and mapping future reforestation sites to determine where tree planting will be necessary. This project will occur over three days, so please sign up for whichever days work best for you!

Please contact ryan@yvsc.org with any questions.

Title: Come plant willows along First Creek in California Park!

Short Description: Come work with the US Forest Service to help restore First Creek by planting willows along its bank.

Difficulty: Easy (working along a steep embankment)

Project Details: California Park is an ecologically important area in Northwest Colorado. It serves as part of the Upper Yampa River Basin and provides miles of stream habitat for native fish populations. However, vegetation loss and erosion threaten some of California Park’s waterways. Currently, First Creek is undergoing a restoration process that will create a more climate-resistant ecosystem by reconnecting the stream to the floodplain. As part of this process, we will be planting approximately 300-500 willows along 5 miles of First Creek to provide bank stabilization and more resilient native fish habitat. 

Please contact ryan@yvsc.org with any questions.