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2010 Projects
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No experience is required. Meals are served in most cases. Spread the word! Tell your friends about these exciting projects! |
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Burns Tributary Riparian Restoration - Fort Collins
COMPLETED |
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 Intermediate
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Full Day ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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A stream knows no borders! Such is the case with the Burns Tributary, flowing out of the foothills west of Fort Collins and joining Fossil Creek, an important wildlife corridor in the Fort Collins area. By restoring this urban portion of the Burns Tributary, volunteers will add tremendous value to the wildlife corridor between the foothills and the Fossil Creek Natural Area. Volunteers will help plant hundreds of native trees and shrubs, remove Russian Olives, and make improvements to the stream channel. This project supports an important first stem in attaining sustainability goals set by the City of Fort Collins Storm Water Utility Department and continues an important relationship between WRV and the City of Fort Collins. Join us to commemorate this landmark project. Rain/Snow Back-up Date: May 9 |
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Carnage Canyon Restoration
COMPLETED |
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Intermediate
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 14 accompanied by an adult
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Last fall, WRV, working with US Forest Service, James Creek Watershed Initiative, Walsh Environmental Scientists, and Budhoe Backhoe, completely re-created and restored almost a mile of stream in the infamous Carnage Canyon, benefiting an entire watershed and preventing massive amounts of sediment from flowing downstream to choke Left Hand Creek. This work was WRV’s sixth year of participation in an award-winning restoration project in the Left Hand Canyon travel management area, dating back to 2004. In 2010, WRV volunteers will continue that important project, planting over 1000 native shrubs at key points along the stream. The planting of these shrubs will accelerate the re-establishment of native vegetation and provide critical stabilization to vulnerable stretches of the newly created streambank. |
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Willow & Cottonwood Harvesting Project (Pawnee)
COMPLETED |
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 Easy
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Partial Day ●
Miniumum Age: 16
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Date(s):
Welcome to the wonderful world of willows. Where there’s a willow there’s a way. OK, enough with the alliteration. Besides the grammatical fun surrounding willows, they are also some of the most important riparian species used in restoration. Why? They can grow very quickly from a simple stem cutting and their roots provide a tremendous amount of stream bank stabilization. Also, mature willows are an important food, cover, and nesting source for many birds and small mammals in Colorado, as well as important forage for charismatic megafauna like moose and elk. So, we hope you can enjoy a relaxing day with us harvesting willow cuttings and cottonwood poles that will be used to help restore riparian habitat along Little Owl Creek on the Pawnee National Grasslands. Healthy riparian areas (i.e., the diverse shrub and tree communities that thrive along stream sides) are critical for the existence of nearly 80% of wildlife in the arid Western US. Where? Near Pierce, east of Fort Collins Time: 8:30am-2:30pm |
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Anemone Hill Myrtle Spurge Project - Earth Day
COMPLETED |
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Intermediate
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Full Day ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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Myrtle Spurge (EEEEK!!!) is taking over a beautiful native Ponderosa pine woodland just west of Boulder between Sunshine and Boulder Canyons. After a moderate 1/2 - 1 mile hike in, volunteers will pull the Colorado A-listed myrtle spurge (both toxic and noxious) on 10 acres of beautiful City of Boulder Open Space land. Hand pulling is one of the most successful means of eradicating this weed. Over the past 4 years, WRV volunteers reduced the myrtle spurge population in the Eldorado Canyon/Mesa Trailhead area by over 95% and we’ll apply our successful techniques in this gorgeous foothills site. |
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Pawnee National Grasslands Riparian Restoration
COMPLETED |
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Intermediate
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Full Day ●
Miniumum Age: 14 accompanied by an adult
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In the arid western US, 80 percent of wildlife relies on healthy riparian areas at some point in their life cycle. However, riparian areas (lush vegetated areas next to streams and rivers) occur on less than 5% of the overall landscape. On the Pawnee National Grasslands, many riparian areas have been severely denuded by over a century of grazing. This project is designed to restore ½ mile of riparian tree and shrub community along Little Owl Creek. The few Russian olives that exist there will be removed. Healthy riparian areas on the Pawnee National Grasslands are havens for migratory and resident birds and, as such, are very popular birding stops for Audubon tours and other birding organizations. This restored riparian corridor will serve as important habitat for birds, endangered fish, leopard frogs, and other area wildlife. Fencing and a fundamental change in grazing management by the Pawnee National Grasslands will protect this riparian area in the long term. The site is |
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Tarryall Creek Restoration
COMPLETED |
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Intermediate
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Multi Day ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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Join us to restore riverside wildlife habitat in one of Colorado’s most splendid and serene areas, Tarryall Creek, near the Lost Creek Wilderness. This area is a hidden treasure in Colorado, and volunteers will have a unique opportunity to visit a working ranch while doing some important restoration work. Since 2002, a comprehensive multi-agency program has been underway with the goal of improving ecological conditions along 20+ miles of the Tarryall Valley in Park County, Colorado. The program has worked towards improving stream and riparian condition in the valley by several different means (i.e., securing conservation easements, direct ecological restoration activity, enhance stream functioning, and increase participation in the South Park Flyfishers program as a means to generate income from recreation as an alternative to complete reliance on agriculture). During this project, volunteers will plant a variety of native riparian shrubs and trees (e.g., streamside vegetation), including mountain willow, narrow leaf cottonwood, balsam poplar, and more. Wednesday night arrival encouraged. IMPORTANT: Rain Back-up date on May 20-23 Please reserve this date as well. |
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Pawnee National Grasslands Riparian Restoration -- FOLLOW-UP
RESCHEDULED, THEN COMPLETED |
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Intermediate
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Full Day ●
Miniumum Age: 14 accompanied by an adult
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Date(s):
In the arid western US, 80 percent of wildlife relies on healthy riparian areas at some point in their life cycle. However, riparian areas (lush vegetated areas next to streams and rivers) occur on less than 5% of the overall landscape. On the Pawnee National Grasslands, many riparian areas have been severely denuded by over a century of grazing. This project is designed to restore ½ mile of riparian tree and shrub community along Little Owl Creek. The few Russian olives that exist there will be removed. Healthy riparian areas on the Pawnee National Grasslands are havens for migratory and resident birds and, as such, are very popular birding stops for Audubon tours and other birding organizations. This restored riparian corridor will serve as important habitat for birds, endangered fish, leopard frogs, and other area wildlife. Fencing and a fundamental change in grazing management by the Pawnee National Grasslands will protect this riparian area in the long term. The site is located northeast of Fort Collins. |
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Boulder Prairie Restoration VII
COMPLETED |
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Easy
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 10 accompanied by an adult
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LIVE MUSIC, GOOD FOOD, GOOD WORK! Building on six years of progress, Wildlands Restoration Volunteers continues the urgent quest to remove Mediterranean Sage from Boulder County. 100 volunteers are needed as part of a multi-agency partnership, targeting our removal efforts at the highest priority sites in Boulder County, especially on Table Mountain. Left unchecked, this Colorado A-listed weed aggressively invades grasslands, reduces native plant populations, and degrades wildlife habitat and the overall health of prairie ecosystems. With sustained action, state wide eradication is possible, which would protect prairie ecosystems and wildlife habitat. Indirectly, this work will help protect thousands of acres of Colorado grassland habitats. This is an all day project with a music and food after-party starring the Sugarloaf String Band. We hope to see you out there! |
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Willow & Cottonwood Harvesting Project (Campbell Valley)
COMPLETED |
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Easy
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Partial Day ●
Miniumum Age: 16
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Date(s):
Welcome to the wonderful world of willows. Where there’s a willow there’s a way. OK, enough with the alliteration. Besides the grammatical fun surrounding willows, they are also some of the most important riparian species used in restoration. Why? They can grow very quickly from a simple stem cutting and their roots provide a tremendous amount of stream bank stabilization. Also, mature willows are an important food, cover, and nesting source for many birds and small mammals in Colorado, as well as important forage for charismatic megafauna like moose and elk. So, we hope you can enjoy a relaxing day with us harvesting willow cuttings and cottonwood poles that will be used to help restore riparian habitat in Campbell Valley, north of Fort Collins. Healthy riparian areas (i.e., the diverse shrub and tree communities that thrive along stream sides) are critical for the existence of nearly 80% of wildlife in the arid Western US. Where? Campbell Valley, North of Fort Collins Time: 8:00am-2:00pm |
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Dames Rocket Removal
COMPLETED |
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Easy
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 10
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Date(s):
This pretty (but pretty awful) invasive flower has escaped from a Littleton retirement community and in the last 2 years has gone from quietly invading 2 acres to taking over 12 acres of adjacent South Platte Park land. Without the help of WRV volunteers, this plant will continue its aggressive march towards the South Platte river, endangering native species and habitat on a much larger scale. The park employees stepped up their efforts to try to slow the spread last spring, but anticipate a bumper crop again in 2010. Invasive species are vigorous, very hardy, self-sowing and naturalizing. They harm our natural areas, reduce forage for wildlife & livestock, and cost agricultural producers & land managers money every year for control efforts. Become part of the brigade against Dame’s Rocket on this project! |
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Rock Creek Restoration
COMPLETED |
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Intermediate
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Full Day ●
Miniumum Age: 13 accompanied by an adult
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Date(s):
Join us for our project season opener by planting native shrubs and willows in a newly restored section of Rock Creek and stay for a season kick off celebration after! Just below upper Rock Creek, one of the largest undisturbed grasslands in Boulder County, volunteers will work to restore a portion of the stream bank altered in the late 1960’s. The changes made to the creek in the sixties, as a result of the utilities access road crossing it, precipitated a large head cut that has gotten worse in the last ten years and would have continued to erode without intervention. Over 500 herbaceous forbs, grasses, leadplant, hawthorn, and narrow-leaf cottonwoods will find new homes along the 700 ft. stretch of creek that has recently been restored to a natural channel. |
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Campbell Valley Restoration
COMPLETED |
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Intermediate
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Full Day ●
Miniumum Age: 14 with adult
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Campbell Valley lies about 20 minutes north of Fort Collins in one of the most important foothills-plains transition zones in the Front Range. This is a fascinating and historic ranch being managed with a conservation easement by The Nature Conservancy. In the early 1900’s, the North Poudre Irrigation Ditch breached, flooding Spring Gulch, the primary spring-fed creek in the Campbell Valley. The elevation of the creek was down cut by approximately 40 feet, causing the elevation of most of the valleys tributaries to drop commensurately. This massive change in the watershed has caused head-cutting and downcutting of every tributary to in the valley, resulting in the estimated loss of over 150,000,000 (that’s right, Million) cubic feet of sediment. Gullies range from 5 to 30 feet deep and run up to 1,000 feet long. A healthy riparian community no longer exists. Volunteers will help to restore the riparian plant community and begin implementing a gully stabilization pilot project. This project engages multiple partners to design and implementation strategy to address gully stabilization and healing; support improved grazing management practices with strategic hardened water gaps and fencing; restore the diverse riparian plant community, and stabilize and heal the existing gullies. This is an exciting and important first phase of a multi-phase and multi-year restoration program. |
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Boulder Prairie Restoration VII - Med Sage Follow-up
COMPLETED |
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Easy
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Evening ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 10 accompanied by an adult
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Date(s):
Come enjoy a relaxing evening (5:30pm-dusk) on the prairie to protect our native grasslands. Building on six years of successful progress, Wildlands Restoration Volunteers will continue the urgent quest to remove Mediterranean sage from Boulder County. Left unchecked, this A-listed weed aggressively invades grasslands, reduces native plant populations, and degrades wildlife habitat. We'll be part of a multi-agency partnership, targeting our removal efforts at the highest priority sites in Boulder County, especially on Table Mountain. With sustained action, state wide eradication is possible, which would protect prairie ecosystems and wildlife habitat. This is a follow-up project from our main project on May 8th. |
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Hotsprings Creek Endangered Species Habitat Restoration
RESCHEDULED, THEN CANCELLED This event, originally scheduled for May 21-23, was reschedule to June 18-20, and then ultimately cancelled until next year, due to heavy spring snow and wind, which delayed site preparations. |
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Intermediate
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Multi Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 12 accompanied by adult
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Orient Land Trust (OLT) is home to lovely Valley View Hot Springs. Join us for this three day working vacation to help create/enhance habitat for two rare/endangered species and soak in luxurious hot springs. The scenery is jaw-dropping spectacular! OLT is replacing an old reservoir with a new larger one on its historic Everson Ranch to support the current population of Rio Grande Chubb, a state species of concern, and a soon-to-be-introduced population of Rio Grande Suckers, a state endangered species. In the late winter/early spring of 2010, OLT will work with the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s Partners for Wildlife Program to restore Hot Springs Creek, which flows into the Reservoir, to its natural state by creating meanders and more suitable fish spawning areas and habitat. WRV volunteers will plant approximately 3500 native plants and trees around the new reservoir and along Hot Spring Creek. Volunteers will camp in a beautiful grove of Cottonwoods and have access to the clothing optional hot springs, showers and other facilities. |
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Rock Creek Restoration - Part 2
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Partial Day ●
Miniumum Age: 13 accompanied by an adult
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Date(s):
Join us to continue restoration work on the beautiful Zaharias property in the South County Grasslands complex of Boulder County Parks and Open Space. In May, WRV volunteers helped to restore a section of degraded and channelized creek bed along Rock Creek by planting trees and shrubs along the newly contoured banks. Continued maintenance is necessary to ensure the success of this restoration. Volunteers will water plants, remove invasive plants from the restoration area, and help to install a drip irrigation system. This is a great chance to visit an area normally closed to the public, and to see the continuation of past restoration projects! |
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Campbell Valley Watershed Restoration
COMPLETED |
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 Difficult
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Full Day ●
Miniumum Age: 18 with adult
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Date(s):
Campbell Valley lies about 20 minutes north of Fort Collins in one of the most important foothills-plains transition zones in the Front Range. This is a fascinating and historic ranch being managed with a conservation easement by The Nature Conservancy. In the early 1900’s, the North Poudre Irrigation Ditch breached, flooding Spring Gulch, the primary spring-fed creek in the Campbell Valley. The elevation of the creek was down cut by approximately 40 feet, causing the elevation of most of the valleys tributaries to drop commensurately. This massive change in the watershed has caused head-cutting and down-cutting of every tributary to in the valley, resulting in the estimated loss of over 150,000,000 (that’s right, Million) cubic feet of sediment. Gullies range from 5 to 30 feet deep and run up to 1,000 feet long. We began earlier this summer with a project to re-establish a healthy riparian community. In this project, volunteers will help begin implementing a gully stabilization pilot project, building stone check dams seeding and installing erosion matting. This project engages multiple partners to design and implementation strategy to address gully stabilization and healing; support improved grazing management practices with strategic hardened water gaps and fencing; restore the diverse riparian plant community, and stabilize and heal the existing gullies. This is an exciting and important first phase of a multi-phase and multi-year restoration program. |
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Seed Collection 1 - Wednesday, 5:30PM to 8:30PM
CANCELLED |
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Easy
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Evening ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS AN EVENING EVENT -- 5:30PM TO 8:30PM -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. Often times, however, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to increase them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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Summit Lake Alpine Restoration
SCHEDULED |
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 Very Difficult
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Multi Day ●
Miniumum Age: 18
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Summit Lake Park is one of five iconic landscapes managed by the Denver Mountain Parks (DMP) system, also referred to as a “Star” component of the system—and for a reason. Summit Lake Park encompasses Summit Lake (12,800 feet in elevation) and 160 acres of its surrounding alpine tundra environs, including outstanding scenic viewsheds of national importance, habitat for rare plants, and important wildlife habitat for species such as bighorn sheep. Summit Lake Park was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1965, was designated to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 and 1995 and is adjacent to and visible from the Mount Evans Wilderness Area administered by the United States Forest Service. Recreation in the area has far outstripped the capacity of the local trail, resulting in severe damage to sensitive alpine tundra. In some areas, a foot of topsoil can be dated back to 12,000 years old, and it is being lost at an alarming rate. A new high use trail is being installed and substantial restoration work is needed to repair decades of damage. Volunteers will harvest and transplant alpine tundra, help create a sustainable trail, and enjoy three days in a spectacular alpine setting. Who knows, you might just catch a glimpse of a mountain goat, or an elusive short-tailed weasel. |
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Boulder Creek Adopt Site Restoration 1
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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Date(s):
WRV has recently adopted a 2.3 mile stretch of Boulder Creek near 55th and Valmont in Boulder for long term restoration. In this area, historic wetlands have been degraded or eliminated and much of the historic native plains riparian plant community has been replaced by a non-native mixture of trees, with substantially reduced value to wildlife. The non-native tree canopy is unnaturally dense, which overly shades the ground and prevents native understory shrubs, grasses and wildlife from thriving. There is tremendous potential at this site to replace the non-native plant community with a thriving native plains riparian community. This restored habitat will better support a variety of riparian and wetland dependent species including several neotropical migrant songbird species, northern leopard frog and Prebles meadow jumping mouse. Restoring a healthy riparian zone in this urban setting will also benefit the local community by reducing nonpoint source pollution, mitigating flood hazards during rain events, and providing other benefits associated with functional riparian ecosystems. Given the highly visible urban location, this site offers a unique opportunity to create a "living classroom" that will offer opportunity for community engagement in educational stewardship activities that illustrate the critical importance of healthy riparian areas and wetlands throughout the Northern Colorado landscape. ACTIVITIES: Volunteers will help remove non-native tree species (like Russian olive and crack willow) in preparation for a planting in October of native plains cottonwood, peachleaf willow, western snowberry, wood’s rose, wild plum, western chokecherry, sandbar willow, and golden currant. |
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Seed Collection 2 - Saturday, 9:30AM to 3:30PM
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Partial Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS A SATURDAY EVENT -- 9:30AM TO 3:30PM -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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Seed Collection 3 - Tuesday, 5:30PM to 8:30PM
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Evening ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS AN EVENING EVENT -- 5:30PM TO 8:30PM -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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Bobolink South Boulder Creek Riparian Restoration
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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Date(s):
The Bobolink trail (along South Boulder Creek) is one of the most heavily used trails in Boulder, with many thousands of visitors each year. South Boulder Creek is recognized as one of Colorado's State Natural Areas due to its mosaic of high quality wetlands, plains riparian forests, wet meadows, mesic tallgrass prairie ecosystems, and a remnant of the plains cottonwood riparian ecosystem, which provide essential wildlife habitat in an urbanized area. The floodplain in the area includes habitat for three rare plants and two animal species of concern. Volunteers will remove non-native shrubs, small trees and broadleaf plants from riparian area. By opening the canopy in unnaturally shaded areas, we will allow light into to support establishment of native plants. Species to be removed: crack willow, green ash, russian olive, privet, buck thorn, and common teasel. We may collect native seed too, if ripe at the time of our project. This project is a first phase of an on-going effort. |
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Medicine Bow-Routt Seed Collection
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Easy
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Multi Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 12 accompanied by an adult
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North Park, whose economic and cultural center is the town of Walden, is surrounded by majestic and beautiful mountains. This seed collection will provide you with a two-day experience in the mountains surrounding North Park, with a chance to view moose and enjoy other northpark wildlife. Many land restoration projects depend on precious hand collected native seed because purchased seeds are unavailable, too expensive or not adapted well enough to local conditions. The seeds you collect will be multiplied agriculturally by an inter-government agency partnership. This process increases your seeds 100-1000 fold to create a high volume of locally adapted seed that can be used for post-fire revegetation projects. This project is being done in collaboration with the USFS and the Owl Mountain Partnership, which is working with local farmers to increase this native seed for future restoration projects. FREE camping will be provided. FRIDAY night arrival encouraged. |
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Seed Collection 4- Wednesday, 5:30PM to 8:30PM
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Evening ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS AN EVENING EVENT -- 5:30PM TO 8:00PM -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of native grasses and forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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South St. Vrain Trail
COMPLETED |
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Difficult
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Weekend ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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Join WRV for the second phase of this exciting trail reroute and restoration project. Building on the efforts of last year’s work, volunteers will complete an additional nearly 1500 feet of trail reroute and use an array of restoration techniques to blend the old trail back into the natural beauty of the surrounding Indian Peaks Wilderness. The reroute will be beneficial for a variety of reasons. Primarily, it will create a single more sustainable trail that will stop erosion into the nearby creek. It will also reduce recreational use in the nearby heavily-used Indian Peaks Wilderness by moving the trail alignment out of the wilderness boundary. This new trail configuration will create a single year round alignment for all user groups to enjoy, compared to the current situation with separate winter and summer trail corridors. In line with our mission to be inclusive, the redesign will also grant mountain bikers access to this stretch of trail. Working in partnership with the US Forest Service and Boulder Mountainbike Alliance, volunteers will spend the weekend working on the border of the spectacular wilderness. We will also have the rare opportunity to camp on the edge of a beautiful meadow near both historical and ecological points of interest. Friday night arrival encouraged. |
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Seed Collection 5 - Monday, 5:30PM to 8:30PM
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Evening ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS AN EVENING EVENT -- 5:30PM TO 8:30PM -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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Pawnee Buttes Trail & Restoration Project
SCHEDULED |
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Intermediate
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Weekend ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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Date(s):
Now that the hardest work is out of the way (Thanks 2009 volunteers!), volunteers will focus on putting the icing on the cake, making this one of the best trails the plains have ever seen. The Pawnee Buttes recreation area consists of dramatic buttes, badlands, and shortgrass prairie. The buttes stand 300 feet above the surrounding prairie and are part of the White River Badlands, which extend across parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, and South Dakota. According to The Nature Conservancy, grasslands are considered to be one of the most imperiled habitat types in North America and worldwide. The trail system at the Pawnee Buttes is suffering from substantial erosion problems, resulting in impacts to sensitive buttes habitats and shortgrass prairie. WRV will collaborate with the Pawnee National Grasslands to re-route about ¼ mile of trail and perform trail maintenance on another 0.4 miles around one of the scenic buttes. This project helps to protect shortgrass prairie from the impacts of recreation by providing a single well delineated trail to guide hikers to the buttes, while simultaneously closing and restoring user-created trails. The Pawnee Buttes are located northeast of Fort Collins. Note: This is a camping weekend project. Friday arrvial highly recommended. Hundley's Gourmet Catering is providing food on Saturday Night. |
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Seed Collection 6 - Tuesday, 5:30PM to 8:30PM
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Evening ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS AN EVENING EVENT -- 5:30PM TO 8:30PM -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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South Platte Purple Loosestrife Float and Pull
SCHEDULED |
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Intermediate
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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Now here’s an interesting change of pace for WRV. We’ll float down a 15 mile section of the South Platte River near Ft Lupton removing purple loosestrife plants. This is a high priority A-list weed species in Colorado, which means that it’s a very serious pest, but there is a relatively small amount of it in the state, so our removal efforts make a BIG difference. We’ll prevent it from spreading downstream in the South Platte watershed. We’ll collect seed heads, cut plants, and/or spray individual plants with Rodeo herbicide, which does not require certification to apply. The Weld County Weed District has a few boats we can use. When you register, please let us know if you have a canoe or kayak. |
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Mt. Bross 14er Trail Sustainablity and Restoration
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Weekend ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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Volunteers will find themselves nestled in the Kite Lake area below the towering peaks of Mt. Democrat, Mt. Lincoln, and Mt. Bross. These mountain majesties act as ecological islands in the sky and contain some of the most spectacular scenery and wildflower displays you can find. In partnership with the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, the US Forest Service, and the Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative, WRV volunteers will work on three major project sites, constructing a 115 ft. trail re-route including several retaining walls, restoring over 260 square ft. of old trail, and adding structures such as check dams to prevent future erosion on the existing trail. This will be our third year in a row working on the slopes of Mt. Bross! Targeted restoration and trail work will help to prevent further resource damage in the sensitive alpine tundra and help protect habitat for the beautiful-yet-rare dwarf columbine, rare mustards, and a rare member of the sunflower family. Base camp will be located in a beautiful mountain meadow with glorious mountain views and historic relics within walking distance. FRIDAY night arrival encouraged! |
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Seed Collection 7 - Saturday, 9:00AM to 4:00PM
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS A SATURDAY EVENT -- 9:00AM TO 4:00PM -- LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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Spring Creek Wetland Demonstration Site
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Intermediate
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 4 (see below)
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Date(s):
Along the popular Spring Creek recreation corridor lays an oasis of plants at the Gardens on Spring Creek. The Gardens isn’t just for high society plants. This project is designed to showcase some of Colorado’s natives by establishing hundreds of wetland sedges, grasses, and wildflowers, and building an interpretive trail and boardwalk. Volunteers will have an option to install native plants, help build the interpretive trail, or construct the educational boardwalk. Get ready for a fun-filled day at the Gardens! WONDERFUL SPONSORS Thanks to Trees, Water, and People and REI Fort Collins for sponsoring this project. YOUTH EDUCATION CAMP Bring your children or grandchildren ages 5-12 along to participate in WRV’s first Youth Service Learning Day Camp! A partnership program between WRV and CSU’s Environmental Learning Center, this program will engage our youngest land stewards in a day of adventure, investigation, and service. This, all while you enjoy a day of restoration at the Spring Creek Gardens! For more information on the environmental camp, or to sign up a child, please email katie@wlrv.org |
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Spring Creek Environmental Education Day Camp
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Easy
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 5 (see below)
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Date(s):
In conjunction with the Spring Creek Wetlands Demonstration Site Project, we are holding an event for the youngest WRV volunteers. Drop the youngsters off at the camp and enjoy a fun day at the Gardens on Spring Creek installing an interpretive trail and establishing native wetland plants. The kids will join the project in the afternoon to help with the planting. Children ages 5-12 will spend the day with trained environmental educators from CSU’s Environmental Learning Center in a day of adventure, investigation, and service. • Learn about habitat and become Wildlife Detectives! • Discover aquatic creatures living in Spring Creek! • Help improve the habitat by planting wetland grasses! • Play games and have fun with others! • Enjoy these inspiring gardens right in town! • Snacks provided, bring a bag lunch. • $10 Suggested Donation For more information, please contact Katie Renga, Youth and Inclusiveness Coordinator: katie@wlrv.org, 303-543-1411 |
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Mt. Massive Trail Restoration
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Very Difficult
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Multi Day ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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Date(s):
Note: this is one of WRV's most strenuous projects requiring a 3 mile hike to camp carrying tools and food. And then a 2 mile hike from camp, at 11,000 ft, to the work site, at 13,700 ft, each day. Located near Leadville, Mt Massive is Colorado’s second highest peak, and will be providing the rugged setting for this amazing backcountry restoration project. Volunteers will spend three days at nearly 13,500 ft enjoying amazing views of the Arkansas River Valley and the slightly taller Mt Elbert. This project is vital to re-establishing fragile alpine tundra and our efforts will help jump start a restoration process that would take decades or longer to take effect naturally. Working in conjunction with Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, we will restore up to 200 ft of an old ascent route by building rock check dams and using alpine vegetation plugs. To reach this beautiful project site volunteers will hike 3 miles to a base camp and then another 2.5 miles to the work site each day. Working within Mt. Massive Wilderness makes this an adventurous and pristine project, but it also limits this project to only 10 lucky volunteers. This project will be strenuous, but well worth the challenge. Wednesday arrival is critical to hike in and set up since work will begin Thursday morning. |
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North Fork Trail & Montane Restoration
SCHEDULED |
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Intermediate
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Weekend ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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Date(s):
Join WRV and Poudre Wilderness Volunteers on a collaborative trail reconstruction and habitat restoration project along the scenic North Fork Trail along the Big Thompson River. This two-day project includes a wide range of interesting work, from major gully restoration and small reroutes on a heavily used trail, to streambank protection, construction of a causway, and tread stabilization. This trail is in the Comanche Peak Wilderness and serves as the "back door" to Rocky Mountain National Park. Volunteers will have a rare opportunity to spend Saturday night at Cheley Camps! Food provided both days. Number of Volunteers: 50 |
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Seed Collection 8 - Wednesday, 5:30PM to 8:30PM
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Evening ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS AN EVENING EVENT -- 5:30PM TO 8:30PM -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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Summit Lake Alpine Restoration II
SCHEDULED |
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Very Difficult
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Multi Day ●
Miniumum Age: 18
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Date(s):
Phew, after a summer of hard work by volunteers and a trail crew its time to put the restoration icing on the cake and put a final touch on the trail work. Summit Lake Park is one of five iconic landscapes managed by the Denver Mountain Parks (DMP) system, also referred to as a “Star” component of the system—and for a reason. Summit Lake Park encompasses Summit Lake (12,800 feet in elevation) and 160 acres of its surrounding alpine tundra environs, including outstanding scenic viewsheds of national importance, habitat for rare plants, and important wildlife habitat for species such as bighorn sheep. Recreation in the area has far outstripped the capacity of the local trail, resulting in severe damage to sensitive alpine tundra. In some areas, a foot of topsoil can be dated back to 12,000 years old, and it is being lost at an alarming rate. A new high use more accessible trail is being installed and substantial restoration work is needed to repair decades of damage. Depending on where our trail crew leaves the site, Volunteers will get the chance to harvest and transplant alpine tundra, build some small retaining walls, collect alpine seed for re-dispersing, do some finish work on the trail tread and some time in a spectacular alpine setting. Who knows, you might just catch a glimpse of a mountain goat, or an elusive short-tailed weasel. |
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Hawthorn Seed Collection - Wednesday, 5:30PM to 8:00PM on Sept 8
SCHEDULED |
Register for this Project |
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Easy
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Evening ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 6
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS AN EVENING EVENT -- 5:30PM TO 8:00PM -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting the red berries of Hawthorn, a native shrub. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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Big Mother Hill Forest Restoration
SCHEDULED |
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Intermediate
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 14 accompanied by an adult
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Date(s):
Please join us for the seventh year of ongoing restoration in in Left Hand Canyon. This year, we'll focus on Big Mother Hill. Over the past six years, Wildlands Restoration Volunteers collaborated with the US Forest Service, James Creek Watershed Initiative, Walsh Environmental Services, and Trail Ridge Runners, to complete the first six phases of an award-winning restoration project benefiting hundreds of acres of forest habitat and downstream water quality. Most previous work has focused on reducing erosion from miles of spur roads that dissected hundreds of acres of upland forest habitat. This fall, our work will concentrate on restoring an entire hillside that has been impacted by past motorized activity. Heavy equipment will prepare the area. Volunteers will seed and mulch the area, transplant tree seedlings, and install erosion matting to prevent erosion. This projected is funded in part by a Colorado State 319 grant, and the National Forest Foundation. Celebration at the end of the day! |
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Campbell Valley Watershed Restoration II
SCHEDULED |
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Difficult
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Full Day ●
Miniumum Age: 18 with adult
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Date(s):
Campbell Valley lies about 20 minutes north of Fort Collins in one of the most important foothills-plains transition zones in the Front Range. This is a fascinating and historic ranch being managed with a conservation easement by The Nature Conservancy. In the early 1900’s, the North Poudre Irrigation Ditch breached, flooding Spring Gulch, the primary spring-fed creek in the Campbell Valley. The elevation of the creek was down cut by approximately 40 feet, causing the elevation of most of the valleys tributaries to drop commensurately. This massive change in the watershed has caused head-cutting and down-cutting of every tributary to in the valley, resulting in the estimated loss of over 150,000,000 (that’s right, Million) cubic feet of sediment. Gullies range from 5 to 30 feet deep and run up to 1,000 feet long. We began earlier this summer with a project to re-establish a healthy riparian community. In this project, volunteers will help begin implementing a gully stabilization pilot project, building stone check dams seeding and installing erosion matting. This project engages multiple partners to design and implementation strategy to address gully stabilization and healing; support improved grazing management practices with strategic hardened water gaps and fencing; restore the diverse riparian plant community, and stabilize and heal the existing gullies. This is an exciting and important first phase of a multi-phase and multi-year restoration program. |
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St. Vrain State Park Tamarisk Removal
SCHEDULED |
Register for this Project |
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Easy
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 10
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Date(s):
The 1,050 acre St. Vrain State Park is an ideal location for a variety of outdoor enthusiasts, including fishermen, campers, birders, photographers, hikers, bikers, and boaters. The park boasts some of northern Colorado’s best warm-water fishing. Continuing a tradition of work at St. Vrain State Park, volunteers will be removing invasive species along the St Vrain creek and surrounding ponds that will become Blue Heron Reservoir. Tamarisk (aka Salt Cedar) has devastated watersheds throughout the west, costing billions of dollars in lost water, lost habitat and lost electricity. It has invaded many Colorado Front Range watersheds, including the St. Vrain Creek and Boulder Creek watersheds. Once the reservoir is filled with water, park staff will monitor the area to assure no new invasive plant species return. |
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Seed Collection 9 - Saturday, 9:30AM to 3:30PM
SCHEDULED |
Register for this Project |
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Easy
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Partial Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS A SATURDAY EVENT -- 9:30AM TO 3:30PM -- A LIGHT LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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Seed Collection 10 - Saturday, 9:00AM to 4:00PM
SCHEDULED |
Register for this Project |
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Easy
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS A SATURDAY EVENT -- 9:00AM TO 4:00PM -- LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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Cache la Poudre Wilderness Restoration
SCHEDULED |
Register for this Project |
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Intermediate
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Weekend ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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Date(s):
Periodic low intensity fire disturbance has been part of the natural process and evolution of the Cache la Poudre Wilderness environment for centuries. Fire is an integral component of the ecosystem that aids in promoting healthy diversity and stand densities in the pondorosa pine communities. Since the early part of the 20th century, fire has been systematically suppressed on most National Forest System lands. This reduction in natural burning has resulted in unhealthy stand densities and substantial accumulation of on-the-ground fuels. The Cache la Poudre Wilderness Area is currently at risk from catastrophic wildfire within, and escaping from, the Wilderness Area. The potential for large and damaging wildfires could dramatically change the character of the wilderness landscape as well as increase the risk of wildfire negatively affecting the surrounding forest and water quality of the Cache la Poudre River and the South Fork Cache la Poudre River (both designated Wild and Scenic Rivers). The goal of this project, the first of it's kind in Colorado, is to prepare the area for the initial use of prescribed fire to burn off the surface fuels while maintaining the mature and more fire resistant overstory trees. Once the risk of catastrophic fire is reduced, the forest service can permit natural fires to run their course, reestablishing the natural fire regime so important to the pondorosa forest health. Volunteers will help to thin small trees and surface fuels will be piled along with all slash created from thinning/pruning activities. This work will help to restore healthy stand densities and reduce the threat of catastrophic fire in the Cache La Poudre Wilderness and adjacent forest areas. |
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Seed Collection 11 - Thursday, 1:00PM to 5:00PM
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Afternoon ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS AN AFTERNOON EVENT -- 1:00PM TO 5:00PM -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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Benjamin Betasso Trail Closure & Restoration II
SCHEDULED |
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Difficult
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Full Day ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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Date(s):
Continuing to build upon the amazing restoration efforts of last year’s volunteers, in 2010 we will revegetate another mile of unsustainable social trails on Boulder County Parks and Open Space’s recently purchased Benjamin property. This 391 acre addition to Boulder County is adjacent to the extremely popular Betasso Preserve Open Space, and jointly they protect 1175 acres of important wildlife habitat in the lower montane life zone. In 2009, volunteers reduced over a mile of social trails on the property. Working in partnership again this year with the Boulder Mountainbike Alliance, another mile of the most eroded, unsustainable, and hazardous of the social trails will be revegetated. In conjunction with restoration efforts, the construction of a new multi-use trail will move users away from the sensitive wildlife areas within the preserve. The new trail combined with existing trails will provide hikers, mountain bikers, trail runners and equestrians with opportunities to access approx. 8.7 miles of secluded, varied and rugged forest terrain within a 20 minute drive of Boulder while leaving much of the preserve untouched. |
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Seed Collection 12 - Wednesday, 9:00AM to 12:00PM
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Morning ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS A MORNING EVENT -- 9:00AM TO 12:00PM -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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Boulder Creek Adopt Site Restoration 2
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 16 accompanied by an adult
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Date(s):
WRV has adopted a 2.3 mile stretch of Boulder Creek near 55th and Valmont in Boulder for long term restoration. In this area, historic wetlands have been degraded or eliminated and much of the historic native plains riparian plant community has been replaced by a non-native mixture of trees, with substantially reduced value to wildlife. The non-native tree canopy is unnaturally dense, which overly shades the ground and prevents native understory shrubs, grasses and wildlife from thriving. There is tremendous potential at this site to replace the non-native plant community with a thriving native plains riparian community. This restored habitat will better support a variety of riparian and wetland dependent species including several neotropical migrant songbird species, northern leopard frog and Prebles meadow jumping mouse. Restoring a healthy riparian zone in this urban setting will also benefit the local community by reducing nonpoint source pollution, mitigating flood hazards during rain events, and providing other benefits associated with functional riparian ecosystems. Given the highly visible urban location, this site offers a unique opportunity to create a "living classroom" that will offer opportunity for community engagement in educational stewardship activities that illustrate the critical importance of healthy riparian areas and wetlands throughout the Northern Colorado landscape. ACTIVITIES: Volunteers will help remove non-native tree species (like Russian olive and crack willow) and plant native plains cottonwood, peachleaf willow, western snowberry, wood’s rose, wild plum, western chokecherry, sandbar willow, and golden currant. |
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Seed Collection 13 - Sunday, 9:00AM to 4:00PM
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS A SUNDAY EVENT -- 9:00AM TO 4:00PM -- LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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Longmont St. Vrain Creek Restoration
SCHEDULED |
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Intermediate
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8 with adult
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WRV volunteers removed massive amounts of Russian olives at Golden Ponds and along the St. Vrain Creek watersheds in 2008, and City of Longmont foresters continued the work in 2009. So, happily, this year’s project will focus on planting 400 native trees and 200 native shrubs along a 2-3 mile stretch of St. Vrain Creek near Isaac Walton Park and heading east to include the sun dial and Golden Farms. We’ll be planting native stock of cottonwoods, choke cherry, native plums and other fine Colorado species, further improving the health of native riparian plant and animal communities living within Longmont city limits. |
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Seed Collection 14 - Sunday, 12:00PM to 4:00PM
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Afternoon ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS AN AFTERNOON EVENT -- 12:00PM TO 4:00PM -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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Seed Collection 15 - Saturday, 12:00PM to 4:00PM
SCHEDULED |
Register for this Project |
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Easy
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Afternoon ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 8
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Date(s):
Seed collection is a very relaxing activity; some even say it’s therapeutic. It's also a great family activity! THIS IS AN AFTERNOON EVENT -- 12:00PM TO 4:00PM -- Using native seeds in re-vegetation efforts is essential to restoring native plant diversity. But often times, native seeds are not available commercially, they are too expensive, or the available seeds are not ecologically appropriate. Volunteers will help increase the availability of native seed by hand collecting a variety of species, including mostly grasses, sedges, and some wildflowers and other forbs. Local botanists will be working on site and will provide identification of wildflowers and other native plants during the project. The seeds you collect will be grown out to multiply them 100 or 1000 fold, vastly increasing the amount of locally-adapted seed that is available for local restoration projects. |
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South Boulder Creek Aquatic Restoration
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 12 accompanied by an adult
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This section of South Boulder Creek, south of South Boulder Road, has uniform continuous riffles. The channel is too wide, shallow and straight. This makes for poor fish and aquatic habitat. OSMP plans to narrow the stream, add sinuosity, and create pools, with a month of heavy equipment work. This equipment work will create areas of new streambank that extend out into the current stream channel. Volunteers will seed and plant these areas with native shrubs, cottonwoods trees, and willow stakes. Volunteers may also remove Russian olive or other non-native trees, if it is not too late in the season. South Boulder Creek is recognized as one of Colorado's State Natural Areas due to its mosaic of high quality wetlands, plains riparian forests, wet meadows and mesic tallgrass prairie ecosystems. A remnant of the plains cottonwood riparian ecosystem occurs in good condition along South Boulder Creek, providing essential wildlife habitat in a largely urbanized corridor of Colorado's Front Range. In combination with riparian and grassland communities, the wetlands found along South Boulder Creek are considered to be among the best preserved and most ecologically significant in the Boulder Valley. The floodplain in the area includes habitat for three rare plants and two animal species of concern. |
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Tool Fest - Boulder
SCHEDULED |
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Easy
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Full Day ●
Family Friendly ●
Miniumum Age: 14
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Volunteers will gather to celebrate another great season of accomplishment and put our tools to bed for the winter—cleaning, sharpening, painting, oiling tools, and re-organizing our tool shed to get ready for the next project season. Amazingly, this is a very fun project that has taken on its own identity over the past years, with a dedicated cadre of tool enthusiasts. Come join the Tool Corps and have a great time! |
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