September Stewardship Opportunities
We are hosting THREE days of volunteer stewardship projects next week across the Gunnison Valley and are in need of your help in stewarding our public lands!
Please consider volunteering for one of our upcoming stewardship projects listed below. Visit our Stewardship Page to view all volunteer events and read about past projects. All volunteers receive the proper training and safety equipment, lunch, and water. Volunteering with like-minded community members is a fun way to give back to our public lands! These are unique opportunities to get your hands dirty – and experience personal fulfillment – in furtherance of a worthy cause. The success of these restoration projects is dependent on public participation.
Wednesday, September 15 (HCCA & USFS Taylor Park Beaver Mimicry Workday)
When: 9:00am to 2:00pm
Project Location: Trail Creek, Taylor Park
Parking Location: Go past Taylor Reservoir on FS 742, go left or west on 748 (turn for Spring Creek), follow 748 for 2 miles and then park on the side of the road above Trail Creek. The coordinates are: 38°54'53.8"N 106°36'56.7"W
What: Volunteers will build BDA’s (beaver dam analogs, which mimic beaver dams) and plant willows in Taylor Park.
Why: Restoring riparian systems cycles nutrients, restores top-soils through sedimentation, and provides groundwater recharge. On a landscape scale, we aim to increase the resilience of these headwaters to mitigate, or even reverse, climate change effects on the ground, which ultimately provides healthy watersheds.
Friday, September 17 (HCCA & USFS Taylor Park Beaver Mimicry Workday)
When: 9:00am to 2:00pm
Project Location: Trail Creek, Taylor Park
Parking Location: Go past Taylor Reservoir on FS 742, go left or west on 748 (turn for Spring Creek), follow 748 for 2 miles and then park on the side of the road above Trail Creek. The coordinates are: 38°54'53.8"N 106°36'56.7"W
What: Volunteers will build BDA’s (beaver dam analogs, which mimic beaver dams) and plant willows in Taylor Park.
Why: Restoring riparian systems cycles nutrients, restores top-soils through sedimentation, and provides groundwater recharge. On a landscape scale, we aim to increase the resilience of these headwaters to mitigate, or even reverse, climate change effects on the ground, which ultimately provides healthy watersheds.
Saturday, September 18 (National Public Lands Day with the Bureau of Land Management)
When: 8:00am to 1:00pm
Project Location: Chance Gulch (Southeast of Gunnison)
Parking Location: Meet at the BLM/UGRWCD parking lot in Gunnison (210 West Spencer Avenue)
What: Workday activities will include constructing rock structures, beaver dam analogs, and worm fences. We will be using hand tools to cut dead sagebrush.
Why: Take a few hours to restore and preserve this critical mesic meadow habitat. Mesic meadows act like sponges on the landscape that capture, store, and slowly release water. They are essential for supporting healthy wildlife populations, (including the Gunnison-Sage Grouse!) people, and livelihoods in our community.
SWAG: Volunteers will receive a Public Lands Day t-shirt and a National Public Lands Day park pass that will get you free entry into our amazing system of national parks and public lands!
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns at eli@hccacb.org. I hope to see you all soon!
