by Mary Eldred
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| Photo 1 WRV volunteers at the 2009 Pawnee National Grasslands Riparian restoration project. WRV will continue restoration efforts at Pawnee in 2010. |
Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV) is a volunteer-based ecological restoration non-profit organization, completing over 40 projects and leadership trainings each season. Improving habitat, restoring stream banks, controlling erosion and planting native species are integral to the mission of WRV.
Our volunteers did a lot of work in 2009! 276 volunteers were trained in crew leading, tool managing, cooking for large groups, project leadership and more. They lead over 1600 volunteers on projects from prairie riparian plantings to alpine restoration at 12,000ft. Over 3,000 hours of volunteer time was spent in native seed collections alone! 12,058ft. of stream channel or shoreline were restored. 321,660 square feet of riparian habitat was restored along with 14,500 sq. ft. of wetlands. Over 7600 native trees, shrubs or plants were thoughtfully and sustainably planted.
We’re planning on even more for 2010, including over 10 riparian restoration projects from Northern Colorado down to the San Luis valley. From the Burns Tributary in Fort Collins and the Pawnee National Grasslands to South Boulder Creek in Boulder, to the North Fork of the Big Thompson outside of Estes Park and Tarryall Creek in the beautiful mountains of central Colorado 75 miles west of Denver, we’ve got something juicy for anyone interested in restoration volunteerism. At Pawnee National Grasslands (April 24-25) volunteers will restore a half-mile area of a riparian tree and shrub community along Willow Creek, providing a haven for migratory and resident birds, endangered fish, leopard frogs, Preble’s meadow jumping mouse, and other wildlife.
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| Photo 2 Caption: WRV volunteers at the 2009 South Boulder Creek / Jumbo Mountain restoration project. WRV will return to South Boulder Creek for two more projects in 2010 |
We welcome anyone who would like to give back to the lands we love. No experience is necessary. We have projects that last from a few hours after work, to overnight camping projects in beautiful remote areas we’re restoring. We work with many land agency partners to ensure sustainable, zero-waste and leave-no-trace practices are considered and followed. Many of our projects are family-friendly, and we always aim to have fun! Join us on a project this year by registering at www.wlrv.org. We hope to see you ‘out there’!