Opportunities From: Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado

Where You’ll Be: 

The Dolores River stretches 241 miles from its headwaters in the San Juan National Forest through Colorado and into Utah, where it joins the Colorado River. The project will take place in either Mesa or Montrose County along the Dolores River. All sites will be easily accessible from Highway 141 and will be located between the towns of Gateway and Naturita, Colorado. The specific project site(s) will be determined at a later date based on permissions and the priorities of local land managers and landowners. 

Nearest town: Naturita, CO

The specific location will be shared with all registered volunteers 2 weeks before the project.

What You’ll Do: 

Volunteers will support riverbank restoration efforts along the Dolores River through the Dolores River Restoration Partnership (DRRP). Activities will include removing invasive woody plants and herbaceous weeds, as well as assisting with a range of seeding and planting techniques to optimize site-specific re-vegetation best practices. 

During the project, sawyers will cut larger tamarisk stands, while other volunteers will use loppers to remove resprouts or drag and pile woody debris for burn or habitat piles. Once the area is cleared, trained and certified staff will apply herbicide to stumps to prevent regrowth. Volunteers will also help prepare sites for re-vegetation by removing weeds, raking debris, and prepping soil. If time allows, they may also participate in the seeding and planting of native plants.

Enjoy breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday, with dinner on Saturday. Bring your own dinner on Friday night, and enough snacks for the weekend.  

Free campsites are available on Friday and Saturday nights, and volunteers are encouraged to arrive at base camp before 8 pm on Friday. 

Support This Project as a Crew Chef Helper! 

We provide full meals on our overnight projects to ensure volunteers are well-fed and ready for a day of volunteering — and we could use your help to make it happen! 

View this document to learn more about how to support and sign up. 

Why It Matters: 

The Dolores River is a 241-mile-long tributary of the Colorado River that passes through several special designation areas, including Wilderness Study Areas and Special Recreation Management Areas. The river supports agriculture, wildlife, and recreation, including whitewater rafting, fishing, and hiking, and is home to native fish species such as the roundtail chub, bluehead sucker, and flannelmouth sucker. 

Despite its ecological and recreational value, the Dolores River faces significant challenges. Drought, overuse, and flow regulation from McPhee Dam have led to chronically low and highly variable flows. Invasive plants, particularly tamarisk, have further degraded the river corridor by displacing native vegetation, reducing biodiversity, increasing wildfire risk, and altering natural river dynamics. Dense tamarisk stands have impaired fish and wildlife habitat, impacted wetlands, obstructed recreational access, and disrupted natural processes by armoring riverbanks, narrowing the channel, and disconnecting the floodplain. 

Efforts to remove tamarisk and restore native vegetation are critical to improving the health of this ecosystem. This work enhances both aquatic and terrestrial habitats, supporting biodiversity and benefiting the many communities and ecosystems that rely on the Dolores River.  This project will be completed in partnership with RiversEdge West.

Eligibility Requirements: 

Ages 18+ 

On this project, we need a mix of A and B certified Chainsaw Sawyers as well as volunteers that are not chainsaw certified. If you are certified, please include this in the Comments of your registration and send your certificate to the project manager. ALL SAWYERS MUST HOLD A CURRENT FIRST AID AND CPR CERTIFICATION IN ORDER TO OPERATE A SAW. Want to get certified? Visit our Training Calendar for upcoming training opportunities.  

Project Difficulty: 

This project is considered moderate; please check our difficulty rating criteria here for more details. 

General physical considerations for participating on this project (some or all may apply): pulling or cutting vegetation; working on uneven, sloped, or rough terrain; bending and stooping for long periods; carrying and hauling vegetation; possible increased exposure to allergens; working near pesticides (managed by licensed people); potential for long hike; repetitive hand motions; and working around noise and vibration (chainsaws).

Access Factors:  

Vehicle Access: Parking may be limited, so carpooling will be encouraged. The worksite is located within a short walk from the parking area. 

Other Notes: Cell service is nonexistent or very limited.

If you enjoy chainsaw projects, either as a certified sawyer or a support volunteer, you can view similar projects here.

Where You'll Be: 

DEN Open Space is a 585 acre park in Northeast Denver, situated in between the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge and DEN Airport. The park offers nature access and recreation opportunities for folks in the Montbello and Green Valley Ranch neighborhoods. The property is home to a lively prairie dog population, incredible cottonwood gallery, First Creek waterway and trail, and a beautiful but disturbed prairie ecosystem.

The specific location will be shared with all registered volunteers 2 weeks before the project.

What You'll Do:

This project will take place on roughly the first 50 acres of the park north of the parking lot and 56th Avenue, along Buckley Road. This area has a high number of invasive plants, also called noxious weeds (Common Mullein, Scotch and Musk Thistle and has been a primary focus of the Denver Parks and Recreation Open Space team the past 2 seasons).

These plants are not native to Colorado and spread quickly, crowding out native plants. Volunteers will help remove young weed plants by hand pulling or digging them out. These young plants grow close to the ground in a circular shape, called a rosette, and are easiest to remove in the spring. Staff will show you how to identify the plants and demonstrate safe removal techniques. No experience is needed.

Why It Matters:

Removing these young plants prevents them from growing larger and producing seeds, which helps stop them from spreading. This gives native plants more space, water, and sunlight to grow. Healthier native plant communities support wildlife and improve the look and long-term health of the park for everyone who visits.

Eligibility Requirements:

Ages 10+

Youth under 16 must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or older.

Project Difficulty:

This project is considered easy; please check our difficulty rating criteria here for more details. 

Physical activity may include some or all of the following: pulling or cutting vegetation, working on uneven or sloped terrain, bending and stooping for extended periods, carrying and hauling vegetation, possible exposure to allergens, potential for a long off-trail walk, and repetitive hand motions.

Access Factors:

Vehicle Access: No vehicle restrictions - 2WD accessible

Other Notes: The walk to the furthest point of the work area will be a 10-15 minute walk on a trail.

If you enjoy noxious weed removal projects, you can view similar projects here.

Where You’ll Be: 

You’ll be volunteering at First Creek on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado first worked at this site in 2017 while helping build the First Creek Trail, marking VOC’s 1,000th stewardship project. VOC returned in 2024 for a native planting project. This project brings volunteers back to restore an underused area of the refuge and support improved access for nearby Montbello and Green Valley Ranch neighborhoods. The work area is also within view of the historic bald eagle nest that helped inspire the creation of the Refuge.

What You’ll Do: 

Volunteers will remove invasive plant species along First Creek, a tributary of the South Platte River. The goal is to support healthy riparian, wetland, and shrub habitat across about 1.5 acres. Target species for removal include curly dock, mullein, musk thistle, Canada thistle, and tumble mustard.

Why It Matters: 

This work improves wildlife habitat and enhances the overall visitor experience at the Refuge. It also supports nearby communities by improving access to outdoor space and contributing to local health and well-being.

Previous restoration efforts in this area have already helped reduce flooding during storms and allowed native cottonwood saplings to naturally establish, which would not have happened otherwise.

Eligibility Requirements: 

Ages 10+ 

Youth under 16 must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or older.   

Project Difficulty: 

This project is considered easy; please check our difficulty rating criteria here for more details. 

Physical activity may include some or all of the following: pulling or cutting vegetation, working on uneven or sloped terrain, bending and stooping for extended periods, carrying and hauling vegetation, possible exposure to allergens, potential for a long off-trail walk, and repetitive hand motions.

Access Factors:  

Vehicle Access: 2WD vehicles can access the work site  

Other Notes: Cell service is spotty but usually available. Volunteers will park at the Visitor Center, and park staff will shuttle people to the project site (about a 15-minute drive) since it is off the usual Wildlife Scenic Drive; multiple van trips may be necessary for all volunteers.  There will be a port-a-potty on site.

If you enjoy noxious weed removal projects, you can view similar projects here.