Where You’ll Be:
Spend the weekend caring for the Blanca Wetlands, a critical wildlife habitat in the San Luis Valley. These wetlands are among Colorado’s most important areas for birds, providing vital habitat for migrating waterbirds and shorebirds. As part of this project, you’ll join other volunteers in removing Russian Olive, a noxious weed, to support wetland and native plant restoration efforts.
The BLM will allow the group to camp onsite, offering a rare opportunity to stay overnight at this beautiful and ecologically significant area. The weekend will include an educational presentation about the wetlands, opportunities for pond fishing, and excellent birding (when not operating chainsaws!). You might even spot some porcupines, who made an appearance during last year’s project.
What You’ll Do:
Volunteers will help remove Russian Olive trees, an invasive species threatening the Blanca Wetlands. The project has roles for both certified sawyers and general volunteers.
Chainsaw-certified volunteers will cut the trees into manageable pieces, while other volunteers will help move the cut material to a designated area for later collection by BLM staff. Please note that only certified sawyers are permitted to operate chainsaws.
Breakfast and lunch are provided on Saturday and Sunday, along with dinner on Saturday.
Bring your own dinner for Friday night and enough snacks for the weekend.
Free campsites are available on Friday and Saturday nights, and we recommend arriving 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!
Russian Olive is designated as a “List B” species in the Colorado Noxious Weed Act, meaning we need to actively stop the spread of this species. Russian olive trees displace native flora and fauna and prevent them from re-establishing. And critically, a single Russian olive tree can consume up to 75 gallons of water per day—water that is essential for maintaining the wetlands and supporting the wildlife that depends on them.
Eligibility Requirements:
Ages 18+
On this project, we need five B-certified Chainsaw Sawyers. A-certified Sawyers will be able to work under the supervision of B Sawyers. 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.
Interested in getting certified? Visit our Training Calendar for upcoming training opportunities.
Project Difficulty:
This project is considered difficult. Please check our difficulty rating criteria here for more details.
Physical Considerations:
Expect physically demanding work, including moving heavy plant materials and working on uneven terrain. For volunteers not operating chainsaws, there may be lifting cut plant debris overhead at times, carrying logs, piling plant debris in one place, and using loppers.
Access Factors:
Vehicle Access: No vehicle restrictions – 2WD accessible
Other Notes: Car and van camping are fine. Small trailers may be accommodated; please contact Katie (katie@voc.org) to confirm availability. The campsite is at an elevation of 7,500 feet.
