Description
Start Date-End Date: 07/09/2022-07/10/2022
Land Manager Office: USFS - Conejos Peak Ranger District
Land Manager Contact: David Topolewski
Funding Partner:
Programmatic Partner:
Summary: Registration opens June 1. Collect data about plants and animals while hiking scenic Wilderness trails.
Description: Where You'll Be:
The Conejos Canyon is filled with incredible cliffs, mountains, creeks, rivers, and meadows in a remote part of the Rio Grande National Forest in Southern Colorado. Much of the area is included in the South San Juan Wilderness and, as one of the least-visited Wilderness areas in the state, the Canyon offers a truly wild feel.
What You'll Do:
Spend a weekend hiking through beautiful Conejos Canyon while collecting data about the area's plants and animals.You'll work in small groups with volunteers ages 16+ to hike one of five trails in the South San Juan Wilderness each day to observe the presence of particular plants and animals, recording their data with the free iNaturalist app, and switching trails on the second day. We'll pay special attention to invasive plant species; pollinators such as bumblebees; and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep!
Please note that while data collection itself is not physically taxing, this project will require long hikes at high-altitude. All volunteers will be treated to free camping in the heart of the Conejos Canyon, meals by our volunteer Crew Chefs, and a presentation on bighorn sheep and other wildlife studies from Rio Grande National Forest wildlife biologists.
Why It Matters:
Data collection and monitoring of plant and animal species is a huge priority for the Rio Grande National Forest, especially in Wilderness areas. The data you collect will help inform real-life land management decisions: information about invasive plants in Wilderness areas will shape active Wilderness management, and observing and documenting bighorn sheep plays a critical role in determining grazing allotments for domestic to protect the native sheep populations.
About Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC)
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) is the state's oldest, largest, and leading outdoor stewardship nonprofit organization. Founded in 1984 to motivate and enable people to become active stewards of Colorado's natural resources, VOC has engaged nearly 128,000 people in more than 1,000 volunteer projects for a donated labor value of $26 million. Through award-winning youth and volunteer programs, leadership training, capacity-building programs, and collaborative efforts with nonprofits and land management agencies, VOC is an invaluable resource in Colorado, especially as our outdoor stewardship needs are approaching near-crisis levels. For more information, visit www.voc.org or call 303-715-1010.
Latitude/Longitude: 37.309006, -106.477191
Additional Information:
Camping Available: Yes
Physical Difficulty: Difficult
High Altitude Project: Yes
Desired Number of Volunteers: 30
Total Adult Volunteers Attended:
Total Youth Volunteers Attended:
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Total Unique Volunteers:
Total Volunteer Hours: 0
Staff Hours: 0
Stipend Hours: 0
Project Summary: Cancelled due to Covid-19. TM cancelled last minute after testing positive.
Successes and Challenges:
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Stewardship Education:
Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers:
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Details
| 16 and older |
