You ever meet somebody that just sticks in your brain?  

When I was 19, I met one such person: a woman celebrating her husband’s 74th birthday in southern Utah. We struck up a conversation in the shadow of her truly massive RV; discussing why we were both out here, the state of the world, and the importance of these public lands that we can come to for escape. Then she said something that stuck with me: “The importance of public lands to me is the arena they give us to be together without conflict.” 

That sentiment has stuck with me for years, but it isn’t quite the whole picture. Public lands represent an opportunity for us to coexist, but only if we take an active hand in building that opportunity.  

Let’s build something good together.  

Southern Colorado’s public lands offer unrivaled beauty, recreational resources, and natural ecosystems. At a time when public lands are under continued threats (the most recent of which, a legislative attempt to sell off millions of acres of public land in the US, was narrowly avoided last month), how we choose to engage with these landscapes matters deeply. We have an opportunity now to invest in these landscapes through our time and passion.  

So get on the trails, smile and wave as you pass other trail users, look at a bird, breathe thin air steeped in ponderosa pine - find joy in these places. When these lands come under threat, tell people why we care about them. Let your actions build a better arena for us to be together.  

While you’re at it, consider the work that makes it possible for us to enjoy these places. RMFI constructs and maintains nearly 500 erosion control structures every year to keep trails safe and enjoyable to access. Volunteers are central to building these structures and stewarding the “arena” that our public lands represent, and we are grateful for them. You can learn more about our volunteers’ accomplishments here in our 2024 Volunteer Report by Calla Balliett. 

Because volunteers are so central to the mission of RMFI, we are hosting a Volunteer Roundup at Goat Patch Brewing Co. on August 7-we want to celebrate you! Volunteer stewardship for public lands is more important now than ever. Amid threats to our public lands, you all saw the opportunity to build good things together. This work may not be as easy as my RV friend made it seem, but we at RMFI find joy in it, and we’re grateful that you find joy in it too. Thank you! 

-Sam Hinkle 

Marketing and Development Director 

PS: If you have not volunteered with RMFI, we hope you will consider doing so! You can join us either at one of the public volunteer days on our event calendar, or by contacting us directly to book a private volunteer day for your office, school group, military group, etc. We still have a few opportunities for volunteers in 2025, and we’d love to see you out there!