This year as RMFI begins gearing up for our annual Volunteer Vacation, we take a look back at the rich history of this national phenomenon which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2014. I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Bill Ruskin, the man behind the first trail stewardship project that would evolve into the ongoing tradition of Volunteer Vacation. The ball got rolling on outdoor stewardship in 1972 when Congress passed a bill to give members of the public interested in environmental preservation the opportunity to volunteer on USDA Forest Service lands. In response to the new legislative act, Ruskin, a Colorado resident and founding member of the National Hiking and Ski Touring Association, created the Volunteer Conservation Corps (VCC) to recruit volunteers to work on public lands. These volunteers would assist land management agencies with trail building and maintenance needs, which were often backlogged or never completed. The mission of VCC was to provide recreational users of public lands the opportunity to give back to the lands they love. 

In 1974, Bill and the VCC organized their pilot trail stewardship project right here in Colorado. More than 1,200 volunteers from all over the country applied to participate in this unique opportunity. Fifty-eight of these applicants, from fourteen different states, ended up traveling to Colorado that year to become trained in land conservation technique. These men and women spent days working on key projects in the Pike National Forest and other areas. The event was such a success that it continued on an annual basis and in 1978 the National Hiking and Ski Touring Association merged with the American Hiking Society. The very next year this growing volunteer stewardship event became known as 'Volunteer Vacation,' a program that has spread around the nation. As Bill Ruskin told me, "Colorado is a stronghold of volunteers taking care of the outdoors. Volunteer Vacation was a bellwether for engaging volunteer stewardship."

RMFI's 2014 Volunteer Vacation will take place in the Severy Creek Basin on Pikes Peak from August 20 - 24. Severy Creek Basin is an ecologically remarkable site and is recognized by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program for its outstanding biological diversity. Unfortunately, stormwater runoff from the Pikes Peak Highway has caused severe environmental impact to the Basin. Participants of the Volunteer Vacation will work out of a basecamp located off the Pikes Peak Highway at approximately 10,500 feet. We will spend the days constructing hillslope stabilization structures, revegetating stream banks, and transplanting willow and sedges to assist with the restoration of this delicate ecosystem. Our evenings will be spent recreating, relaxing, cooking, and eating delicious meals (provided by RMFI!). Find more information about RMFI's 2014 Volunteer Vacation here. We hope you'll join us in celebrating the 40th year of Volunteer Vacation by enjoying and giving back to our majestic mountain, Pikes Peak.