Land Acknowledgment:

This is a community stewardship day, which we acknowledge takes place on the traditional unceded territory of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), and Cheyenne Nations*. We recognize the painful history of genocide and forced occupation of their territory. We honor and respect the many diverse indigenous people connected to this land on which our stewardship days take place.  

We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds and communities. This day will be geared toward those 18+ or 16+, minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Location Details:

Volunteers will be working at camping along the eastern shores of John Martin Reservoir. Join Rangers from John Martin Reservoir and volunteers from Rocky Mountain Field Institute, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, and Bent County 4-H in removing tamarisk from Black Bridge and restoring the land for native wildlife and recreationists. Click here to learn more about the Army Corps of Engineers at John Martin Reservoir. Volunteers should bring all items provided in your confirmation email. For participation in this event, Fee-Free Coupons will be provided to volunteers (while supplies last). These coupons allow you a free vehicle entry to another participating federal site (e.g. BLM, USFS, NPS properties) and are good for 1 year- next steps for this are included in the registration confirmation email.

Time:

Friday evening camping is provided for those who would like to arrive Friday evening.

Saturday, September 24, 2022 - 8:00 am - 4:00 pm 

Saturday will start with an orientation at 8:00 am followed by Tamarisk removal until 4:00 pm

Saturday - after the workday a tour of the Dam will be provided by the Army Corps of Engineers 

Sunday, September 25, 2022 8:00 am - 2:00pm

Sunday will start with an orientation at 8:00 am followed by Tamarisk removal until 2:00 pm

Online registration will close at 11:59 pm on Thursday, September 22nd. For this workday pre-registration is required, please register online. If you need any assistance registering please contact Calla at calla@rmfi.org. We do ask that all volunteers be available for the full weekend, if you need any other accommodations please get in touch with us prior to registering. We are able to accommodate volunteers who are only looking to work Saturday or Sunday and not camp. Please reach out to Calla Balliett at calla@rmfi.org to let us know what day you are joining us for.

Project Information:

Tamarisk, also known as salt cedar, is an invasive tree that hogs light, water, and nutrients, which harms native plants and the wildlife that depend on them. At Black Bridge, tamarisk has taken over the grasslands and river banks, resulting in less habitat for wildlife and fewer river access points for recreationists. By helping remove tamarisk, you will be taking part in a multi-year effort to encourage native plant growth, improve recreational areas for visitors, and ultimately return the habitat to its natural state. Volunteers will be helping cut and stack tamarisk for removal. 

Camping:

We will be proving more camping details along the eastern shore of the reservoir in an open area. Tents, pop-ups, rooftop tents, and camper vans are allowed though there are no hookups as this is a primitive camping site.  If you have a generator for your camper you are welcome to use this. There are no bathroom facilities on this side of the reservoir, porta-potties will be brought in for this event. 

Food:

Food for this weekend will be provided in combination with RMFI and VOC. Breakfast Saturday and Sunday as well as Dinner on Saturday for this weekend will be provided for volunteers. During registration, there will be an opportunity to list any food allergies and dietary needs.

If you have concerns about accessibility on this stewardship day, please reach out to us, or for your reference please use our Trail Terminology Guide to learn more about this activity.

Before registering for the day, please review our FAQs from volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information about what to bring for the stewardship day, visit our FAQ page.

*If you would like to learn about the native territories that each of our projects are located on, please follow this link: https://www.rmfi.org/projects.