HISTORY
Grassroots
On March 20th, 1999, about 20 people gathered to plant willows around Heron Pond at Pella Crossing, near Longmont. From this humble beginning grew a corps of thousands of dedicated volunteers who donate close to $1 million worth of time and expertise to restore Colorado’s beloved natural heritage at over ~200+ projects each year. In 2023, we hit our 2,000th project, our 63,000th volunteer, and $15M in volunteer time and expertise contributed to the restoration and stewardship of our most beloved natural areas.
What We Do / Programs
WRV organizes more than 150 volunteer projects each year—from single-day and multi-day events to camping-based efforts—restoring habitats and public lands across Colorado’s plains, foothills, and alpine regions. Our work spans trail maintenance, watershed and stream restoration, wildfire recovery, and other essential conservation efforts that protect and heal Colorado’s most threatened ecosystems.
We’re committed to building an inclusive, welcoming volunteer community where people of all ages and backgrounds can contribute. WRV offers youth-friendly projects, leadership training, and development programs that empower volunteers to gain skills, build confidence, and take on meaningful roles in stewardship and restoration.
Impact & Why It Matters
Colorado’s lands face growing pressures from increased recreation, development, wildfire, and floods—making active stewardship more important than ever. WRV brings people together to restore damaged ecosystems while also strengthening community, fostering connection to nature, and creating meaningful opportunities for learning and personal growth. With thousands of volunteers contributing millions of dollars in time across more than 2,000 projects, our collective impact continues to heal and protect Colorado’s most threatened places.
