2019 Volunteer Season by the Numbers

November 04 2019

by Lisa Winters, Research and Stewardship Volunteer Coordinator

“You’re the best!”

“No, you’re the best!”

This is the scene at the end of a volunteer trip, repeating itself over and over all summer long. I lean in for a hug, exclaiming how much fun I had over the week and how much I want to see the volunteer again next year. Actually, that’s more of a demand. Volunteers quickly become friends, people I look to for guidance, experiences, and stories. In reality, a volunteer trip is more like a family reunion.

Grand Canyon Trust volunteers are passionate, motivated individuals willing to jump in, work hard, and accomplish critical work on the ground — we wouldn’t be able to accomplish nearly as much without them. Now that the trips are completed and the gear is cleaned and tucked away on the shelves, we’re ready to brag and celebrate all we accomplished!

2019 volunteer season by the numbers

Over 200 volunteers
19 citizen science and restoration projects on public and tribal lands
Over 4,500 hours of service donated to the Trust
31 in-stream rock structures built to reduce erosion and slow down surface water on Arizona forests.
9 hours of envelope stuffing and administrative help, so that our members stay up-to-date
51 springs assessed (water quality, infrastructure, and wildlife presence) to help the Forest Service prioritize restoration
2.5 miles of irrigation canals maintained for the Tuba City Community Farm and Moenkopi Diversion Canal
34 pillars for chaha'oh (traditional Navajo shade structures) for the Mystic Antelope Canyon Tours and Arrowhead Campground
Seven fences built around stands of aspen on Monroe Mountain to encourage growth of new shoots in declining aspen forests
One natural lake protected on the Kaibab National Forest
17 volunteers taught how to observe, analyze, and record data, which will be used in a database of all livestock-free areas across the Colorado Plateau
1.25 miles of barbed-wire fencing removed in House Rock Valley so pronghorn antelope can move freely

We also pulled countless thistles and other invasive plants on ungrazed lands, submitted comments to Forest Service managers on the proposed destruction of pinyon and juniper forests across southern Utah, and tackled grazing issues with support from the Great Old Broads for Wilderness.

As you can tell, it was a busy summer! The Grand Canyon Trust has about 40 full-time employees, but with volunteer support, it becomes an organization of hundreds. Bottom line — we tackled many projects that wouldn’t have happened without dedicated volunteers.