From pikas on alpine ridglines to rattlesnakes in desert canyons, the Colorado Plateau is home to an incredible array of wild creatures. We work to make sure native species have the habitats, water, and space they need to thrive. Sometimes we use clipboards and data sheets. Other times we use shovels. And often, we don work gloves. With the help of volunteers and research partners, we improve the health of the land for our plant and animal neighbors across the plateau.
Beavers, whose dams help slow the flow of water, are master engineers that change the way water flows in our forests. Their dams raise creek beds, reduce the force of flash floods, and create habitat for fish and other wildlife. We’re helping bring beavers back to their historic habitat in Utah. Watch our 13-minute video "Beaver: Back to the Future," and read an interview with the filmmaker ›
Topping out at 55 miles per hour, pronghorn are some of the fastest animals in the world. Yet despite their powerful, lean legs, they can’t jump.
Fences stop pronghorn in their tracks — a serious problem in a landscape crisscrossed with barbed-wire cattle fences. Rather than hop over fences, the animals will try to squeeze underneath. But wires are typically strung too low, scraping pronghorns’ backs and leaving them susceptible to infection and disease.
We work in strategic locations where pronghorn return year after year to replace the bottom wire with a smooth one and raise it to 18 inches off the ground — enough space for pronghorn to pass through. Since 2011, Grand Canyon Trust volunteers have made over 13 miles of fences in House Rock Valley wildlife-friendly. See how we do it ›
Springs are the lifeblood of the Colorado Plateau's forests, canyons, and communities. They provide permanent homes for snails, ferns, and many other species, and serve as watering holes for wider-ranging animals like bobcats and desert bighorn sheep. Volunteers visit springs to document water quality, signs of wildlife, and native and non-native plants. We share the data we collect with land management agencies to help prioritize restoration.
With the help of volunteers, we pull weeds and plant native species to rebalance degraded landscapes across the Colorado Plateau. We bag and remove non-native plants and take photo points to track the health of our public lands. Find out why we pull weeds ›
Bological soil crusts are living skins of lichen, moss, and cyanobacteria. They prevent erosion and absorb water. We make the case to land managers and advocate for the protection of these fragile desert soils that are easily crushed by cattle, off-road vehicles, and visitors.
Nearly all public lands are open to grazing, and on the Colorado Plateau, where the ground is dry and water sources scarce, livestock leave big impacts on the land. Native plants wither under the pressure of too many mouths and hooves. We work with land managers to study grazing impacts, address problems, and advocate for a better balance of grazed and livestock-free lands.
We rely on partnerships with federal agencies like the U.S. Forest Service, universities, environmental groups, and many others to accomplish change on the ground.
As 2024 draws to a close, we look back at five maps we created this year that give us hope for 2025.
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A small victory in the legal case challenging Daneros uranium mine, near Bears Ears National Monument.
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Mugs, handmade soaps, high fashion, jewelry and more. There's something for everyone on your holiday shopping list.
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