About
WILDERNESS VOLUNTEERSA Few Words About Us
WILDERNESS VOLUNTEERS
Our Mission is to engage people in meaningful service that conserves and protects America’s wild places.
Wilderness Volunteers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created in 1997 to provide affordable and meaningful volunteer service opportunities that conserve and protect America’s wild lands. We work with public land agencies including the US Forest Service, National Park Service, the BLM, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
About Our Volunteer Projects
It is incredible how much work a group of hardy volunteers can do in a week’s time! As a community, Wilderness Volunteers has been collectively “giving back” and making a difference by working with our public lands agencies to address current concerns and backlogged maintenance projects for over 25 years.
Our week-long service trips typically run from late February through mid-November. We offer a variety of work projects in different locations throughout the country. Projects have different group capacities, from 10 to 12 people, two of whom are trained volunteer leaders. Meals and snacks are provided and are included in the trip fee for each participant. Agencies supply work tools and supervision for the projects. Volunteers provide their own camping gear, basic personal protective equipment (PPE), and transportation to the trip.
Our projects fall into three categories:
– Front country (camping in a designated campground, dispersed camping near civilization, dormitory/cabin stays, etc)
– Back country with support (dispersed camping away from civilization, backpack camping with pack or misc. support)
– Back country with no support (backpack camping with no support).
Front country projects tend to begin on Sunday and end on Saturday. The work tends are schedule to be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Wednesday is a scheduled free day with time to explore and enjoy the public land. This schedule can fluctuate based on the needs of our partnering agencies, so participant flexibility is key.
Back country projects (support and unsupported) formally begin on Sunday but will have folks meeting on Saturday afternoon. This extra time is to ensure folks arrive safely, that gear can be checked and obtained if necessary, and that logistics can be coordinated with our partnering agency. Meeting the day before also allows for an on-time hike in to our basecamp for the week on Sunday.
Accepted participants are expected to assist with camp chores throughout the week, and can include cooking, dish cleaning, camp water, trash management, and securing food. Every accepted participant plays an important role in the Wilderness Volunteers experience and group dynamics are key to a safe, smooth, and memorable project week for all.
Wilderness Volunteers teaches and follows Leave No Trace® outdoor living skills and ethics.
Wilderness Volunteers does not sell or exchange mailing lists. Privacy Statement
