The Yampa Valley Climate Crew is hosting several opportunities for volunteers to help with hands-on projects including constructing rock structures in streambeds to restore wet meadows in California Park north of Hayden.

Volunteers are needed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday Aug. 6 or Sunday Aug. 7 to help the U.S. Forest Service with the wetland restoration work. Volunteers can sign up online at YVSC.org/yampa-valley-climate-crew.

The wetland ecosystems promote climate resiliency by storing water on the landscape and are vital for wildlife habitat including sandhill cranes, greater sage grouse, elk, deer and other animals. Erosion has disconnected these wet meadows from the floodplain, resulting in decreased water retention and loss of vegetation.

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“We will be building small rock dams in streambeds to slow water runoff and restore wet meadows,” said Ryan Messinger, Yampa Valley Sustainability Council crew coordinator. “Many wet meadows in California Park have eroded, causing the water table to drop and native vegetation to die off. The dams we are building capture sediment in the eroded streambank.”

Other upcoming Yampa Valley Climate Crew volunteer projects include restoration survey work near Rabbit Ear Pass on Aug. 24, 25, 27; clearing downed tree materials to promote tree reforestation on Sept. 14, 15, 17; planting willows in California Park Sept. 20; and tree planting on Elkhead Creek Oct. 15. For questions, contact Messinger at ryan@yvsc.org.

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