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The 2018 Volunteer Trip Academy Awards

February 13 2018 Marra Clay by Lisa Winters, Research and Stewardship Volunteer Coordinator

We’re excited to announce our 2018 volunteer trip schedule: from pulling invasive plants to collecting habitat data for endangered fish, we’ve got something for everyone. Find the trip that’s the best fit for you, and roll up your sleeves for conservation this summer.

Favoritism disclaimer: As the citizen science coordinator here at the Grand Canyon Trust, I’ve been excitedly looking forward to all this season’s trips since we put them on the calendar.

Fact-check disclaimer: Please note that these are not the real categories for the Academy Awards. Also, these awards do not reflect the opinion of the Grand Canyon Trust. Send in your trip application if you want to lodge a complaint with me.

And the winner is…. Best trip for animal-lovers Progress for pronghorn, House Rock Valley, April 20-22, 2018

Pronghorn are the second-fastest land mammal on earth, but they don’t jump. Confronted with a barbed-wire fence, they crawl underneath. We’ll spend a weekend helping pronghorn movement by replacing barbed wire fencing with a smooth wire higher off the ground. Leave feeling inspired that you’ve helped this quick-footed species get where it’s going, minus the barbs. Sign me up › Best trip for hikers Perennial stream surveys in northern Arizona, June 25-29, 2018

Stream surveys are part of a long-term effort to map trends in how water flows on the surface as part of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative. Last year we spent three full days hiking over 45 miles through the rugged Mogollon Rim, following streams across meadows and through the ponderosa pine forest to collect information on where water is located. This year, we’re going back to see what has changed. Sign me up › Best trip for citizen scientists Aquatic habitat inventory on the Mogollon Rim, June 4-8, 2018

Channel your inner geomorphologist and observe stream channels in a whole new way. We’re exploring the streams of the Mogollon Rim this week to identify habitat for a tiny endangered fish, the Little Colorado Spinedace. We’ll measure stream flow, channel depth, channel width, and generally get our feet wet as we collect detailed data to help inform a recovery plan for this struggling species. Sign me up › Best trip for grazing reform advocates Where cows don’t graze, Utah, May 3-6, 2018

The impacts of poor grazing practices can be seen on nearly every habitat, plant community, food web, soil type, and species in southern Utah. Join us as we learn to document livestock damage across public lands. Practice photography, identify exotic grasses, describe different types of impacts, and leave feeling empowered to speak up for grazing reform. Sign me up › Best short trip Where cows don’t graze, Arizona, August 2-5, 2018

During this quick weekend trip, we’ll give you the training you need to do your own independent citizen science and advocacy work after the trip is over. We’ll teach you how to describe livestock impacts, document via photographs, and collect information on basic native and invasive grasses. We’ll visit a small area of northern Arizona, with the hope that you will explore and document more on your own after the trip is done. Sign me up › Best director in a (trip) leading role Mary O’Brien, spring restoration at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, August 20- 24, 2018

Springs — diverse, rare, and threatened places — are some of the most cherished and culturally significant areas in the Southwest. Join our all-star Utah Forests Program Director, Mary O’Brien, as we explore both the history and ecology of springs. Sign me up › Best associate in a (trip) supporting role Marc Coles-Ritchie, spring surveys at Bears Ears National Monument, June 19-23, 2018

Utah Forests Program Associate Marc emerged on the Grand Canyon Trust scene last year and proved to be indispensable in teaching botany and sharing ecological wisdom with everyone. Join him to survey springs around Bears Ears National Monument and get ready for a fun, productive, and life-changing week. Your plant ID, observation, and GPS skills will benefit. Sign me up › Best original production Johnson Lakes annual jamboree, Utah, May 21-26, 2018

Set up camp in the beautiful Johnson Lakes Canyon, next to the lake and tucked in among the towering rock walls of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and help collect data and document native plant recovery as part of restoring the 840 wild, diverse, and overgrazed acres of an inholding held by Rick and Susie Knezevich. You’ll be well taken care of as you work, learn, and play with like-minded conservation heroes. Sign me up ›

We’re still looking for nominees in the “best volunteer in a leading role” category, so protect the places that you love and spend a week (or weekend) out on the land with us this summer. Check out our 2018 volunteer trips ›

Volunteers in Action Blog Outstanding Volunteer Awards 2018
 Uplift 2018 Takes Youth Climate Justice Movement to New Heights

Building a movement for climate justice on the Colorado Plateau.
 Volunteer Season by the Numbers










