Volunteers arrange rocks for better stream flow on the Coconino National Forest. AUDREY KRUSE
Protecting water resources is a key step in supporting more resilient forests, especially as the climate warms. Join us to restore the health of wetlands and streams that flow through northern Arizona’s ponderosa pine forests. These spring-fed streams are small but vital water sources that support plants and animals seldom found anywhere else in the forest.
We’ll be working on a stream in Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff that has been impacted by drought, flash floods, and overgrazing, resulting in erosion, steep banks, vegetation loss, and less surface water. On these day trips (June 1 and June 2), we will install rock structures in eroded areas to help slow and spread out the water flow. This will help re-establish native plants, support downstream water availability, and improve forest health beyond the boundaries of our work.
Many of our trips are family friendly! Please see our FAQs for more information or email us with questions about particular trips.
Membership is optional, but we ask that participants who are comfortable financially become members of the Grand Canyon Trust with a $25 donation. Members receive a subscription to our biannual print magazine, The Advocate. Please contact us if you have any questions. You’ll also need to submit your volunteer application form to secure your spot on the trip.
We’ll meet in the morning at the work site (exact location will be specified in pre-trip emails) for a safety talk and project introduction. We’ll spend the day lifting rocks, digging pools, and restoring stream habitats, breaking for a tasty lunch together around midday. We will wrap up work around 4 p.m.
We’d love your help at the other Stream Stewards work days too! Sign up for more stream restoration fun:
June 1 ›
August 30 - September 2 ›
Vehicles will be nearby, but plan to be without cell service or formal amenities for the day.
The Trust provides: Lunch, water, snacks, field equipment, tools, and training. We will not be staying overnight at the site.
Participants provide: Personal transportation to the site, work clothes, work gloves, refillable water bottle, wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, rain gear, and any other necessities for a day in the woods. Please come prepared.
Audrey has a background in experiential and wilderness education and is passionate about healing the lands and supporting the communities of the Colorado Plateau. Ask about her favorite German desserts, backpacking adventures, and goofy dog stories!
Lena is an experienced outdoor leader and social scientist who loves connecting people with nature. Trust trips combine her favorite things: passionate people, beautiful landscapes, and playing in the mud!
Our gear packing list will help you prepare. We can loan some items on a first-come, first-served basis — contact us for details.
Curious about logistics, the food you'll eat during the trip, or the difficulty of the field work? Check out the frequently asked questions ›
When you volunteer for the Trust, we make it worth your while. From eating good food, to learning new skills, find out the perks of volunteering.
Our top priority is the safety and comfort of our trip participants. Precautionary measures that will be followed on trips to avoid the spread of communicable diseases will be communicated in pre-trip emails. If we feel that a trip cannot be safely conducted due to public health conditions, or for any other reason, we will cancel the trip with as much notice as possible. Contact volunteernow@grandcanyontrust.org with any questions.
The Grand Canyon Trust is committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion at every level of our work. The conservation field and the Colorado Plateau have their own histories of racial injustice and exclusion and as a largely white organization, we know we have work to do. We are actively working to make the conservation field and the Colorado Plateau more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive. Read the Grand Canyon Trust’s justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion statement ›