Volunteers survey a spring in northern Arizona. AUDREY KRUSE
Springs are among the most biologically diverse, yet most threatened, natural areas on Earth. In the arid Southwest, these rare pockets of water allow unique plants to grow, bobcats to drink, and birds to feed. Understanding the health of springs can better inform management decisions that support entire ecosystems.
Through the Four Forest Restoration Initiative, the U.S. Forest Service, the Trust, and many partners are working to reduce the risk of severe wildfire and improve the health of our ponderosa pine forests. Rivers, streams, and springs are vital to healthy forests.
During this trip, we will visit springs near Flagstaff, Arizona to document location, condition, wildlife use, and presence of grazing infrastructure. The data you collect will help inform springs-related restoration priorities.
This is a training trip to learn the surveying protocols. Once you complete the training, you will be ready to survey springs on your own. We ask that volunteers commit to collecting data two more times after the training.
Anyone! 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.
NOTE: This trip is currently full. Sign up for a spot on the waiting list.
We’ll meet at 8 a.m. near Flagstaff, Arizona (exact location will be specified in pre-trip emails). Short, off-trail hiking may be required to reach the springs. Please come prepared with hiking gear, lunch, and water. We’ll break around midday for a picnic lunch and aim to be back in the Flagstaff area by 5 p.m.
Vehicles will be nearby, but plan to be without cell service or formal amenities for the day.
The Trust provides: Extra water, snacks, field equipment, tools, and training. We will not be staying overnight at the site.
Participants provide: Personal transportation to the site, smart phone (for data collection), wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and rain gear.
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!
As the Arizona public lands director, Cerissa works to develop and implement collaborative conservation actions that help forests, wetlands, and grasslands thrive. She looks forward to teaming up with you on this project!
Our gear packing list will help you prepare. We can loan some camping gear 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 ›