I heard about the Trust through the actor Ed Norton, who mentioned his father's work with the Trust. Having a fairly long affinity for the "Red Rocks region," and wanting to support environmental efforts in the area, I took Ed at his word that the Trust was a quality organization and became a member.
As I've only done two and thoroughly enjoyed both, it's too soon for me to have a favorite!
Like a lot of folks, it means a lot to me to do more for causes I believe in than just cut checks. I really value the opportunity to get my hands dirty and see up close that which we're fighting for. Little did I know before doing volunteer work how incredibly much I would get out of this activity. And not just in the sense of the intrinsic reward, but in all of the knowledge you gain—not to mention great new relationships—by getting involved.
My most recent volunteer experience, doing stream survey work in the Mogollon Rim region of northern Arizona, was fascinating given that we were attempting to survey a series of streams using new technologies and methodologies, including a custom GPS-based app. This meant that we were working alongside members of the National Forest Service, which allowed for remarkable exposure to their expertise while out in the field. We had the opportunity to "experience a forest" through their eyes, seeing and hearing what they saw and observed. To a layperson like myself, this was a veritable goldmine of information and expertise. It was also very rewarding to discover their intended methods and tools worked perfectly, such that we were productive right from the start, and only needed to make modifications after day one to complete our work.