Coloradans love the outdoors. We love our hiking routes and recreational spaces so much, we practically love them to death. Some of our state’s most beautiful, and popular, trails incur such overuse that the natural habitat suffers from deterioration.

That’s where Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado comes in. Founded nearly 30 years ago, the Denver-based nonprofit aims to restore and maintain public lands. Volunteers work on an array of terrain, including national forests, state and urban parks, historic sites, and areas ravaged by fire. 

VOC offers over 50 projects a year—from weeklong trips up on the Continental Divide, to three-hour stints in the Denver-metro area. “We’ll have hardcore recreation folks and then there’ll be volunteers who never really venture outside of their neighborhoods,” says Sue Anderson, director of programs for VOC. “If people can understand why these projects are important, then we can achieve our mission of creating lifelong stewards of the environment."

Get Involved: Join Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado in restoring the Pence Park Trail, a popular biking route outside of Evergreen, on October 6 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. To register and learn more, visit Voc.org.  

—Image courtesy of Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado.