Youth experiences in nature alongside a trusted adult are the number one predictor of a future environmental ethic. WRV projects offer a great way for your family to play in, learn about, and care for our state’s natural places.

Family-focused events are intended to engage children of all ages by offering a safe, relaxed environment. These projects have “Families” in the title and always involve kid-friendly stewardship work geared towards younger audiences, like pulling invasive weeds or planting native species. They also offer extra supervision and support and are accompanied by educational activities led by experienced naturalists.

In addition, many of WRV’s events are family-friendly, meaning children are welcome to attend along with a parent or guardian and actively participate in restoration efforts. To find family-friendly events, visit our project schedule below to see all events designated with the light-green “Family” and “Youth” tags.

More complex and difficult projects are often limited to older children and adults; however, we are always willing to work with parents whenever possible. Please call our office at (303) 543-1411 to discuss how we can accommodate the needs of your family.

RECREATION AND RESTORATION ACTIVITIES

We believe it’s important that youth see how caring for and enjoying nature go hand-in-hand, so our new Recreation and Restoration (R&R) activities offer teens aged 14-18 chance to volunteer while also learning new outdoor skills. Examples may include:

• Fuels reduction and hiking on one of Colorado’s iconic mountains
• Pulling invasive species and boating at St. Vrain State Park
• River restoration and fishing

Our first R&R activity—trail maintenance and climbing at Eldorado Canyon State Park, was on August 8th. Keep an eye out for future R&R activity announcements here!

View our full calendar of youth- and family-friendly activities