Changemaker Teens Enjoyed a Wild Weekend of Service Supporting a Multi-Year Greenback Cutthroat Trout Restoration Project at George Creek
Written by Erin Angel, Senior Instructor, Changemakers & Alumni Coordinator. Changemakers Outdoor Leadership Corp (COLC or just Changemakers) started their year off strong in September with an overnight service project. After school on Friday, some of Changemakers’ newest members and a couple of veterans hopped in the van and trekked 3 hours to George Creek just north of Red Feather Lakes. Wildland Restoration Volunteers (WRV) in partnership with Trout Unlimited and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) received a 5 year grant to bring the endangered Greenback Cutthroat Trout back to George Creek. Changemakers were graciously allowed to participate in the very beginning of this Greenback restoration project, and they are excited to follow along on the multi-year process.
Students rose early to a chilly and drizzly morning. They quickly began assimilating into the crowd of seasoned trail workers most of whom were at least 30 years older! That didn’t scare our teens though. Soon enough, they were getting to know the volunteers, excited to learn how each one either worked in conservation or found service work as a hobby.
Outfitted in rain jackets, muck boots, and waders, everyone began their work in the creek making a Changemaker favorite – Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs)! BDAs are basically just a man-made beaver dam. The goal is to create the environment that a beaver might want to live in. Once beavers have established themselves – they create the ecosystem that Greenback Cutthroat Trout need to breed and lay their eggs. Beavers are a keystone species, shaping the environment and creating entire wetland ecosystems. These ecosystems help filter water, increase biodiversity, lessen wildfire damage, and raise the water table. No wonder our Changemakers love them so much!
BDAs are simple but hard work! Students spent both Saturday and Sunday harvesting live branches and hundreds of pounds of thick sod. These things are layered together in the water to create a dam. Changemakers alone made 3 BDAs and were able to see immediate changes! When returning Sunday morning, the water level had noticeably risen in front of their first dam. The total WRV project made over 10 BDAs along George Creek. Each October CPW and CSU will return and take drone footage of the area to monitor changes.
Changemaker teens aren’t “all work and no play”. Saturday afternoon they whittled, explored the area, and played some classic Cottonwood games. The best moment, though, was when veteran students Cam and Jade invited a moment of whimsy while putting away tents. They noticed the rain flies were similar to the rainbow parachutes we all know and love from elementary gym class. They called over everyone to partake in recreating a fond memory. Once all 9 students and instructors were inside, they became The Blob and went around camp eating other WRV volunteers.
Overall, the trip was a massive success. New and experienced students bonded while working alongside one another. At the end, they were proud of their work and can’t wait to see the changes over the coming years. Changemakers hope to continue this project annually and maybe even as alumni once some of them graduate from high school! We would like to sincerely thank WRV for providing Changmakers this opportunity and all of the volunteers who welcomed our youthful energy and played along with all our games.
A big thank you to the funders and supporters who help make the Changemakers Program possible, including: Larrk Foundation, Great Outdoors Colorado, Thorne Nature Experience, and the Walton Family Foundation.
If you, too, are passionate about getting students outside for Greenback restoration and other outdoor adventures, please consider making a donation or becoming a monthly donor! You’ll help invest in our students, programs, and long-term sustainability and success.
