“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts” when it comes to the partnership between the Rocky Mountain Conservancy and the Poudre Wilderness Volunteers (PWV) to make the High School Leadership Corps a positive, life-changing experience for 14- to 17-year-old students in Colorado.
The Conservancy’s High School Leadership Corps (HSLC) is an 11-day intensive summer outdoor experience that combines adventure, service, education and personal growth. One of the highlights for students – or one of their biggest challenges – is a multi-day wilderness work assignment with the Poudre Wilderness Volunteers.
The HSLC’s first group hiked the Fish Creek Trail into Roosevelt National Forest in June to set up camp, then spent several days working to build a bridge over the creek. PWV’s experienced mentors guided the students through sourcing the rocks and trees, cutting and milling the wood with hand tools, moving the rocks and milling logs to form the foundation, and bringing all the elements together to build a safe and stable bridge for hikers.
“This is a completely new experience for the students,” said Sasha Godsil, HSLC field coordinator for the Conservancy. “They were all out of their comfort zone and for some it was really their first time in the mountains. Plus, there was no cell reception up there, no ‘screens,’ so they had to be by themselves and each other.”
“I always told myself I loved the outdoors, but I never really experienced it,” said Santiago, one of the crew members who is from the Broomfield area. “I stayed home the whole time and played games or listened to music.” He admitted he was initially apprehensive about camping and the physical labor, but said the work days were “really great” and that he “had a blast learning to cut down trees, arrange rocks like a puzzle, cook his own food and relax at the campsite.”
Mike Corbin of PWV oversaw the Fish Creek bridge project and praised his young crew of trail workers. “Everyone followed directions and was always cooperative,” he reported. “I think everyone had a lot of fun and the bridge turned out great!”
Poudre Wilderness volunteers – Photo courtesy
Poudre Wilderness volunteers and members of the High School Leadership Corps on the bridge they built over Fish Creek. (Poudre Wilderness volunteers – photo courtesy)
Corbin’s enthusiasm for working with volunteers and managing public lands is a reflection of the small but highly effective PWV organization, a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 1996 to support the U.S. Forest Service.
“The driving factor in the creation of PWV was that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) dramatically reduced the number of ranger positions in 1995,” said Jeff Randa, PWV board member. “PWV started with about 25 people serving as volunteer rangers.” PWV’s focus has expanded from monitoring trails and promoting backcountry education and safety to assisting the Canyon Lakes Ranger District with trail maintenance and construction. PWV was critical to the recovery from the High Park Fire in 2012 and continues to restore trails following the Cameron Peak Fire in 2020, the largest wildfire in Colorado history to date.
“PWV is the largest all-volunteer organization serving the USFS, and we are fundamentally not interested in significantly increasing the size of the organization,” Randa said. Instead, PWV tries to maintain a natural flow of volunteers who love the wilderness and want to give back to nature, as well as a core of highly experienced members with skills in forestry or backcountry work. PWV is proud that its volunteers, who range in age from 18 to 80, come from a wide variety of backgrounds and walks of life.
Like the Conservancy, PWV works to connect children and youth with nature and promote environmental awareness and respect through fun programs and hands-on experiences. This shared goal of inspiring the next generation of land stewards makes working with the HSLC program a natural fit. Crew member Santiago said the PWV mentors were “really nice and inclusive. You could tell they were having a lot of fun teaching kids how to do the things they love.”
Aside from an interest in getting out into the outdoors, there are very few requirements for high school students applying to the HSLC. Participants receive a complete uniform, from the hat on their head to the boots on their feet, $400 scholarships upon completion, use of equipment, and the experience of backpacking and camping. By providing equipment and uniforms, the Conservancy removes a major financial barrier for young people who want to get out into the outdoors and develop a love and knowledge of the outdoors.
Santiago said he would do the HSLC program again if he had the chance.
“It was an incredible experience. It gave me a different perspective. I used to be an introvert, but now I have made many friends with strangers and live in the forest,” he said.
The High School Leadership Corps is funded through donations, the sale of Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado license plates, and grants from the National Park Foundation and WoodNext Foundation. To support the HSLC by purchasing a special Rocky Mountain National Park license plate, visit RMConservancy.org/plate. For more information about the PWV or how you can support it, visit www.pwv.org.
Originally published:
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