Grand Canyon Landscape Restoration Project

Volunteer Opportunities

The project area is approximately 2 acres, once covered in Kentucky bluegrass lawns, along the rim trail from Bright Angel Lodge to El Tovar Hotel. We will work to restore this landscape with native vegetation. Please join members of the National Park Service and Nigel Sparks (founder of Flagstaff Native Plant and Seed), for one or all of the educational and beautifying volunteer events below.

All days start with a brief tour of the restoration project. Wear sun protection and work clothes (closed-toed shoes, long pants). Bring a water bottle, lunch, and rain gear. Gloves, eye protection, and tools will be provided.

To join a volunteer event, please contact:

Nigel Sparks 928-853-8333 nigelsparks25@gmail.com

OR

Jamie Rosenberg 928-638-7782 jamie_rosenberg@nps.gov

Campsites are available for volunteers, please let us know if you plan to camp

Water Harvesting For New and Historic Plantings  (limited to 8 volunteers)

Saturday June 8^th, 9am to 3pm

Significant runoff, erosion and drainage problems exist throughout the project area. We will be weeding, contouring, sowing, mulching, and watering areas from which crews have recently removed a thick sod of Kentucky bluegrass mixed with weeds. Most of these areas have been roughly contoured to create water retention basins within the landscape. It is important to start grasses growing in these areas before monsoon season.

Rally ‘Round the Flag  (limited to 6 volunteers)

Sunday June 9^th, 9am to 3 pm

No, no hands over hearts, anthems, or pledges of allegiance—just hard work and love restoring an important viewpoint in America The Beautiful. We will be weeding, planting, placing rock, sowing, mulching and watering the viewpoint beneath the flagpole near El Tovar. This area was completely weed covered. Much has been removed but more remains. Our goal will be a landscape ready to grow anew.

Revealing The Inner Native  (limited to 12 volunteers)

Saturday June 15^th, 9am to 3 pm and/or

Sunday June 16^th, 9am to 3pm

This is ground level work but can be more satisfying than it sounds; like getting a long neglected room cleaned and organized. Approximately 20% of the project area has established native grasses from previous restoration efforts. Most of these areas are now also overrun with weeds. We will be thoroughly weeding these areas to reveal the success of those previous efforts. We will also add new plantings, sow native grasses and mulch.

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