
Beaver Dam Wash: Wilderness Implementation
September 26 - September 28

The Landscape
The wilderness lands of Washington County in the southwestern corner of Utah are diverse and extensive. Through the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Congress designated approximately 129,300 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-managed public lands as wilderness in Washington County. The BLM’s St. George Field Office manages nearly 132,000 acres of designated wilderness in 15 wilderness areas ranging in size from the 32-acre Taylor Creek Wilderness to the 44,530-acre Canaan Mountain Wilderness. These lands provide opportunities for primitive recreational activities, including hiking, equestrian trail riding, canyoneering and camping. For the past half decade, SUWA’s Stewardship Program has provided wilderness monitoring and hands-on volunteerism to assist the BLM in its management of wilderness resources.
The Work
This project will focus on natural resource protection and off-road vehicle travel and camping compliance.
Expect to engage in:
- Raking, vertical mulching, and other surface naturalization strategies;
- Placing heavy stone and downed logs to naturalize the impacted travel area;
- Installation of educational signage to prevent future incursions.
All work tools will be provided, including gloves, eye protection, and ear-protection.
Project Rating
Moderate – Expect walking or hiking on uneven terrain; work vehicles will likely be nearby or a short walk away. Project work may include mid- to heavy-lifting, various tool use such as raking and shovelling, and potential to carry fencing, signage or natural materials.
All projects take place outdoors: Please consider your comfortability working in remote landscapes at varying elevations and under variable weather conditions. Our team strives to ensure that all projects provide meaningful work for volunteers of all abilities. Please reach out to the Project Lead if you have questions or concerns.
Volunteers Needed: (8)
Project Lead: Talitha McGuire
Contact: talitha@suwa.org
Itinerary
A general itinerary will be provided to registered volunteers in a Welcome Letter.
- Friday, September 26th – Sunday, September 28th
Camping & Meals
Specific location of camping site(s) will be provided in the Welcome Letter sent to registered volunteers. Campsites are often remote dispersed sites with no running water or pit toilets.
SUWA provides dinners during the project dates as well as snacks and drinks during workdays. Volunteers are responsible for all additional meals (breakfast, lunch) during their stay.
Volunteer Responsibilities
Participants are responsible for their own food, water and camping gear as well as transportation to and from the project site(s). Volunteers should plan to be away from camp all day each of the work days. A recommended packlist will be sent along with the project Welcome Letter (4) weeks prior to the start date. If camping gear is a barrier to your attendance, please reach out to the Project Lead to discuss options.
Registration & Acceptance Timeline
A 2025 General Volunteer Application is required for this project.
- Once we have received your application, you will receive a confirmation email within (5) working days of submission.
- We log all applications until (8) weeks prior to the project. At this point, you will first receive an email confirming whether you have been placed on the“project roster” or a “waitlist.” If you are selected for the project roster, you will then complete a Volunteer Agreement.
- At (4) weeks before the project start date, registered and confirmed participants will receive a Welcome Letter with a comprehensive itinerary, including: driving instructions, a Project Map for mobile devices (when applicable), a notification about carpools and/or caravans, and any additional information pertinent to the project.
- Within (2) weeks of the project you will receive a direct call from the Project Lead to answer any additional questions you may have.
- Individuals on the waitlist will be contacted if space opens due to cancellation within (2) weeks of the project start date.
If you have any questions at any point throughout the process, please do not hesitate to contact us here.