The Landscape

The Manti-La Sal National Forest covers more than 1.2 million acres (4,900 km²) and is located in the central and southeastern parts of Utah and the extreme western part of Colorado. The La Sal Mountains are located south/southeast of Moab, Utah in Grand and San Juan Counties. The name of the range dates to Spanish times, when the Sierra La Sal (meaning the “Salt Mountains”) were a prominent landmark on the Old Spanish Trail between Santa Fe and Los Angeles. The range is currently in renewed management planning. Recent decades have seen a sharp uptick in recreational use of the La Sal Mountains throughout four seasons. While winter activities remain limited due to high incident of avalanche, motorized and mechanized travel in the range during all other seasons is rapidly increasing.

We are in our 8th consecutive year working with the Manti-La Sal Forest Service on a series of natural resource protection projects.

The Work

This project will focus on natural resource protection and off-road vehicle travel and camping compliance.

Expect to engage in:

• Transporting and constructing log-and-block barriers to protect meadow and riparian ecosystems; 
• 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;
• Building or repairing fences to clarify Wilderness boundaries.

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: Ellie Swanson
Contact: ellie@suwa.org

Itinerary
A general itinerary will be provided to registered volunteers in a Welcome Letter.

•  Saturday, September 6th – Sunday, September 7th

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.

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