From building trails to gardens, volunteers for Outdoor Colorado connects people to nature
By Brittany Anas
IN A STATE DEFINED by dramatic landscapes and a deeply rooted outdoor recreation culture, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) has become a powerful force preserving the places Coloradans love most. The organization has mobilized thousands to build trails, restore habitats, and protect the state’s landscapes, contributing more than 27,000 hours of service in 2025 alone.
At its core, the organization is built on a simple principle: Anyone can help care for the outdoors, whether you’re an experienced backpacker or someone stepping foot on one of the Centennial State’s trails for the first time. Volunteers can pick and choose the projects that interest them most, and VOC provides all the training, tools, camp sites, and food to make sure anyone who wants to participate can do so, says Chris Nesset, chief executive officer of the nonprofit organization.
“We are also very intentional about making sure our volunteers understand why we are doing a project, its importance to the local community, and how it helps protect and conserve Colorado’s natural resources,” she says.
From trail maintenance at Aurora Reservoir to projects along the scenic Uncompahgre River Walk Loop in Ouray, VOC’s offerings are as varied as the terrain itself. This year’s lineup spans everything from helping the Loveland Youth Gardeners prepare their plots for the season to participating in a community science butterfly monitoring initiative. Volunteers can also join a Pride Month project in partnership with Friends of the Front Range Wildlife Refuges, take on high-altitude trail work on peaks like Mount Democrat, a beloved fourteener, or contribute to fall pine cone collections that support future reforestation efforts.
Behind each project is a careful selection process that considers factors such as community benefit and how it aligns with statewide priorities, including Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s plans. VOC often steps in to help fundraise for initiatives, too.
As VOC looks ahead, the focus is on getting more people involved in more ways. Youth programming is growing, and the organization is working to remove barriers such as transportation costs while also creating new volunteer opportunities that go beyond traditional physical labor. This evolution comes at a critical moment. Since COVID, outdoor recreation has surged, Nesset points out.
“This means the impact on these open spaces is only increasing, and the work that needs to be done to preserve habitats, maintain recreational access trails, and keep our urban parks in top shape is also increasing,” she says.
Nesset points to a 2023 report from onX, a digital mapping and GPS app for outdoor enthusiasts, which shows that while 77 percent of outdoor recreation enthusiasts head outside 12 or more times each year, only 19 percent take part in stewardship activities during the same period. Closing that gap is central to VOC’s work, which includes educating volunteers and making participation approachable.
For Nesset, a culture of stewardship is part of what makes Colorado stand out. Having lived in states across the Rocky Mountain region, Nesset says they all have beautiful scenery and amazing experiences, but Colorado is unique in that it has a strong community of grassroots supporters of the outdoors.
“In Colorado, people step up to support those places they love, and it’s what brought me back to Colorado and to VOC five years ago,” she says.
Nesset has long been an avid mountain biker, backpacker, and river runner, but, over time, her relationship with the outdoors has evolved. While she still embraces adventure, she’s also come to appreciate quieter moments—like a dark night sky, a walk in the park, or the discovery of a remote, little-known high point to climb
“We are so fortunate to live in a state that can provide all of that and a community that cares,” she says. “It is a fabulous gift that I hope to give to future generations of Coloradans.”
FINDING PURPOSE ON COLORADO’S TRAILS
Originally from Florida, Connor Bruce grew up with the Everglades as his backyard, where he developed an appreciation for the balance between people and nature. Now based in Denver, the senior cybersecurity auditor says Colorado’s mountains still leave him in awe.
Since joining Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, Bruce has contributed more than 220 hours across a dozen projects statewide—from building a trail near Mary Jane ski area to restoring the historic McIntire Ranch in the San Luis Valley and constructing wood and rock steps on Mount Democrat.
“I get happy seeing our work being used by Coloradans and holding up to constant use,” says Bruce, who earned VOC’s 2025 Roni Sherb New Volunteer of the Year Award.
What drew him to VOC was its accessibility, creating opportunities for people to give back to the trails they use while also learning trail-building skills and connecting with others who share a love for the outdoors.
“There is also immense pride in seeing the results of a weekend’s worth of work in a new trail segment being completed,” he says.
In a place where the outdoors shapes daily life as much as the skyline or seasons, the work of organizations like VOC quietly sustains the landscapes that define our beautiful state. By turning appreciation into action, VOC helps ensure that the trails, rivers, and open spaces Coloradans treasure remain accessible and healthy for years to come. Whether through a single volunteer day or hundreds of hours over time, each project reinforces a simple idea—that stewardship is not just the responsibility of land managers or conservation groups, but a shared commitment among the people who explore these places and call Colorado home.
VOLUNTEERS FOR OUTDOOR COLORADO voc.org
