It all started in 1995...
…WHEN WE BUILT AN ORGANIZATION TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO CARE FOR OUR SHARED OUTDOORS.
RFOV founders (from left) David Hamilton, Kevin O’Brien, and Michael Hutton at our 10th Anniversary celebration in 2005.
Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV) was founded in 1995 by a group of locals who saw the need for a volunteer organization to work in partnership with the public agencies that manage, preserve and protect our public lands. Our goal was to support these land managers, as well as other conservation-minded organizations, by providing a foundation of expertise and resources to complete high-quality, tangible projects. Built on the successful model of the Appalachian Trail Club and Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, RFOV uses community involvement and a hands-on approach to foster a sense of stewardship for the abundant natural spaces in our area.
Our First Projects
Volunteers are all smiles during a 1998 community project at Aspen’s Ashcroft.
In July of 1995, sixteen volunteers set out on the first RFOV community project with the tall task of improving the popular Scout Trail in Glenwood Springs. It was an instant success. The first roster of volunteers enjoyed the experience so much that many returned and brought friends to the next project. That summer, RFOV mobilized a total of 105 volunteers on two additional projects at the Hunter Creek Trail in Aspen and Crater Lake campsite in the Maroon Bells. We continued to establish new connections, working with land managers and local government agencies to prioritize work and help them accomplish meaningful trail and restoration projects. Since those early years, RFOV has completed 946 projects and contributed over $6.5 million worth of stewardship hours to improve our public lands.
New Generations
Creating hands-on memories for the students of Wamsley Elementary’s 4th grade. The Young Stewards Program provides in-school, after-school, and summertime opportunities for students ages 6 to 18.
In 2012, RFOV launched the Young Stewards Initiative to involve students in authentic service learning and empower the next generation of public land stewards. Now called the Young Stewards Program (YSP), our youth education programming has matured into a suite of offerings benefitting schools, libraries, youth organizations, and other partners throughout the RFOV service area. By addressing the need for outdoor education programs during after school hours, as well as in communities with fewer opportunities for outdoor education, RFOV has educated over 16,500 local youth in both the classroom and outdoors.
Scaling Up
Following the retirement of the Founder and Executive Director, David Hamilton, in 2019 and responding to the 2020 pandemic, RFOV’s new leadership embarked on a five year strategic plan. This ambitious five year strategic plan refined our mission, articulated our values, and identified important goals in response to the changing needs of our community and environment. Goals included scaling up our stewardship impact with more volunteers and a professional trail crew, building capacity in natural area restoration and fire mitigation, and expanding our Young Stewards Programs to offer more in-depth experiences. In the past five years, RFOV has doubled the number of volunteers who participate, increased the total annual stewardship hours to improve the environment by 65%, established several long-form youth programs such as Youth in Nature and Adventure Stewards, and created more stability and financial resilience as an organization.
Read More About our Past Projects
