We arrive at restoration sites ninety minutes prior to the scheduled event time to stage tools and plant material. Some sites demand additional preparation prior to the event day. The event begins at 8 am with volunteer sign-in before a mandatory training and safety demonstration. Volunteer leaders are introduced so inexperienced volunteers may know where to seek advice. Following the demonstration, volunteers are assigned work areas and the restoration project is underway. At noon we break for lunch and are treated to a briefing from a local environmentalist. Our various speakers employ diverse expertise. At one event we may learn about native edible plants, at another we may learn about the threat of global warming. In any case, we tie the subject to the project site within which we are working. In the afternoon we work for two to three more hours before we clean up and end the day. A site walk with a WildPlaces representative and at least one stakeholder takes place during the clean up process. At this time we assess both how much work has been accomplished and the quality of the work. As previously mentioned, we commit to a project for a period of an average of three to five years, allowing us to monitor our success and continue the restoration process. Unforeseen challenges may arise during the course of the day, but our ability to troubleshoot and provide workable solutions in the heat of the moment is well honed. We are trained in first-aid/CPR and emergency wilderness medicine should an emergency present itself, though we have been fortunate to avoid such situations thus far.

We often schedule a guided hike for interested volunteers, members and stakeholders after the workday. It’s always a pleasure to inspect the restoration site with a bird’s eye view. From higher above the ground we can imagine what the site will look like in five, ten or twenty years, and we can also get a better perspective of it’s importance to the balance of the entire ecosystem. We recognize that the manual labor can wear people out, so such hikes are not too lengthy or difficult.

At multi-day events we highly encourage camping out near the restoration sites. WildPlaces provides minimal refreshments and gear for campers. Individuals are encouraged to provide for themselves. Most often, the group cooks well, eats well and sits around the campfire together. Star-gazing is encouraged but optional. Volunteers often play music or enjoy moonlight hikes.

Some restoration sites are imbedded deep in the backcountry with no road access. For these events WildPlaces recruits well-conditioned, intrepid volunteers to pack gear, tools and plant material into the project site and work over a two to three day period. Often, such sites are a result of a recent fire or mudslide making access difficult.

The WildPlaces experience is about working together to effect meaningful change in an environment based on love and respect. Our goal is to enable volunteers from the community to re-connect to the land and each other, the end product being successful habitat restoration. Volunteers leave our projects more aware of the environmental issues that their community may face, more empowered to become a part of the solution and motivated to begin to meet the local challenges. There is something transformational about a group of concerned citizens coming together to work toward a common vision. Great joy is born of such intention.