Poudre Wilderness Volunteers
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| Formation | 1995 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Charles "Chuck" Bell |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| 84-1333391 | |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) |
| Headquarters | Fort Collins, Colorado |
Region served | Arapaho National Forest, Roosevelt National Forest, Pawnee National Grassland |
Board Chair | Sean Orner (2024 - Three Year Term) |
| Staff | 0 |
| Volunteers | 250 to 320[1] |
| Website | https://www.pwv.org/ |
Poudre Wilderness Volunteers (PWV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Founded by Charles "Chuck" Bell in 1996, the organization was established to assist the Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in managing and protecting approximately 650,000 acres of wilderness and backcountry areas within the Roosevelt National Forest and Pawnee National Grassland.[2][3]
PWV volunteers attend an off-site three-day training session every five years. They are required to perform at least six patrols (hiking, backpacking, horseback) during each field season, which runs from January to September. In addition to conducting patrols, PWV volunteers clear invasive weeds, host at trailheads, and collect forest usage data for the USFS, among other tasks.
The mission of the Poudre Wilderness Volunteers is to assist the Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the USFS in managing and protecting wilderness and backcountry areas within its jurisdiction. To achieve this mission, the PWV recruits, trains, equips, and fields citizen volunteers to serve as wilderness rangers and hosts for the purpose of educating the public, and provides other appropriate support to these wild areas.[4]
Kids in Nature
The Kids in Nature (KIN) is an initiative that aims to connect children with natural environments through educational programs and direct experience with the stated aim of promoting environmental awareness.
The project goals are to:
- Connect kids with nature via hands-on experiences
- Educate kids about natural processes and wild animals and plants
- Encourage kids to respect natural areas and practice land stewardship
- Introduce kids to selected outdoor skills
- Instill a sense of wonder and appreciation for nature
The KIN program provides ranger-guided hikes with organizations and established groups. PWV leads small groups of children with their adult leaders or adult family members, introducing them to the USFS land and teaching basic Leave No Trace skills as well as trail safety. PWV also holds in-town sessions to help educate.[5]
Trails and Trail Information
58 trails, organized by region and interest, providing maps, elevation profiles, and points of interest, are presented on the Trails pages.[6]
Current trail condition reports are available.[7]
Trails by Interest include:
- Stock Trails
- Bicycle Friendly Trails
- Dogs Off Leash Trails
- Hiking with kids
Trails by Area include:
- Big Thompson/Estes Park
- Lower Poudre Canyon
- Upper Poudre Canyon
- Pawnee Buttes
- Pingree Park Area
- Rawah Wilderness
- Red Feather Lakes Area
History
In 1995, a volunteer ranger for the USFS, Charles Bell, who patrolled the trails of what is now the Canyon Lakes Ranger District, became worried about the cuts to the ranger district’s budget over the previous three years – from 3 full-time persons and 30 seasonal employees down to just 1 full-time employee and 2 part-timers to look after its extensive backcountry and wilderness areas.
With USFS support, he decided to form a volunteer organization that was named Poudre Wilderness Volunteers (PWV) after the major river that flows through the district.[8]
Restoration Work
The 2020 Cameron Peak Fire destroyed over 209,000 acres of the Roosevelt National Forest, leading to multiple trails in the area being damaged or destroyed.[9] As a result in 2021, PWV launched a new initiative to restore trails lost in the fire. Over 200 members of the public and 50 PWV members came to restoration workdays held by the PWV, totaling to 2400 hours of labor. PWV members did an additional 26 workdays in the effected area.
- 3000 trees removed
- 60 miles cleared of trees
- 11 miles of drainage work on the tread
Results in 2022 were similar.[10]
