This project provides funding to wildland restoration volunteers (WRV) to implement its project, which will design, demonstrate, and disseminate environmental education practices, methods, and…

The Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 awarded a $213,322 Project Grant to Wildlands Restoration Volunteers under the Environmental Education Grants Program (CFDA 66.951). The grant will fund environmental education and stewardship activities in Colorado communities through 2024.

Key deliverables include establishing a restoration youth corps for 20 low-income teens, training 40 community leaders through bilingual leadership workshops, and engaging 400 volunteers in 16 high-impact restoration projects. Subawards totaling $24,000 will support training 200 volunteers and partners on diversity, equity and inclusion, translating stewardship materials into Spanish, and supporting six community partners in ongoing engagement activities. The program aims to increase environmental literacy and encourage beneficial behaviors, addressing local climate change impacts and restoration needs in partnership with underserved communities throughout Colorado.

This project provides funding to wildland restoration volunteers (WRV) to implement its project, which will design, demonstrate, and disseminate environmental education practices, methods, and techniques, that will serve to increase environmental literacy and encourage behavior that will benefit the environment in communities in colorado. The grantee will do this by working with communities to address local climate change effects and restoration projects. Combined effects of climate change and population growth have had significant impacts on colorado's air and water quality. 2020 was the state's most active fire season, and residents along the front range experienced poor air quality throughout the summer months, particularly in low-income areas that already experienced high levels of ozone pollution from industry and transportation. Runoff caused by wildfire and other forms of environmental degradation have also contaminated water quality, while growing populations have exacerbated the effects. These impacts transcend local boundaries and have negative impacts on the health and well-being of residents in both rural and urban areas across the state. To ensure that projects address local impacts that are most relevant to target communities, WRV is taking a community-based approach, partnering with organizations rooted in these communities in order to meet the needs of community members. For example, in northeast denver, among the most polluted areas in the country, they will work with local partners such as high line canal conservancy and environmental learning for kids to plant trees in neighborhoods heavily impacted by poor air quality. In lafayette and longmont, projects will focus on riparian corridors such as coal creek and ST. Vrain, particularly where these waterways run through low-income neighborhoods. Activities:this project will increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues in colorado and provide youth, families, and young adults from low-income, primarily latinx communities the skills necessary to make informed decisions and to take responsible actions. Activities to be performed during this project period include: activities over two years will include a restoration youth corps for 20 low-income teens; training 40 participants as community leaders through four bilingual restoration leadership trainings; and engaging 400 volunteers on at least 16 high-impact stewardship projects. Participants will gain increased access and connections to nature; build skills and capacity to identify and address local environmental challenges; and gain access to career pathways in environmental and natural resources.subrecipient:training on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility - WRV will allocate $5,000 in subaward funds to provide training on engaging diverse communities for 200 volunteers or partners. This project will work entirely with underserved (low-income communities and communities of color), so IT is imperative that we prioritize creating an inclusive and equitable environment. WRV will allocate $4,000 in subaward funding to the outdoor stewardship institute (OSI), a state leader in providing trainings on ecological stewardship and outdoor leadership; trainings are created in collaboration between WRV, volunteers for outdoor colorado, and other organizations. Subaward funding will support the translation of OSI written materials and online trainings into spanish and ensure that trainings are culturally relevant and inclusive. In doing so, WRV will ensure that volunteers and stewardship professionals statewide, rather than just our own community, have access to spanish-language materials. Community based partnerships - WRV will allocate $15,000 in subawards to six partners who are already rooted in and effectively supporting underserved communities. Funding will be used to support partners in providing ongoing community-building activities such as outreach