As this last snowstorm melts away, it’s time to get back outside on local trails and play. Many of the paths we love for mountain biking, hiking, equestrian, and OHV are in need of some care and attention before the summer activities get in full swing. Downed trees need to be bucked up and moved. Trails need to be restored. Berms crafted and more. Not only is trail maintenance important for creating safer, more enjoyable recreational opportunities—it’s a great way to build community and promote land stewardship.

As a CivicSpark Fellow with Sierra Business Council, I have teamed up with another CivicSpark Fellow, Phoebe Rogers, serving Placer County to help promote volunteer trail days hosted by the Truckee Donner Land Trust (TDLT). This non-profit has protected 40,000 acres and manages 45 miles of trail in the northern Sierra/Truckee area. Both of our fellowships are closely linked to climate adaptation, land-use issues, and community engagement so we found this to be a fitting volunteer engagement project as part of our CivicSpark program requirements. Trail days are typically 9am-2pm, which involves some variation of removing brush from pathways, grading uneven terrain, manicuring trails for special needs, repairs and more—quality fun in sun doing good.

If this sounds like something you might be interested in, sign-up on TDLT’s website. If none of those volunteer slots work, we encourage you to sign up through other organizations promoting similar events to give back to your community like the Tahoe Rim Trail, Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship, Truckee River Watershed Council, Keep Tahoe Blue, Sierra Nevada Alliance, and more.  Any questions for these events can be directed to the contact information on TDLT’s website. Phoebe and I plan to attend in person on June 25, 2022 so we hope to see you out there!