For Immediate Release: April 10, 2007  
Contact: Mel Lloyd BLM 970-244-3097

EARTH DAY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
Flume Canyon Trail Maintenance

Grand Junction, Colo. — The Bureau of Land Management-McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area (NCA), the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC), and Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado are looking for volunteers to perform much-needed work on the Flume Canyon Trail on Saturday, April 21, in celebration of Earth Day, and then again on Saturday, May 19, 2007.

"Commemorating Earth Day by improving upon the NCA’s family-friendly trail system is a great opportunity for families to spend the day together," said NCA Manager Paul Peck. "We couldn't accomplish this trail maintenance without the help of volunteers and CMC's energy.  We need more folks like them taking an active role in public lands stewardship."  The BLM frequently partners with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado to recruit volunteers for its projects on surrounding public lands.

"CMC members are glad to help the BLM restore and protect some of the trails we enjoy hiking on," said John Gribben, trail stewardship coordinator for the CMC. "The Grand Valley is lucky to have access to beautiful country on public lands."

Flume Canyon, a favorite with local hikers and horseback riders, is located in the Front Country of the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness.  Minutes from Grand Junction, the designated trail system is part of a network of popular trails that includes Devil's Canyon, Pollock Bench and the Fruita Paleontological Area.

The 123, 430-acre McInnis Canyons NCA and 75,550-acre Wilderness are managed under BLM's National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS).  The NLCS is composed of special public lands, many of which have received special recognition and protection through congressional or presidential conservation designations.  For more information on the NLCS, go to www.blm.gov/nlcs.  For additional information on this project, contact Park Ranger Troy Schnurr at 970-244-3032 or John Gribben, Colorado Mountain Club, at 970-257-9708.  Volunteers may sign up online for either day at
www.voutdoors.org, then search for “Flume.”

-BLM-