Get Involved: Gunnison (Area 16)

Cedaredge and surrounding North Fork Valley Area:

Bear Aware is a network of trained Colorado Parks and Wildlife volunteers who help their neighbors and communities reduce conflicts and co-exist with black bears. Through this proactive educational wildlife program, volunteer efforts aim to teach human responsibility to help prevent problems between humans and bears. This role can involve answering questions and offering practical advice.

Responsibilities:

Volunteers may: 

• distribute information to the public in areas where conflicts occur
• post signs
• go door to door talking to neighbors
• meet with campers/ organizations/clubs
• support educational programs
• volunteer at information booths and parades.

General CPW staff support in the Gunnison area. Volunteers may work with local district wildlife managers or other area staff on a variety of projects as needed.

Taylor Challenge is a multi-day outdoor recreation and team-building program that serves every 8th grader at Gunnison Middle School. This annual event is a three-day overnight field trip that occurs during the first week of school every year.

Utilizing the outdoors as a unifying theme, the goal of the Taylor Challenge program is to build and promote community, trust, confidence and healthy life choices within the entire grade class (90-120 students). Over three days, the students navigate several activity stations.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife assists with the archery (NASP) and leads the fly fishing stations, with the help of staff and volunteers. This volunteer role assists with the archery station in small group settings to cover just the basics. A NASP (National Archery in the Schools Program) certified teacher from the Middle School leads this station with assistance from CPW staff and volunteers. The station covers eye dominance, the 11 steps to archery success, string bow, and target shooting using whistle command. The students utilize the remaining time to practice shooting.

Taylor Challenge is a multi-day outdoor recreation and team-building program that serves every 8th grader at Gunnison Middle School. This annual event is a three-day overnight field trip that occurs during the first week of school every year.

Utilizing the outdoors as a unifying theme, the goal of the Taylor Challenge program is to build and promote community, trust, confidence and healthy life choices within the entire grade class (90-120 students). Over three days, the students navigate several activity stations.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife assists with the archery (NASP) and leads the fly fishing stations, with the help of staff and volunteers. This volunteer role assists with the fly fishing station in small group settings to cover just the basics. The station breaks students into two groups: one to cover macroinvertebrates (a discussion and searching/examining using nets), followed by clinch knot tying and different types of flies to tie on. Meanwhile the second group covers trout identification and casting. Then, both groups come together to fish at two small ponds (stocked with large rainbows and browns).