Every Friday, we post ways that you can contribute to making our region a greener place, including events, community science projects, jobs, internships, scholarships, and direct actions. If you have something you would like included in the next round-up, please email us at info@rockymountainwild.org.
Oil and Gas Lease Sale Comment and Protest Periods
You can help protect rare plants, greater sage-grouse, big game and more in Utah
Utah Bureau of Land Management’s proposed December 2025 oil and gas lease sale threatens wildlife and wildlands. Alison’s screen shows overlaps with inventoried lands with wilderness characteristics, priority habitat for greater sage-grouse, rare plants, big game and more. Use Rocky Mountain Wild’s resources to comment on the sale. Protest due October 23.
Wilderness quality lands, sage-grouse, rare fish, and more need your help in Utah
Utah Bureau of Land Management’s proposed March 2026 oil and gas lease sale threatens wildlife and wildlands. Alison’s screen shows overlaps with critical habitat for Colorado pikeminnow, habitat for greater sage-grouse, inventoried lands with wilderness characteristics, priority habitat for greater sage-grouse, occurrences and habitat for rare plants and more. Use Rocky Mountain Wild’s resources to comment on the sale. Comments due October 27.
Photo of the Bitter Creek area with wilderness characteristics. Photo copyright Ray Bloxham/SUWA
Speak up for the historic JO Ranch, rare butterflies, prairie dogs and more in Wyoming
Wyoming Bureau of Land Management’s proposed March 2026 oil and gas lease sale threatens wildlife and wildlands. Alison’s screen shows overlaps with priority and general habitat for greater sage-grouse, the Sand Creek Area of Critical Environmental Concern that includes the Historic JO Ranch, habitat for the rare Western regal fritillary butterfly and for rare plants and more. Use Rocky Mountain Wild’s resources to comment on the sale. Comments due October 30.
Photo of JO Ranch Rural Historic Landscape from the Bureau of Land Management.
Other Featured Environmental Actions and Opportunities
Taxpayers Shouldn’t Pay for Corporate Cleanup!
URGENT: Trump Administration Plans to Stick Taxpayers with Oil Company Cleanup Bills. Here’s what’s happening: The Department of Interior is planning to roll back bonding requirements that ensure oil and gas companies pay for their own cleanup when they’re done drilling on public lands.
Why this matters:
- There are already over 10,000 idle wells on our public lands
- Cleanup could cost taxpayers up to $15 billion
- 90% of Westerners believe companies should pay their own cleanup costs
- These wells leak methane and can poison groundwater.
The good news? We can fight back. Join thousands of Americans demanding the administration keep current bonding requirements in place.
Keep it Public, Colorado!
Our public lands need your help, now more than ever. Recent actions include massive funding cuts, incentives for oil and gas development, and hollowing out the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). Stay informed and take action at keepitpublic.co. Photo of Vermillion Basin: Sam Cox-landscape Imagery.
Speak Out Against the Development at Wolf Creek Pass
Help us tell the developers and decision-makers why building a “village” for 10,000 people at Wolf Creek Pass is a bad idea and the wrong choice for our community and state.
Your statement can help us stop the destruction of this incredible natural resource.
Organizations in Colorado Working Towards Equity in the Outdoors
- Adaptive Sports Center – enhancing the quality of life of people with disabilities through exceptional outdoor adventure.
- Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center – providing adaptive sports programs to individuals including adaptive winter ski and snowboard programs at Breckenridge, Keystone, and Copper Mountain Ski Resorts, and summer programs on local rivers, lakes, bike paths, and an adaptive ropes course.
- Camping to Connect – uses outdoor recreation and nature immersion to address the diverse issues faced by young men of color in America’s cities—from mental health to healthy masculinity.
- Colorado Blackpackers – providing gear, outdoor excursions, and outdoor education for free or at subsidized costs and connecting participants with volunteer opportunities, internships, jobs, and post-secondary education resources to create a pipeline from outdoor recreation to outdoor industry careers.
- Colorado Gone Hiking – creating an inclusive community that focuses on starting a love of hiking and nature.
- Colorado Treks – breaking barriers to outdoor experiences by providing accessible and enriching adventures in nature for Colorado’s diverse communities, particularly youth and families, fostering a lifelong connection to the healing power of the outdoors.
- Ecoinclusive Strategies – fostering healthy and diverse organizational and community ecosystems that empower individuals from all backgrounds to thrive.
- Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK) – reaching out to students who have been traditionally overlooked and under-encouraged in science and science-related careers, most notably, youth of color, LGBTIQA2+, and girls.
- Green Latinos – convening a broad coalition of Latino leaders committed to addressing national, regional, and local environmental, natural resources, and conservation issues that significantly affect the health and welfare of the U.S. Latino community.
- Latino Outdoors Colorado – inspiring, connecting, and engaging Latino communities in the outdoors and embracing cultura y familia as part of the outdoor narrative, ensuring our history, heritage, and leadership are valued and represented.
- LGBT Outdoors Colorado – getting LGBTQ+ community outdoors, creating safe spaces, and promoting diversity among the outdoor industry.
- Native Womens Wilderness – inspiring and raising the voices of Native women in the outdoor realm to encourage a healthy lifestyle within the wilderness and provide an education of the Ancestral Lands and its people.
- Next 100 Colorado – committed to the establishment of a just and inclusive parks and public lands system.
- Outdoor Asian Colorado – creating a diverse and inclusive community of Asian and Pacific Islands in the outdoors.
- Outdoorist Oath – an action-based commitment to planet, inclusion, and adventure. It offers tools/education for inquiry, a shareable education model, and the hub for a community that cares to build a better future.
- Rising Routes – elevating diverse communities and collaborating with partners to spark public action toward social and environmental resilience.
- Summit for Action – a gathering for thought-provoking discussions and solutions-based recommendations for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Nonprofit Organizations.
- Vibe Tribe Adventures – offering global outdoor recreation and adventure sports opportunities for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), and friends.
- Wanderland Outdoors – founded to fill the need in the outdoor space for diversity in faces, an elevated luxury experience, and to help reconnect future clients to the land around them.
- Women’s Wilderness – creating space for girls, women, and nonbinary people of all ages and backgrounds to find their place, their voice, and their power in the outdoors.
In-Person Events
Here are some conservation, stewardship, and advocacy events happening in person. All locations are in Colorado unless indicated otherwise.
- 10/2-3 Denver and Online – Equity in Conservation and Outdoor Recreation (E.C.O.R.) Summit for Action. The 2025 Equity in Conservation and Outdoor Recreation (E.C.O.R.) Summit for Action invites you to embark on a transformative journey at the intersection of equity, inclusion, and the great outdoors. Our two-day event is a call to action, bringing together thought leaders, activists, practitioners, and community members to engage in profound discussions about the vital role of environmental justice in conservation and outdoor recreation movements.
- 10/28-10/29 Denver – Everyone Outdoors Colorado (formerly Next 100 Colorado) Annual Convening. This year’s theme is “Rooted in Resilience: Shaping What’s Possible.” Together, we’ll explore how resilience—grounded in community and shared purpose—can drive bold visions for the future of our lands, waters, and outdoor spaces. This year’s convening will feature inspiring stories, collaborative workshops, and opportunities for collective action. We’ll celebrate the strength of our work, imagine what’s possible when everyone has a place in the outdoors and officially unveil our new brand! If you’re interested in attending or have any questions, contact Modesta McGrath-Martínez.
- 11/5 Denver and Virtual – Wild and Scenic Film Festival. Rocky Mountain Wild is excited to be bringing The Wild & Scenic Film Festival back to Denver and live in your living room! You can either live stream the festival with whoever you are staying safe at home with on your own time, or you can join us for a showing at The Bug Theatre in Denver. The evening will include award-winning environmental films, which have been selected not only for their great visual stories but also to inspire and motivate us to become or remain in right relationship with each other and the planet. This film festival is made by activists for activists and sits apart from the hundreds of festivals around the world by leaving you inspired and motivated to go out and make a difference in your community and the world.
Virtual Events
- Weekly Series American Trails Advancing Trails Webinar Series. American Trails brings agencies, trail builders, planners, architects, advocates, and volunteers the latest in state-of-the-art information on all aspects of trails and greenways usually applicable to all trail types, with expert presenters.
- 10/2 – Equity in Conservation and Outdoor Recreation (E.C.O.R.) Summit for Action. The 2025 Equity in Conservation and Outdoor Recreation (E.C.O.R.) Summit for Action invites you to embark on a transformative journey at the intersection of equity, inclusion, and the great outdoors. The event is a call to action, bringing together thought leaders, activists, practitioners, and community members to engage in profound discussions about the vital role of environmental justice in conservation and outdoor recreation movements.
- 11/5 – 11/12 – Wild and Scenic Film Festival. Rocky Mountain Wild is excited to be bringing The Wild & Scenic Film Festival back to Denver and live in your living room! You can either live stream the festival with whoever you are staying safe at home with on your own time, or you can join us for a showing at The Bug Theatre in Denver. The evening will include award-winning environmental films, which have been selected not only for their great visual stories but also to inspire and motivate us to become or remain in right relationship with each other and the planet. This film festival is made by activists for activists and sits apart from the hundreds of festivals around the world by leaving you inspired and motivated to go out and make a difference in your community and the world.
Community Science Projects
Colorado Pika Patrol
The Colorado Pika Project is a research project implemented by community scientists across Colorado. Through long-term monitoring of pika populations, we are not only providing useful data to researchers and land managers, but we are doing so in a way that educates and engages Coloradans in conservation and the local impacts of climate change.
Pika Patrol App
Can’t commit to the Colorado Pika Patrol project? The Pika Patrol App allows you to record observations of American pikas wherever you find them!
Colorado Corridors Project
Colorado Corridors Project remote-triggered cameras collect tens of thousands of photos each year in an attempt to make a case for building an overpass for wildlife along the I-70 mountain corridor. Because of this overwhelming data, they need help identifying the wildlife you see in these photos. With your help, they can process and analyze the data much faster than if they did it on their own.
Colorado Bat Watch
Colorado Bat Watch was developed by Rocky Mountain Wild in collaboration with bat experts from the U.S. Forest Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Natural Heritage Program, and the North American Bat Monitoring Program. This program recruits and engages community scientists to collect data that will enable these agencies to monitor bat species over time and better understand the impacts of white-nose syndrome and other threats on local bat populations.
Go Big! Central Colorado Bighorn Sheep Survey
The Central Colorado Bighorn Sheep Survey engages the community in recording observations of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, domestic sheep, and domestic goats in Central Colorado. The data collected by volunteers participating in the project will inform conservation strategies for Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep in Central Colorado.
Join Denver Zoo’s Boreal Toad Conservation Team
In the summer months, volunteer community scientists on the Boreal Toad Conservation Team help us to search the mountain wetlands of Colorado for this hard-to-find amphibian. The data us and our volunteers gather in this projects informs CPW’s management of boreal toads, identifies future sites for wild reintroduction, and uncovers unknown populations (and we hope even ‘super-toads’ that may have natural resistance to chytrid fungus).
Join Audubon as a Climate Watch community scientist
Explore how North American birds are responding to climate change. This innovative community-science program enlists volunteer birders across North America to count certain bluebirds and nuthatches in the same place (or places) twice each year. By sticking to a scientific protocol and sharing their results, these community scientists help track whether birds are moving in accordance with projections from Audubon’s climate models.
Join Bumble Bee Watch
Volunteers needed to submit photos or videos of bumble bee nest sightings. The bumble bee nest sighting can come from anywhere within North America. An ideal sighting would include an image of the bumble bee (to determine the species), a GPS location (to be used in future habitat analyses), a description of the location and materials of the nest (i.e. in my garden, underground or in a woodpile), and, if possible, a video of the nest, surroundings, and activity.
Jobs, Internships, and Fellowships
Here are some job and internship openings in the environmental field: (For equity reasons, we only post job postings with transparent salary ranges). Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act went into effect on January 1, 2021 and requires that pay rates or ranges in job postings that will be or could be done in Colorado (including remote work) be posted. Colorado’s minimum wage is currently (2025) $14.81. The City of Denver’s minimum wage is $18.81. Colorado’s minimum salary for exempt workers is $56,485.
Positions are in Colorado or remote opportunities unless otherwise stated.
A huge thank you to Ms. Platt’s elementary school students who learned of this webpage and wanted to provide this resource on green careers to all our job seekers! Check out: “Guide to Green Careers.”
Job List Sites to Check
- Alliance for Collective Action Green Jobs Board
- Conservation Job Board
- EcoJobs
- EnvironmentalCareer
- Impact Jobs Hub
- Green Jobs Network
- Work for Good
Other Job Postings (Jobs that are new this week are highlighted in green)
- Wilderness Workshop is seeking a Marketing and Philanthropy Manager. The Marketing and Philanthropy Manager plays an important role at WW, offering foundational support to the organization’s fundraising and membership programs and community engagement work. This role also helps to ensure that WW’s marketing and promotional efforts resonate with our diverse local communities. The salary range for the Marketing and Philanthropy Manager is $62,000-77,000. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a preference given to applicants who apply by October 6th.
- Audubon Rockies is seeking a Range Ecologist. This position will be located in UT or ID. Preference for Salt Lake City. The Range Ecologist will work closely with local landowners to implement working lands conservation programs and certify ranches that fulfill our protocols. The Range Ecologist will work in partnership within a community of practice including Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), conservation organizations, and agencies to deliver robust private landowner programming, monitoring, and must have a working knowledge of Farm Bill and Farm Bill associated programs. Audubon’s Wings Over Working Lands programs aim to improve private landowners’ ability to practice bird-friendly land management. The Range Ecologist will be responsible for engaging, cultivating, and enrolling landowners into these programs and assisting them with implementation of innovative land management practices as well as working with NRCS partners to deliver information and technical expertise about associated programs. Compensation: $56,000 – $61,000 / year. Other job postings at Audubon here.
- Climate Defiance Action is seeking a Social Media Content Creator. Your responsibilities will include: Managing our social media content, plans, calendar, and vision; Creating written content for twitter, bluesky, and threads; Leading our tiktok presence, developing content; Leading our instagram reels presence, including face-to-camera videos and explainer videos. Compensation: $62,400. Other job postings at Climate Defiance Action here.
- Defenders of Wildlife is seeking an Energy and Biodiversity Policy Specialist. This professional-level position is responsible for helping to develop and implement strategies to ensure that energy projects of all types are developed and sited in ways to avoid unnecessary adverse impacts to imperiled wildlife and habitats. The Energy and Biodiversity Policy Specialist is responsible for advancing Defenders’ conservation mission, strategic plan and conservation priorities. This position collaborates closely with other departments including Government Relations, Biodiversity Law Center, Center for Conservation Innovation, Species Conservation and Coexistence and Communications. The salary range for this position is $77-85k. This position will remain open until filled. Other job postings at Defenders of Wildlife here.
- The Nature Conservancy is seeking a Director of Finance and Operations. As Director of Finance and Operations (DFO) for the Colorado Business Unit (COBU), you will be at the heart of shaping and executing the operational vision that supports over 65 staff and a $18 million operating budget. Your focus will be on sustaining and evolving a robust organizational infrastructure that supports finance, human resources, facilities, information systems, and a thriving workplace culture. Your leadership on the Colorado Leadership Team will be instrumental in aligning strategic priorities with operational excellence, ensuring that every function—from grants and contracts to safety and office management—works in harmony to support our mission. The salary range for this role will be from $128,000 – $140,000. Other job postings at The Nature Conservancy here.
- Trihydro is seeking a QA Intern. Trihydro Corporation is a national engineering and environmental consulting firm. This position is responsible for conducting manual and automated testing of new and existing software features. Other responsibilities may include assisting with documentation, bug tracking, and process improvement. Compensation: $17-$18/hour. Other job postings at TriHydro here.
Take Action with Partner Organizations
Follow the links below to find actions sponsored by these organizations to protect wildlife and wild lands:
- Animal Legal Defense Fund: The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s mission is to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system
- Audubon: Audubon protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow.
- Center for Biological Diversity: Center for Biological Diversity works to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction.
- Earthjustice: Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit public interest environmental law organization.
- Food & Water Watch: Food & Water Watch fights for sustainable food, clean water, and a livable climate for all of us.
- League for Conservation Voters: The League of Conservation Voters builds political power to protect people and the planet – because our Earth is worth fighting for.
- National Parks Conservation Association: National Parks Conservation Association is the voice of America’s national parks, working to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for present and future generations.
- National Wildlife Federation: The mission of National Wildlife Federation is uniting all Americans to ensure wildlife and people thrive in a rapidly changing world. The National Wildlife Federation Action Fund, an affiliated but separate entity works to raise the visibility of key conservation issues with voters and elected officials.
- The Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive.
- REI: At REI, we believe that a life outdoors is a life well lived.
- Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance: The mission of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance is the preservation of the outstanding wilderness at the heart of the Colorado Plateau, and the management of these lands in their natural state for the benefit of all Americans.
- Union of Concerned Scientists: The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science into action, developing solutions and advocating for a healthy, safe, and just future.
- The Wilderness Society The mission of The Wilderness Society is uniting people to protect America’s wild places
Evergreen Actions (until we succeed)
- SunCor Energy, a Canadian-run company, runs an oil refinery north of Denver, Colorado. Suncor is Colorado’s only oil refinery and one of our largest emitters of greenhouse gasses and toxic air pollutants, and has been operating without any changes to its procedures or pollution controls for years. In spite of numerous enforcement actions and settlements, Suncor continues to flout air quality laws, putting neighboring communities — who are primarily BIPOC and low income — at extreme risk. Suncor has no regard for human or non-human life and will continue to harm our communities if action is not taken. Please take a moment to watch Spirit of the Sun’s short film on Suncor’s impact on Colorado’s Indigenous communities or scroll to the bottom of the page to send a form-letter to Governor Polis, Colorado Dept. of Health and Environment, and the EPA asking them to shut down Suncor for good: https://www.suncorsundown.org
- Donate to Spirit of the Sun’s efforts to combat Suncor’s harmful impacts through their Mycelium Program which trains their community members to inoculate the soil in their communities and throughout Native land with networks of mycelium to restore the health of our soil systems. When we cannot depend on the systems in power to create change, we educate ourselves and our community to protect the systems we hold dear: https://www.spiritofthesun.org/mycelium-healing-project-1
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