The Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI) conserves and protects public lands in Southern Colorado through volunteer-based trail and restoration projects, environmental education, and restoration research. We work with every level of government in the Pikes Peak Region to identify pressing land stewardship needs and opportunities. Then, we deploy 20-30 professional trail crew members alongside 800-1,100 volunteers annually to complete this stewardship work.
In addition to providing for physical and mental health, public lands also support our region’s economic well-being—in 2023 alone, the Trust for Public Land calculates that Colorado Springs’ outdoor spaces attracted $268.6 million in affiliated tourism spending. This spending generated $10.1 million in local tax revenue, supporting our teachers, firefighters, and other essential community services and personnel. Unfortunately, the health of these landscapes is currently threatened by unprecedented government funding cuts and staffing shortages. Your support of nonprofit land stewardship is more crucial now than ever.
In 2026, RMFI crews and volunteers will contribute over 20,000 labor hours and build hundreds of erosion control structures on our regional public lands. The real measure of success for us, however, is how many people we can get involved in this work—in 2026, we plan to engage over 800 volunteers.
According to the 2024 Trust for Public Land Economic Impact Report, parks and trails support active lifestyles that save our community $73.7 million in health care costs annually.
“Great team! Outgoing and made everyone feel welcome and included. Super supportive and appreciative. Would love to volunteer again (…)!” — RMFI Volunteer, 2024
Phone: (719) 471-7736