Want to have a Wilderness experience while chipping in to improve native habitat here in northern New Mexico? We will be organizing ourselves into (hopefully) 4 groups of 4 persons each and heading to a small number of in-canyon locations at Bandelier National Monument. Once there, we will be setting up beaver dam analogs (BDAs). Although BDAs are human-made structures, they are built with natural materials found onsite like willow and aspen, just as North American beaver would use. Building a BDA requires teamwork, a little creativity, and a willingness to get your hands dirty.

Spots have already been chosen, so the volunteering will require a moderate hike to a site location and then time to select materials and to create the dam. The end result hoped for will be a location in the canyon where (after future rains and future snow melt) water will build up behind the dam and make an inviting home site for any beavers looking for a place to live.

We have set aside a full 8 hours for the project though it likely won't go that long. Water, work gloves and other gear will be provided but be prepared to get a little dirty on this project so wear good hiking footwear and appropriate clothing.