STATEWIDE, WYOMING - The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) is calling on restoration ecologists and land stewardship professionals to volunteer as mentors for its 2025 Native Plants Project Annual Sagebrush Planting Event. This three-day experiential learning opportunity is being held at the WDEQ-Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Day Loma Reclamation Project near Jeffrey City, Wyoming.
What to Expect:
Date: Tuesday - Thursday, October 7-9, 2025
Location: WDEQ-AML Day Loma Reclamation Project, near Jeffrey City, WY
Time: 7:45 AM – 3:30 PM (including travel from Lander)
On-Site Engagement: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Provided: Tools and planting supplies
Volunteers Should Bring: Layered clothing, sack lunch, plenty of water, sunscreen, hiking footwear, comfortable work gloves, and a positive attitude
This year’s event welcomes Fremont County middle school students for a hands-on ecological education experience. We’re inviting restoration ecologists and other professionals to serve as mentors by guiding small groups, sharing insights about sagebrush ecosystems, and helping students connect classroom learning to real-world land management work.
Mentors will spark curiosity and foster stewardship in the next generation through informal Q&A, demonstrations, and working side-by-side in the field. Your mentorship and wisdom are greatly appreciated in cultivating the next generation of restoration ecologists and land stewards.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to inspire future stewards of the sagebrush steppe—a vital landscape that underpins Wyoming’s communities, economy, and wildlife,” said Josh Oakleaf, AML Project Manager & Vegetation Coordinator.
How to Sign Up:
Interested volunteers should RSVP as soon as possible, by contacting Josh Oakleaf at the WDEQ Lander Field Office: (307) 330-3107 / josh.oakleaf@wyo.gov or Ariel Nelson at (307) 438-5483 / arielnelson@appliedeco.org
To learn more about the AML Native Plants Project, including its mission, partners, and impact on the sagebrush ecosystem, please visit the ArcGIS Story Map available here on the WDEQ website.
