About the Project
The Colorado Youth Corps Association announced that 275 Colorado young people would get jobs this summer working on critical outdoor recreation and land conservation projects throughout the state. These projects will enhance Colorado’s trails, parks, open spaces, and wildlife habitat in 19 counties/Tribal Lands throughout the state. Funds for this project were awarded by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), which invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds, through the Colorado Youth Corps Association for use by accredited conservation service corps.
The goal of the program is to employ crews throughout the state on critical outdoor recreation and land conservation projects in partnership with local governments and open space agencies. In June 2024, the GOCO board announced that GOCO would invest $1.46 million of funding in conservation service corps work in 2025.
For Frederick, a grant of $96,199 was awarded to assist with the restoration and maintenance of the native riparian ecosystems within Frederick Recreation Area by controlling the non-native and noxious species, tamarisk and Russian-olive. This project will safeguard vital water resources, native riparian habitats and dependent wildlife populations. Additionally, it will help protect the FRA watershed and Frederick community from the devastating impacts of wildfires and floods.
The project was completed in late summer 2025 and included the following stats:
- 5,825 invasive trees were removed, treated and chipped;
- 3,118 feet of abandoned fencing was removed;
- 100 new native species trees were planted at FRA
- 2,288 hours were spent in grant funded labor on the project