Restoration Training Workshop: Bringing Together the Power of Tribal and Youth Conservation Corps

🎉 Big news! EPIC has officially partnered with American Rivers and TRCP to scale restoration efforts across large basins — starting with the Upper Rio Grande as our pilot program! 🌊🌿💦

This initiative brings together the power of tribal and youth conservation corps to amplify ongoing projects, close implementation gaps, and create meaningful workforce development opportunities.

Last week, we kicked things off with our first-ever Restoration Training Workshop, held on Pueblo of Tesuque and USFS lands. 🙌 Over 50 participants from seven tribes and multiple conservation corps came together for two days of hands-on learning and collaboration.

💦 Workshop highlights included:

✅ Process-based stream restoration

✅ Post-fire sediment management

✅ Habitat assessments & benthic surveys

✅ Erosion control & culvert assessments

✅ Native plant propagation & grazing mitigation

This event exceeded all expectations — showcasing the incredible impact that training, collaboration, and community-driven efforts can have on both ecosystem restoration and workforce development in under-resourced areas.

🙏 Huge thanks to our partners and sponsors — especially the Thornburg Foundation , Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) , and our corporate donor Meta — for making this possible. And Pit Viper Sunglasses 😎 for donating some sweet shades for our crews!

The momentum is real — and this is just the beginning. 💪🌎