- Join us for a "Dig & Dip" Volunteer Day Tree Planting, Swimming, and Potluck Picnic at the Paonia River Park on Sat. June 22
- Have fun, be a leader, and meet other green minded folks by joining a Green Team this summer at the Colorado Bike Tour Party or Cherry Days Festival in Paonia
- Looking for a summer opportunity for your teenager? The Student Conservation Association has several trail crew openings for Dinosaur National Monument and Rocky Mountain National Park this June & July.
- The North Fork Alternative Plan—A Community-based Proposal for Managing BLM Oil and Gas Development in the North Fork and Smith Fork watersheds.
- Click here to download a Guide to Recycling at the North Fork Recycling Center.
- What was once an instream gravel pit is now a community river park, providing rare public access to the North Fork of the Gunnison. Get the latest updates here!
- The Conservation Center has been monitoring water quality in the North Fork Watershed for the last decade. Find out why and what we’ve learned by visiting our Water Monitoring page.
- Join us for our many educational events and outings.
- Coal mining has a long history in our region. The Conservation Center works tirelessly to make sure local coal mines minimize their impacts on the environment and maximize their contributions to our community.
- The Conservation Center spent decades working to protect permanent water rights for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and the Gunnison Gorge.
Our Work
We welcome your help in conserving our region’s natural resources and quality of life. Visit our program pages by clicking on the photos below.
About Us
The Western Slope Conservation Center is a 35-year-old grassroots 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to build an aware and active community that protects, preserves and enhances the natural, human and economic resources of the North Fork of the Gunnison and Lower Gunnison Watersheds. The Conservation Center takes a community-directed, solution-focused approach to watershed restoration and river rehabilitation. Our 400 members include ranchers, academics, retired coal miners, farmers, orchardists, small business owners, artists and artisans.