Erosion Control in the Catalinas

Join us for a weekend of restoring nature’s balance after the Bighorn Fire — let’s get our hands dirty for a good cause!

The Work

We will be creating loose rock structures to halt erosion, increase water absorption, and support plant growth in drainages around Summerhaven in the Santa Catalina Mountains. These low-tech structures can make huge differences and are a great tool for transforming landscapes. We’ll be getting dirty, bending, lifting, and digging with tools provided by SIA.

What to Expect/Bring

Folks staying through the weekend should bring their own camping gear (or contact us if you need to borrow some) and meals for the weekend — a minimum of two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners, with snacks.

• SIA will provide potable water, and folks are welcome to bring their own as well. There is water at the campsite to refill from, but none at the worksite.
• Be prepared to unplug — there is limited or no cellphone or internet service where we’ll be camping and working.
• Bring camping gear: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc. We have extra camping gear available to borrow. Please contact our staff listed below if you would like to use some of our equipment.
• Bring work clothes, work gloves, and appropriate close-toed boots/shoes that you are happy to hike in and don’t mind getting dirty or damaged.
• Bring sun protection: sunscreen, long-sleeves, hat, etc.
• Bring a refillable water bottle and a daypack for snacks and gear.

We will be building rock structures, which will entail carrying, moving, and placing rocks of various sizes. Some heavy lifting will be required, though no one will be asked to lift more than they feel capable of, and folks can work in teams to move larger rocks using cargo nets. Be prepared for getting dirty as we will also be digging as part of the building process. We will also be hiking to our worksites, which may be up to two miles by trail from a trailhead (though likely closer), while carrying tools such as picks, rockbars, and/or shovels. Worksites may be steeply sloped and uneven, with the potential for loose footing. Also, in our search for building materials, we will be traipsing around off trail in rocky drainages and across slopes.