2026 Events
Building Better Relationships With Nature With Emma Marris
Date: June 17, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM | Doors Open at 6:30 PM
Location: The Arts Campus At Willits (TACAW) - 400 Robinson St, Basalt, CO 81621
Cost: General Admission $20
Program: Presentation + Q&A
Emma Marris is an environmental writer and journalist whose work explores the complex relationships between humans and the natural world.
She is the author of two books: Rambunctious Garden: Saving Nature in a Post-Wild World, which challenges conventional ideas about wilderness and conservation, and Wild Souls: Freedom and Flourishing in the Non-Human World, which examines our ethical responsibilities toward wild animals on a human-shaped planet.
Her TED Talk has been viewed over 1.6 million times, and Wild Souls won the 2022 Rachel Carson Environment Book Award and the National Association of Science Writers' Science in Society Journalism Award.
Restoration in Action: Hike with Emma Marris at Coal Basin Ranch
Date: June 18, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Coal Basin Ranch, Coal Creek Rd, Carbondale, CO 81623 (Near Redstone, CO)
Join RFOV, Emma Marris, and Coal Basin Ranch for a special members-only hike at one of the valley's most remarkable landscapes. Once a coal mining site, Coal Basin Ranch has been transformed into a public trail system and community space — the kind of place Emma's work is really about. Trail Manager Trina Ortega will share the site's history and restoration, and you'll get to hear from Emma in a setting that brings her ideas to life.
This hike is exclusively for RFOV members. Not a member yet? Join at rfov.org/support.
PAST EVENTS
Mt. Sopris Runoff
Thank you to everyone who joined in the 2026 Mt. Sopris Runoff weekend! Whether you volunteered or ran the race, we appreciate your participation!
Your Brain On Nature with Florence Williams
September 19, 2025
Florence Williams, nationally acclaimed journalist and author, presented research on the science behind why nature is good for us—from cognition to mental health. Drawing from reporting around the world, from Japan to Scotland to Singapore to Utah, she shared powerful insights into how time outdoors shapes our brains, bodies, and sense of well-being.
Williams also spoke about the benefits of volunteering outdoors, emphasizing how acts of stewardship not only heal the land but also nurture our own mental and emotional health. Her message resonated deeply with RFOV’s mission to promote community-powered stewardship of our public lands, reminding us that caring for nature is also a way of caring for ourselves.
We’re deeply grateful to everyone who joined us for this inspiring event and helped make it a success. We look forward to hosting more thoughtful and engaging events like this in the future—bringing people together to explore, learn, and take action for the places we love.
A Toast to Trails
On June 4, 2025, we celebrated three decades of community-powered conservation at our sold-out Toast to Trails event at Spring Creeks Ranch in Carbondale!
The evening brought together RFOV founders, long-time volunteers, agency partners, and community supporters to honor where we’ve been—and where we’re headed. With inspiring speakers, good food, and even better company, we raised over $50,000 to support local trail work, habitat restoration, and youth programs.
Since 1995, RFOV volunteers have built and maintained 800+ miles of trail, restored 150 acres of habitat, and empowered 16,000+ youth to care for our public lands.
Thanks for celebrating with us—and here’s to the next 30 years of stewardship, trails, and community!
