The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance has released its 2026 Stewardship Season Project Calendar, outlining a year of volunteer service trips across Utah’s public lands.
Now in its 11th season, the program offers service-learning opportunities that allow volunteers to experience firsthand the landscapes SUWA works to protect with the support of its members and partners. This year’s calendar includes 27 projects across the state, including trips in designated wilderness areas such as Dark Canyon and Red Mountain, as well as projects within Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument and Bears Ears National Monument.
“For over a decade, SUWA’s stewardship program has been a steady presence on the ground, ensuring the protection of public land through hands-on restoration work while building a passionate community of wilderness stewards,” said Jeremy Lynch, SUWA stewardship director. “Whether it’s a multi-day backpacking trip deep in a national monument, a short weekend in the West Desert, or a half-day rehabilitating public lands close to Salt Lake City, this year’s project calendar highlights the diversity of public lands and the many different ways volunteers help protect these remarkable places.”
The 2026 project season runs from March through early November and includes a range of trip formats, from half-day outings to two- or three-night campouts and weeklong backpacking trips.
Some trips focus on designated wilderness implementation work, while others support protection and monitoring in Wilderness Study Areas. These areas are eligible for wilderness designation under SUWA’s signature legislation, the America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act. Additional projects focus on protecting cultural resources and addressing the impacts of increasing recreation on public lands.
Each listing on the project calendar includes information about the project scope, level of difficulty, and the application and acceptance process. Individuals may apply for up to two projects during the 2026 season.
Additional projects may be added as the season progresses. The full project calendar and application information are available on SUWA’s website.
SUWA also offers select scholarships for qualifying individuals and groups interested in participating in a stewardship project.
