Volunteering at Rocky Mountain National Park

Laura Sweltz, Director of UX Research and Strategic Initiatives

Article Category: #News & Culture

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Since everyone at Viget gets two paid community service days per year, the Boulder office likes to spend one day each summer volunteering together as a group. (Volunteering is more fun with friends!) We chose to spend our day this year helping out at the majestic Rocky Mountain National Park.  

The park is a favorite spot for many people in our office, so we were excited to assist with a restoration project. There are many different volunteering opportunities at the park, from removing invasive species to hauling logs. We spent our day planting new vegetation in an area the park is trying to revitalize.  

The park moved one of the main roads two years ago, but the old dirt road is still visible. Since it looks like something worth exploring, people often park along the sharp curve and walk around, which is dangerous. By planting small vegetation that will grow over time, the park hopes to limit this behavior and eventually make the area look natural again.

Digging up the rocky mountain soil wasn’t easy, but together we planted over 550 new plants in the area. 

Even when the rain moved in, we kept working.  

We really enjoyed working with the Rocky Mountain National Park volunteer staff and it felt great to make a difference to such a special place.  

Bonus: We made a new elk friend!

If you’re interested in volunteering at Rocky Mountain National Park, you can learn more here. They have a wide range of opportunities for individuals and groups.

Laura Sweltz

Laura is Viget's Director of UX Research and Strategic Initiatives. She works from our Durham, NC office, where she helps clients like Rotary International, AARP, and Time Life understand the needs and behaviors of their users.

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