Last weekend, twenty youth from across the Klamath Mountain region came together at Miner’s Creek Ranch outside Etna, California, for a transformational workshop blending ecological restoration, outdoor leadership, and community building. Under flawless autumn skies, participants explored how beavers and trails—two powerful forces of resilience—shape healthy watersheds and inspire a new generation of land stewards.
This Beavers and Trails workshop was hosted by the Bigfoot Trail Alliance, Ascend Wilderness Experience, Scott River Watershed Council, Salmon River Restoration Council, and Trinity County Resource Conservation District (RCD)—a coalition of conservation leaders dedicated to creating meaningful career pathways for rural youth. The event was made possible by a grant from the Klamath River Fund of the Humboldt Area Foundation with additional food support from Coast Central Credit Union. We are especially grateful to The Nature Conservancy for generously hosting participants at their stunning Miner’s Creek Ranch, a living laboratory for restoration and ecological learning.
Building Beaver Dam Analogues: Restoring What Was Lost
On Saturday, youth joined leaders from the Scott River Watershed Council to build beaver dam analogues—human-made structures that mimic natural beaver dams and help restore damaged streams. The Scott River watershed was once called Beaver Valley by early settlers due to the abundance of beavers that engineered thriving wetlands here. By constructing these analogues, students learned firsthand how beavers slow water, recharge groundwater, create habitat for salmon, and increase resilience to drought and fire. Now we hope that beavers return and build these analogues into their homes!
In the evening, we gathered for a group dinner followed by a screening of the award-winning documentary The Beaver Believers. The film sparked powerful conversations about hope, climate adaptation, and the role of keystone species in healing ecosystems.
Trail Restoration and Outdoor Leadership
Sunday focused on hands-on trail skills with leaders from Ascend Wilderness Experience and the Bigfoot Trail Alliance. Participants restored sections of trail, learning about erosion control, safe tool use, and wilderness ethics. These pathways are lifelines—for hikers, for wildlife movement, and for communities reconnecting with ancestral territories and future opportunities to better understand wild places.
Throughout the weekend, facilitators from the Salmon River Restoration Council and Trinity County RCD provided additional mentorship, guiding youth in thinking about natural resource careers and their own leadership potential.
Why This Matters
This workshop was the first in a series of Klamath Mountains Workforce Training Network programs designed to:
- Empower youth with technical field skills
- Increase climate resilience through watershed restoration
- Build community across Tribal, rural, and mountain towns
- Provide clear pathways toward conservation careers
As climate pressures intensify and rural economies shift, these young people are demonstrating a truth we all need to hear: restoration is not just possible—it’s already underway.
Thank You to Our Partners & Supporters
This workshop was supported by incredible community partners:
- Klamath River Fund, Humboldt Area Foundation + Wild Rivers Community Foundation (primary funder)
- Coast Central Credit Union (meal support)
- The Nature Conservancy (facility host at Miner’s Creek Ranch)
- Klamath National Forest
- Bigfoot Trail Alliance
- Ascend Wilderness Experience
- Scott River Watershed Council
- Salmon River Restoration Council
- Trinity Together
- The Watershed Research and Training Center
- Trinity RCD
- Shasta College
- Regional Tribal Governments and Youth Leaders
Special thanks to the youth participants who showed up with open hearts, strong hands, and a dedication to learning that gives us hope for the future of this region.
Want to Get Involved?
Future workshops will offer training in GIS mapping, invasive species management, native plant restoration, and wilderness leadership. If you or someone you know is ready to help restore the Klamath Mountains and launch a conservation career, submit your information HERE. We hope to be accepting new (and more) applicants in 2026-27!
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