The Outdoor Stewardship Institute (OSI) by Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) offers in-depth training resources for any individual or organization to learn or improve their stewardship skills and prepare for a variety of leadership roles.
Hands-on volunteer experiences are one of the most powerful means of creating a caring and engaged public, and volunteer programs – when done right – have proven to be an effective, affordable, and immediately available workforce capable of tackling our most pressing outdoor stewardship needs.
The Outdoor Stewardship Institute (OSI) was originally developed in collaboration with other organizations and is now housed within Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC), Colorado’s largest and oldest outdoor stewardship organization. Since 1984, VOC has worked with land management agencies of all types to engage more than 138,000 volunteers in over 1,800 public land stewardship projects – an estimated labor value of more than $29 million. Since its inception, more than 250 agencies and organizations have benefited from OSI’s training model, which trains more than 300 volunteers and staff each year.
Throughout the site, you’ll find online training modules, training manuals, and hands-on training to help you or your organization improve your outdoor leadership and technical skills and start, enhance, or expand your outdoor stewardship volunteer programs. By sharing proven practices, it is our goal to enable others – in Colorado and elsewhere – to take on more of this critical boots-on-the-ground work. With more of us actively caring for the outdoors, we will ensure the next generation will find these outdoor places at least as good – if not better – than what we inherited.
Featured Guide
Guide to Crew Leadership
OSI’s online training module covering Crew Leadership was developed for any volunteer organization or land management agency interested in Crew Leadership training, and includes technical modules for trails or ecological restoration.
By the time the course concludes, trainees will now how to work with individuals and their team to produce the desired project result in a safe manner; understand practical trail construction and maintenance techniques, know about tools and tool safety – including tool identification, carrying, use and storage; know how to assess risks to avoid injury; understand individual learning styles and the importance of listening and conflict management skills; experience a mix of discussions, activities and field experience that facilitate learning; and learn effective teaching and leadership techniques.
Featured Partner
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is a nationally recognized leader in conservation, outdoor recreation and wildlife management. The agency manages 41 state parks, all of Colorado’s wildlife, more than 350 state wildlife areas and a host of recreational programs. The mission of Colorado Parks and Wildlife is to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state, to provide a quality state parks system, and to provide enjoyable and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado’s natural resources.
