News Release

04-26-2021 Volunteer Groups Contribute Over 500 Hours of Service

Volunteers with Overland Bound and NPS staff thread cable through concrete bollards to p

NPS Photo / Sierra Willoughby

News Release Date: April 28, 2021

Contact: Diana Durr, 760-252-6102

BARSTOW, Calif – The National Park Service (NPS) hosted multiple volunteer service projects at Mojave National Preserve on Saturday April 24 and Sunday April 25. In partnership with Overland Bound – an off-highway vehicle exploring and recreation community – 46 volunteers joined NPS staff to remove trash and install vehicle barriers in the preserve. Eighteen volunteers from the Alta Loma Cub Scout Troop #522 donated their time to clean up trash and remove invasive species.

In all, the volunteers contributed more than ­­­ 530 hours of service, at an estimated value of $14,000.

“It's great to partner with groups to achieve large scale conservation goals that we can’t often tackle on our own” said Mojave National Preserve Superintendent Mike Gauthier. “It’s incredible to have recreational and youth groups help us restore areas of the preserve, protect wilderness, and clean up trash. The community that loves and cares for Mojave Preserve are extremely grateful for these collaborative efforts.” 

As a continuation of a cleanup from last fall, Overland Bound volunteers were able to remove more than 10 tons of debris from the Death Valley Mine area, near Cima. That equates to almost two commercial-sized dumpsters of trash being removed from the preserve in a single day.

With the assistance of NPS equipment operators, Overland Bound volunteers also placed 39 concrete bollards and more than 600 feet of cable to provide a distinct and durable barrier between a popular vehicle camping area, and the nearby wilderness of the Kelso Dunes. The group also installed 8 steel campfire rings and grills to lessen impacts of campfires in the area.  

Cub Scouts from troop #522 earned their Scout Ranger Resource Stewardship Patches with their 10 hours of volunteer service. The group removed 15 large trash bags of invasive sahara mustard weeds from the Mid Hills Campground area, and more than 135 pounds of litter along Essex Road.Mojave National Preserve is currently welcoming individual and group volunteers for various service projects and regular positions such as campground hosts.

or more on volunteer opportunities and future events, please contact the preserve volunteer coordinator Sierra Willoughby at e-mail us or call [phone]