The Western Alliance for Reclamation Management (WARM) educates and prepares the next generation of professionals for reclamation careers in the mineral industries in the US West. WARM students hone valuable job skills in projects at mine sites across the West while building collaborative partnerships that will serve them throughout their careers.
The state of Colorado has a legacy of some 23,000 abandoned mines, created as part of our history as one of the world’s great mineral producing regions and the abrupt economic and social transitions resulting from mineral ‘boom and bust’ cycles. Today, these abandoned or inactive mines adversely impact soil and water quality through acid mine drainage and heavy metal loading.
Successful remediation requires broad interdisciplinary collaboration among geologists, chemists, botanists, public participation specialists, engineers, legal title experts, environmental lawyers, wildlife experts and other stakeholders and experts. Collaboration is essential to addressing this issue– and addressing this issue is critical to ensure Colorado’s sustainable future as the headwaters of the southwestern United States.
Though Colorado has been a leader in addressing abandoned mines, the resources available to the state and federal governments for remediating these sites are limited compared to the scale of the problem; there are generations of effort ahead of us. And in much of the rest of the world, the effort has hardly started.
To this end, WARM partners with Western Colorado University, Fort Lewis College, Colorado Mesa University, Colorado State University, and the Colorado School of Mines plus multi-national firms such as Stantec and Freeport McMoran and other mining and mine reclamation companies, consulting firms, NGOs, state and national level staff and independent contractors to provide projects and field courses to prepare undergraduates, graduates and professionals for mining, reclamation, remediation and restoration careers.
The Western Alliance for Reclamation Management (WARM) educates and prepares the next generation of professionals for reclamation careers in the mineral industries in the US West. WARM students hone valuable job skills in projects at mine sites across the West while building collaborative partnerships that will serve them throughout their careers.
The Western Alliance for Reclamation Management (WARM) was founded to address one of the most pressing yet overlooked environmental and community challenges in the American West: the legacy of abandoned and under-reclaimed mine lands. What began as a small network of practitioners, educators, scientists, and community partners has grown into a regional hub for collaboration, workforce development, and practical, science-based reclamation solutions.
WARM builds bridges among universities, tribes, state and federal agencies, private industry, and local communities to strengthen the future workforce and elevate best practices in mine remediation and reclamation. Our signature programs include our Summer Mine Reclamation Field Course, multi-university partnerships across the Four Corners region, fellowships, and scholarships that support emerging professionals entering this critical field. These programs give students and early-career practitioners the hands-on learning, mentorship, and professional networks they need to step into high-impact careers.
Our work is grounded in community engagement, respect for place, and a commitment to culturally informed, collaborative decision-making. WARM supports partners such as the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining & Safety; Freeport-McMoRan; BHP; Navajo Technical University; Fort Lewis College; Western Colorado University; Colorado Mesa University; Colorado School of Mines; and others who are shaping reclamation science and practice across the region.
As a young nonprofit, WARM has already demonstrated its value: recruiting and supporting students in reclamation pathways, convening partners to address shared challenges, and providing on-the-ground experiences that prepare students for careers that protect water, restore lands, and support resilient communities. Colorado Gives Day support expands these opportunities—funding student field experiences, travel, safety gear, and stipends—while strengthening our capacity to serve more students, more communities, and more of the West.
Together, we are building the workforce needed to reclaim degraded lands, protect water resources, and ensure that mining communities can thrive long into the future.
Organization name
Western Alliance for Reclamation Management
other names
Western Alliance for Restoration Management
2018
Tax id (EIN)
83-2881023
Category
Environment, Education
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
728 West 2nd StreetGunnison County, CO, US
Chaffee County, CO, US