Anderson Design Group Interviews Friends of the Black Canyon and Curecanti!
As artists and wilderness explorers, our passion is to venture into the 63 American National Parks, photograph and document the wonder of these natural places, and share our enthusiasm for the parks by creating original, high-quality poster art for our 63 Illustrated National Parks Collection. In our travels, we’ve also developed an immense appreciation for national monuments, which inspired the American National Monuments and Natural Wonders collection.
The national parks and monuments were created to preserve America’s natural beauty and cultural history, with each park representing a significant chapter in the great American story. Because we believe strongly in preserving the parks for future generations to enjoy, we’re always looking for opportunities to support the conservancies, foundations, natural history associations, and friend groups that protect the parks.
To raise awareness for the important educational work, conservation, fundraising, youth involvement, and preservation activities taking place in the national parks and monuments of Colorado, we took some time this week to sit down with Ally Gerken, Chair of Friends of the Black Canyon and Curecanti, and Taylor Johnson, Branding and Marketing Manager for the friend group.
Before we dive into our chat, to get a visual preview of how this dynamic duo shows up for Colorado’s most underrated national park (Black Canyon) and the state's only national recreation area (Curecanti) check out this news interview with Ally and Taylor:
An Interview with Friends of the Black Canyon and Curecanti
ADG: Thanks for sitting down with us, Ally and Taylor. Can you introduce us to Friends of the Black Canyon and Curecanti? If you have an elevator pitch for what your group does, what would that be?
Taylor: Certainly! And thanks for having us. We’re a unique friend group in that we do nonprofit work in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, but we also work in Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado’s only national recreation area and the National Park Service site that manages the Blue Mesa Reservoir, the largest reservoir in the state.
Ally: That’s right. In simple terms, we provide resources, funding, and volunteer support to help protect and enhance the two parks. In addition to the traditional responsibilities of a Friends group—such as conservation, education, and advocacy—we are also working to integrate the Black Canyon National Park and Curecanti Recreation Area more deeply into our local Western Colorado communities.
Featured Below: Photo captured at the friend group's 25th Birthday fundraiser event at Bluecorn Cafe in October.
ADG: Awesome intro. We saw you support community engagement in improving and protecting the canyon and its surrounding habitats. What do these community-focused events look like? How does the canyon and park benefit from them?
Ally: Right now, as a new organization, our primary focus is on awareness and recruitment—both to spread the word about our mission and to communicate the park’s urgent needs, whether that’s funding or hands-on volunteer efforts. While these are serious and vital responsibilities, we want to make our engagement fun, social, and community-driven! That’s where the community outreach efforts come into play.
Taylor: That’s right. Our events, like Canyon Conversations and seasonal networking socials, allow people to connect, learn, and celebrate the park while building a strong support network. We are a grassroots organization of couples, friends, and families (our kids are involved, too!) so we focus on making these gatherings welcoming and inclusive. A great example is our upcoming Canyon Conversations and Social Event at the Temple, featuring Western Slope heroes, Friends of Black Canyon Search and Rescue—people who risk their lives to save those in danger in the park.
ADG: Those socials sound like fun! Do you also host community events in the park?
Ally: Absolutely. Beyond social events, we organize hands-on conservation efforts like trail cleanups, removal of invasive species, habitat restoration, guided hikes, and educational workshops. How does this benefit the park? These events help preserve the landscape, promote responsible recreation, and foster a deep sense of stewardship among the community—ensuring Black Canyon and Curecanti remain protected and valued for generations.
Featured Below: Photo of Blue Mesa Reservoir in Curecanti National Recreation Area. Captured by Taylor Johnson.
ADG: Now that we have a good overview of your organization, how did Friends of Black Canyon get its start? What’s the story behind the birth of your group?
Taylor: We have an interesting origin story! The original Friends of the Black Canyon was founded in 2018 by Joel Evans and a passionate group of community members, all of whom recognized the need for dedicated park support. Unfortunately, like many organizations, the group became dormant during COVID-19, when resources and engagement became difficult to sustain. In early 2024, a group of past and present conservation advocates came together in a community think tank to explore ways to revive the organization. The effort was reignited through their dedication and vision, and by June 2024, the newly reformed Friends of Black Canyon and Curecanti was officially launched.
ADG: Your team is making a big splash for such a new group!
Ally: We’re doing our best! Shortly after forming, we were tasked with organizing a successful 25-year anniversary celebration of the park’s national designation—a huge undertaking for such a newly re-established group. On top of that, current administrative changes have tested our organization in ways we never expected, yet we have remained committed, adaptable, and determined to ensure the park and its needs remain a priority. This journey has only strengthened our dedication, proving that Friends of Black Canyon and Curecanti is here to stay, grow, and impact the park and community.
Featured Below: Board members and owners of Pomona Brewing Co. at the 25th Birthday kick-off event where the brewery brewed a special Black Canyon Black IPA for the park's birthday and donated proceeds from the entire batch to the Friends group:
ADG: Now let’s get hands-on with some of the projects your organization is involved in. Can you share some of the tasks your group is involved in within and around the parks?
Taylor: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a relatively small park, not as well known, and not currently set up for high visitation. Yet in recent years, visitation has spiked, and that’s led to a need for trail restoration, campground improvements, new trails, infrastructure improvements, cleanups, new signage, etc. We’ve put together a friend group membership program where people who love these parks can sign up and get first-to-know news and important information and exclusive access to events and in-the-park activities we host in an effort to address these concerns.
Ally: 100%. Additionally, we work closely with the National Park Service to identify priority needs, ensuring our efforts directly support the park’s most pressing concerns. We’re building a strong membership base to produce the hands-on volunteer hours and funding these projects need. A major goal we’re actively working toward is creating a membership program that will provide a steady foundation of support for our initiatives. A big long-term goal is to eventually bring the Visitor Center bookstore under our organization’s management. This would reduce costs for the park by eliminating a third-party operator, boost revenue that can be reinvested directly into park projects, and allow us to utilize volunteers, making operations more efficient.
Taylor: And just one additional point: we’re excited about visitors exploring the parks! Part of our role is to help inform and educate people on how to recreate in these beautiful spaces and have the time of their lives.
ADG: We read on your website your group helps create and build a volunteer community to help in the canyon and surrounding area. Tell us more about that and how volunteer activity in the national parks is essential.
Taylor: Black Canyon is unique in that, given its elevation between 5,400 and 8,775 feet above sea level, sections of the park are under snowpack for much of the year. We’re currently building out our volunteer base by hosting events in the park’s gateway communities, which are ways for us to create a cohort of volunteers who are ready and excited to volunteer in the park as soon as the snow melts.
Featured Below: One of the park rangers showing Vice Chair Scott Johnson some needed volunteer projects in the park.
Ally: At one of our recent events, we had over 130 people sign up to volunteer in the park!
ADG: Your website mentions policy advocacy. What’s an example of policies your organization is concerned about or advocating for? How does public policy make such a big impact on the park?
Ally: Public policies shape the future of our national parks—affecting conservation funding, land use, environmental protections, and recreation access. We advocate for policies that:
- Protect public lands from harmful development or underfunding.
- Address climate resilience to protect Black Canyon and Curecanti for future generations.
- Secure proper funding for park operations, maintenance, and visitor services.
How can people take action? We provide resources and updates on legislation that impact the parks. Our Take Action Page on our website outlines specific ways the public can engage in advocacy efforts, from contacting representatives to signing petitions. Public policy has a massive impact on national parks, and part of our role is to educate and mobilize the community so their voices can help shape decisions that protect these landscapes.
ADG: Looking to the future, what are the short-term and long-term goals for Friends of Black Canyon? Where do you guys see yourselves in 5 years? 10 years? What do you hope to be working on a decade from now?
Featured Below: Photo of the board members as well as past Chairman Joel Evans (on left) and Superintendent Stuart West (back right) at the Friends of the Black Canyon Birthday Fundraiser event in October 2024.
Ally: In the short term, we’re focusing on strengthening our foundation by expanding our board, increasing community engagement, and securing funding. In the long term, we’re looking at establishing ongoing programs that support the park through conservation projects, education, and advocacy. Ten years from now, we hope to be a fully sustainable, well-known nonprofit with a strong membership base and a lasting impact on park conservation.
Taylor: Exactly. In 2025, we want everyone to know who we are. We’re also actively recruiting people to join our board of directors, and we’re looking to build our ambassador teams across Gunnison, Junction, Montrose, and more communities where locals and visitors care about the parks.
Ally: Just as a fun add-on, one of the projects we’re most excited about (and that we think park visitors will be excited about, too!) is our plan to build out trail networks in both Black Canyon and Curecanti. So many people like to hike in the parks, so who wouldn't get excited about more hiking trails?
ADG: We love a good hiking trail, that’s for sure! What do you think about our Black Canyon of the Gunnison poster art? Are there any designs we should add to our series? Any angles or views of Black Canyon that you feel should be represented in art?
Taylor: We love your art of the park! Black Canyon is a Dark Sky Park; we’d love to see it rendered in a nighttime setting.
Featured Below: Photo of the night sky in The Black Canyon. Captured by Joe Hendricks.
Ally: That’s true. And Black Canyon has so many stunning viewpoints—perhaps incorporating lesser-known perspectives, such as Warner Point or the East Portal, would be unique additions.
ADG: Those are great ideas! We will also look at creating art for Curecanti National Recreation Area. If there would be a thing about national park conservation/restoration/education generally that you’d like the public to know, what would that be?
Taylor: A lot of people look at parks as a place to visit, and that’s true. They are a place to visit. However, parks also need long-term advocates and volunteers to ensure they can be visited. Many people must work behind the scenes to ensure the parks continue to function properly and that the balance of human impact on the parks is maintained without harming the parks. Friends groups are here to help make that happen.
Featured Below: Climbing the Escape Artist route in the canyon. Captured by Jason Premo
Ally: National parks belong to all of us, and their future depends on community support. These places don’t protect themselves—they need people who care. Come to our events! Come to our next event and meet the real-life heroes of Black Canyon Search and Rescue. We want our communities to be involved! We’re not just about conservation— bringing people together, having fun, and building a passionate community that values these lands. We know times feel uncertain, but we want to be a light in our community—focusing on solutions, finding common ground, and ensuring that our parks remain untouched by overdevelopment. Even small actions—volunteering, donating, or advocating—can have a huge impact. Our vision is simple: Keep Black Canyon and Curecanti protected, accessible, and cherished for future generations.
ADG: That’s wonderful to hear, and we completely agree. Thanks for sitting down with us today!
Ally: Thanks for having us!
Taylor: Yes, thanks!!
The Importance of Supporting National Park Foundations and Friend Groups
You can learn more about Friends of the Black Canyon and Curecanti at their website. If you want to support their work, you can join as a member or take action.
If you represent a natural history association, foundation, friend group, conservancy, or preservation association that works in any of the 63 American National Parks or the hundreds of national monuments and other NPS sites across the U.S., contact us today to set up an interview! Just email ren@andersondesigngroup.com.
In the meantime, we’ll get back to creating vintage poster art of the national parks. Let’s enjoy these beautiful, historic places and do our part to preserve them for future generations.
-Ren Brabenec
Anderson Design Group Staff Writer
Featured Below: The Superintendent along with the board members at a community event hosted by the Friends group at a local brewery
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