VOC regularly highlights different VOC leaders, in all capacities, so that we can share with you the inspiring work they do to care for Colorado's outdoors! Here, we'd like to recognize VOC Technical Advisor, John Birkey.

John began volunteering with VOC as an Assistant Technical Advisor on the Mt. Goliath Alpine Interpretive Garden project in 1998. As a landscape architect, he enjoys applying his "day job" skills and talents to help with site planning and overall trail design and layout and environmental improvements on VOC projects. To date, John has served as the Technical Advisor on nearly 30 VOC projects and is a member of the McLeod Club. 

This past project season, John enjoyed his role as Technical Advisor on the Tombstone Trail Restoration project at Steamboat Lake State Park. He looks forward to serving as the Technical Advisor on one or two projects this coming season. 

"My favorite thing about VOC is seeing new places in Colorado I have never been before and working with like-minded people to achieve great results for agencies and the great state that we live in. I enjoy seeing the project through from start to finish and being a part of the design and helping to make outdoor places in Colorado more accessible and sustainable. I love walking a trail at the end of a project weekend and seeing the power of volunteerism. I learned from some great mentors over the years including Dos Chapell, Curt Chitwood, the legend Steve Austin (my crew leader trainer), Jim Cuthbertson, Eric Anderson and Tom Ledgerwood to name a few," says John. 

John is a landscape architect and principal with Norris Design, a leading planning and landscape architecture firm. In his spare time, John enjoys hiking, climbing, and photographing the outdoors. He has reached the summit of all of Colorado's 54 14'ers and is now attempting to climb the 100 highest peaks in Colorado, with 80 completed. He also plays guitar in a band called Strike III.