I was surprised and incredibly humbled, today, mid-way through two weeks of annual leave with my family at Christmas time, to turn to the last page of the News Tribune and find my name among several others listed as "Outdoors Giants of 2010." It's all for coordinating the work of more than 2,000 volunteers this past year.
But none of that would have been possible without the help of so many partners from the community -- the Washington Trails Association, Student Conservation Association, Mount Rainier National Park Associates, Washington's National Park Fund, Discover Your Northwest, Washington Ski Touring Club, Japan Volunteers in Parks Association, Boy Scouts of America, Seattle Parks, Tacoma MetroParks, REI, Boeing, the Backcountry Horsemen, Nisqually and Pathfinder Schools, Evergreen State College, the list goes on and on and on. And of course special thanks must go to my partner this summer, Evan Escamilla from SCA, who as an intern was so instrumental in keeping everything on track and running smoothly.
An none of it would be possible, either, without the help of hundreds of other individual volunteers, too numerous to even begin to name here. Browse through the blog entries from this past year for a small sampling of all the people who actually did the work, building trails, curating photographs, assisting visitors, rebuilding rock walls, surveying amphibians, creating promotional videos, planting native plants and tending them in the greenhouse, again the list goes on and on and on.
These are the true Outdoors Giants of Mount Rainier, and I feel positively Llliputian in comparison. Thank you, everyone, for a great year!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Standing on the shoulders of giants
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Gettin' muddy
I had such an opportunity yesterday. And yes, I got dirty, and yes, it was fun!
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| Crew leaders from the Nisqually Tribe helped us out |
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| Sheila Wilson explains good planting techniques |
And I'm happy to be one of them!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Volunteer contributions to Recovery Act projects
Every once in a while I get a request for information related to the volunteer program that leads me down a previously unanticipated trail toward some fascinating discoveries. I had such a request this afternoon, from a coworker looking for the amount of contribution volunteers had made toward the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, more commonly known as ARRA, the Recovery Act, or the "Stimulus Bill."
We have had a total of 16 ARRA projects at Mount Rainier, most of which employed people without any volunteer assistance (replacing electrical lines, for example, or building slurry walls along the Nisqually River for flood protection). But two of the projects did include volunteers: the construction of an accessible trailhead at Paradise in 2009, and trail reconstruction at Glacier Basin and Carbon River. Volunteer contributions to the trail projects, especially, have been substantial, and have allowed us to get more done, in less time, and with the partnership of hundreds of members of our community. Here are the numbers I came up with:
ADA Trail Construction at Paradise
Total volunteer hours: 720
Total volunteers: 9
Youth* hours: 710
Youth volunteers: 8
Major partners:
Volunteer value**: $15,012
Japan Volunteers in Parks Association (550 hours, 6 youth)
* "Youth," for these purposes, are volunteers under the age of 25.
**Volunteer value is based on an equivalent rate of $20.85/hour to for salary and benefits, as estimated by the non-partisan group Independent Sector.
Wonderland Trail at Carbon River
Total volunteer hours: 7,041
Total volunteers: 108
Youth hours: 5,664
Youth volunteers: 50
Volunteer value: $146,805
Major partners:
Washington Conservation Corps (5,640 hours, 48 youth)
Washington Trails Association (413 hours, 2 youth*)
Sierra Club (960 hours, no youth)
*Youth numbers for WTA and Sierra Club are estimated.
Glacier Basin Trail
Total volunteer hours: 39,143
Total volunteers: 1,281
Youth hours: 28,052
Youth volunteers: 312
Volunteer value: $816,132 (!)
Major partners:
Washington Trails Association (10,531 hours, 100 youth)
Student Conservation Association (7,822 hours, 63 youth)
Washington Conservation Corps (15,620 hours, 60 youth)
Northwest Youth Corps (2,195 hours, 45 youth)
Boy Scouts of America (450 hours, 32 youth)
Earthcorps (1,512 hours, 21 youth)
Mount Rainier National Park Associates (346 hours, no youth)
Interesting note: The flood repair projects at Carbon River and Glacier Basin used $986 thousand in ARRA funding (for staff, equipment, supplies, etc.). The total value of volunteer contributions to these projects is $963 thousand. We've basically doubled our money with the help of volunteers!
These are fantastic numbers. Thanks, everyone, for all the hard work that went into generating them -- and all the great things that were accomplished with the time.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
First summer internship positions now posted on partner websites!
"Geoscientist-in-Parks" positions opened today, with an application deadline of February 1, 2011. Fine more information and apply through the Geologic Society's GeoCorps America website. GeoCorps interns are being hired in parks and forests all over the country, including an unprecedented eight positions at Mount Rainier: an Education Specialist, a Geomorphology Technician, and six Interpretation Specialist positions.
Meanwhile, numerous internships have been posted on the Student Conservation Association website, including five (so far) at Mount Rainier. Our "Interpretive Public Recreational Media" internship starts on or about March 1st, while most others begin later in the spring or early summer, including our Volunteer Coordinator, Trails Volunteer Coordinator, Plant Ecology Volunteer Coordinator, and Visitor Services internships. Even more internships have already been requested but have not yet been posted on the SCA website, including a Citizen Science Coordinator, Outdoor Videographer, and Public Safety Management Intern, so check back frequently.
Internships are great ways to get a foot in the door to a career in environmental policy or with a land management agency. They're also great ways to gain experience and skills, try out a possible profession, or just to have a more interesting, fun, and meaningful summer job than the rest of your friends. We hope to see your application this spring and summer!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Please RSVP! 2010 Winter Interpretive and Operations Training
West District Interpreter Lee Snook has just released this agenda for Winter Operations Training, to be held on December 10 beginning at Longmire. If anyone is interested in helping out with our winter interpretive program--helping in the visitor centers, assisting with snowshoe walks, roving by snowshoe near the visitor center or parking lots at Paradise to assist visitors--this training is highly recommended and useful. Please RSVP as soon as possible to Lee by e-mail or by calling 360-569-6043.
8:15 a.m. - 8:25 a.m.: Gather at Longmire Museum
8:25 a.m.: Walk to Auto Shop
8:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.: Winter Driving - Interp Van
Auto Shop area Facilitators: Brandon Lipke, Lee Snook, Curt Jacquot
Topics: Van use, safety equipment, winter driving tips, How-to chain use
This session is primarily for those who will be traveling from Longmire to Paradise in the interpretive van. If this session does not apply to you, feel free to start your day with the next session at 10 a.m.
10:00 – 11:15 a.m. Winter Road Operation.
Community Building Facilitators: Curt Jacquot, LE, Lee Snook, Brandon Lipke
Topics: training notebooks, safety, snow plow operations, road restrictions, administrative travel procedures, gate opening- closing, communications with LE staff, Longmire to Paradise day and overnight parking, common issues, radio use, Q and A.
11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Lunch at Community Building (soup will be available, feel free to bring your own lunch). Tables and microwave are available at the Community Building.
11:45 - 12:45 Paradise Area Operations
Community Building Facilitators: Curt, Lee, LE
Topics: logistics, communication, snow play area rules, winter camping, Paradise parking, snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding trail reports, common winter issues, habituated wildlife issues, compressed air availability, Q and A.
12:45-1:30 Travel to Paradise
Please be sure to have chains. They may be required to travel to Paradise.
1:30 – 4:00 Guided Walk
Jackson Visitor Center Front Desk Facilitators: Lee, Curt Jaquot
A guided walk on the Nisqually Vista Trail, snow permitting, using snowshoes.
4:00 – 4:10 Wrap-up at the end of snowshoe walk.
4:10 – 5:00 Travel safely to Longmire.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Tales of a Campground Host
Former Rainier campground hosts honored at Yosemite
The first annual Yosemite Volunteer Awards ceremony took place in September of this year. The ceremony was held to recognize outstanding volunteers who have donated their time, talent, and skills to help improve park facilities.... The recipients of the first annual Yosemite Volunteer Awards are:
George and Charlotte O'Hare have been volunteering at Yosemite, as well as other national and state parks for many years. In Yosemite National Park they have worked for the Interpretation Division at Glacier Point, for the Visitor Protection Division at Badger Pass, and as Campground Hosts at Tuolumne Meadows Campgrounds. In all their work they have shared their constant enthusiasm and vast knowledge of the park to enhance the experience of countless park visitors.....
Special Award Presentation of Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award (for 4,000+ hours):
The Presidential Service Lifetime Achievement Awards are presented to volunteers who have accumulated over 4,000 hours of service. Each recipient received a letter of commendation from President Barack Obama, a certificate of achievement, and a Lifetime Service pin. This year, five volunteers were given this award during the Yosemite Volunteer Awards ceremony [including] Charlotte O’Hare [and] George O’Hare
Congratulations, Charlotte and George!
Update: Superintendent Dave Uberuaga, who served as Acting Superintendent at Yosemite for a time, says "they asked me to say hello to MORA folks. I did see them a few times. She bakes cookies and other great items for the staff & is like a House Mother to many seasonal folks. I saw them the first weekend I was in the park." So, Hello everyone from the O'Hares!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Meadow Rover Updates and new correspondence e-mail address
Hello Meadow/Snow Rovers!
From: Curt Jacquot, West District Area Ranger and New Meadow/Snow Rover Supervisor
Recent Happenings
I am writing to update you on the Meadow/Snow Rover program and happenings at Paradise. Fall colors have faded and Winter is close at hand (or is it here?). Several feet of snow fell at Paradise in the last few weeks. The foxes are still making rounds and some people are beginning to carry skis up to enjoy the Muir snowfield. The "Stay off the Meadow" signs and rope-pole barriers have been removed for the season. Several park roads have also closed for the season.
As some of you may have heard I have been hired on a permanent basis as the West District Area Ranger. I am also the Meadow/Snow Rover supervisor. I am still catching up on the changes that took place last summer, but I hope to continue the momentum in the meadow rover program that was started by Erin Whittaker and Lee Snook. One of the ways we plan to do that is by having an email strictly for Meadow/Snow rovers. All questions, concerns, comments about Meadow/Snow Roving should now go to:
MORA_Meadow_Rovers@nps.gov
Kevin Bacher (Volunteer Program Manager), Lee Snook (West District Interpretive Supervisor), and I (Curt Jacquot) will check the inbox at MORA_Meadow_Rovers@nps.gov .
What Volunteers are Needed for in late Fall and Winter
Even with a couple of feet of snow, the meadow is not protected when people venture off trail. Meadow rovers are definitely needed in late fall! Rovers can assist by greeting people at the Skyline trailhead and discussing fragile plants and the importance of staying on deep snow and not on the vegetation. Many people will have questions about the snow play area and why it is not open yet. We need to explain the need for deeper snow and grooming the run before the snow play area can open as planned on December 18th. Rovers can also talk with visitors about the avalanche forecast and "Keeping Wildlife Wild." Once we start leading snowshoe walks on December 18th, Meadow/Snow rover volunteers can assist by taking the "sweep end" of the groups so no one falls behind. Other things volunteers might assist with: Trail updates. What condition are they in? Is a trail completely snow covered, or just partially? Has a trail been wanded/marked? Once the trails are wanded/marked Snow Rovers can help reset the poles if they start to get buried or fall over. If you prefer to be inside it is possible to rove the visitor center giving directions or answering questions about the exhibits.
Winter Interpretive Training Open to Volunteers
On December 10th we will have Winter Interpretive training at the Longmire Community building from 8:30 AM through 5:00 PM. The training will cover Winter park operations, safety, and Winter interpretive programs. In the afternoon we are planning an example guided interpretive walk at Paradise. Please RSVP for the training by emailing or calling West District Interpreter Lee Snook (lee_snook@nps.gov , (360) 569-6043).
Who to Contact:
If you are planning to come up to volunteer it is helpful for us to know when you are coming. If you could email me at the new Meadow Rover email address (MORA_Meadow_Rovers@nps.gov) to let me know in advance I can be sure to save room in the van if you would like to ride up with staff. The Van will leave from the Museum on weekends and holidays at 9:15 a.m. If you wish to use the volunteer apartment at Tahoma Woods please confirm your duties with Lee Snook or I via the Meadow Rover email and let us know you would like to use the apartment. Lee or I will check to see if the Tahoma Woods VIP apartment is available on the date(s) you need it. If you are coming up to volunteer during the week, you can check out a radio at the Longmire Museum (if you have been trained on park radio use). The Museum is open from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM daily.
If you have questions about volunteering at Paradise or Longmire, please contact Lee Snook or I via the Meadow Rover email. If time is short and you want a quick response don't hesitate to call us. My days off are usually Thursday and Friday and Lee is off primarily on Sunday and Monday. If you have questions about the overall volunteer or outreach programs, please contact Kevin Bacher at kevin_bacher@nps.gov or (360) 569-2211 extrension 3385.
Once again, contact information:
The best place to send email regarding the Meadow/Snow Rover program:
Meadow Rover email: MORA_Meadow_Rovers@nps.gov
Also:
Curt Jacquot: curt_jacquot@nps.gov, phone: (360) 569-6426
Lee Snook: email: lee_snook@nps.gov, phone: (360) 569-6043
Kevin Bacher: kevin_bacher@nps.gov, phone: (360) 569-2211 extension 3385
Longmire Museum: (360) 569-2211 extension 3314
Paradise Jackson Visitor Center: (360) 569-6036
Thanks for being a Meadow/Snow rover! As always, let me know if you have any questions.
Curt Jacquot
Park Ranger - Interpretation, Meadow/Snow Rover Supervisor
Mount Rainier National Park
55210 238th Ave East
Ashford, WA 98304
(360) 569-2211, Extension 6426
Friday, November 5, 2010
Best wishes to Evan Escamilla
If you had any interaction with our volunteer program this summer, you almost certainly crossed paths with our volunteer coordinator intern, Evan Escamilla. Evan came to us through the Student Conservation Association in early May from Western Michigan University, and for six months served as my right hand man, answering volunteer correspondence, processing paperwork, and visiting volunteer groups in the field to welcome them to the park and thank them for their service. In many cases, he organized groups from start to finish, helping them establish the contacts they needed with park supervisors, arranging their overnight stays in the Longmire Volunteer Campground, and coordinating other logistics.
Anyone who worked with him will tell you that Evan is extremely good at what he does. He's a quick learner, highly capable, friendly and outgoing, and has an attitude of calm competence that puts everyone at ease. He was the perfect intern for an extremely busy summer in which my time was constantly pulled in other directions to deal with budget issues, various administrative "fires," and the other half of my job, managing the park's outreach program, including our highly successful but intensely time consuming CAMP program. It's good to work with someone you can trust to take a task with minimal background information, run with it, and produce positive results. Look at our numbers for this year! Even more important, listen to the feedback from volunteers and supervisors, who were universally appreciative of Evan's efforts.
Alas, it is the nature of internships and a seasonal workforce that eventually November arrives and their time is up. Evan wrapped up his job this week, turned in his keys, and checked out of his housing, departing for points unknown. He has several options, including another internship here in Washington or job prospects in Michigan or Colorado. He may return to college to pursue a graduate degree. Whichever door opens for him, I have no doubt that he'll excel in whatever he does next.
And I hope he comes back to visit. He's made a lot of friends here at Mount Rainier, and in the community of volunteers and employees that orbit the park, not least of which is me. It was a pleasure to work with Evan, as a supervisor, colleague, and friend, and I wish him well.
P.S. I just received this link to an article Evan wrote about his experience this summer for the SCA website. It's a great story!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
RIP Damian, 1993-2010
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| Allan and Damian, 2007 photo by John Chao |
Few people know that Damian, in fact, had his own volunteer agreement, signed with his paw print, documenting his important role on our staff. According to this agreement, Damian's duties were to assist Mount Rainier National Park volunteer Allan Dreyer, as well as "spreading good will and good cheer among park visitors and employees; inspiring his coworkers with his dedication, enthusiasm, and positive demeanor; helping to bring positive attention to the volunteer program at Mount Rainier; and increasing the species diversity of our volunteer staff." While there was certainly a tongue-in-cheek element to Damian's paperwork, his service was beyond question, and he admirably accomplished all of the things listed in his position description and more.
Above all, Damian loved the outdoors, and Allan consistently reported that Damian would perk up when they drove up the road into Mount Rainier National Park. Even when old age led to creaky joints at lower elevations, he would happily bound through the mountain snow like a puppy, accompanying Allan on snowshoe walks or, in the summer, along the trails as a meadow rover. He loved people just as much, and was infinitely patient with visitors who wanted to pet his long, soft, orange fur.
"I wanted you to know that Damian has officially been made a VIP -- that is a 'Volunteer in the Park,' at Mount Rainier. The US Park Service used Damian's paw print in lieu of a signature. Damian is a true greeter when we work at the park. When people enter the lodge to sign up for our park-led snowshoe hikes, he greets each of them. Our snowshoe hikes have about twenty people per hike. One of the rangers was complaining to me that the people were raving over Damian and thanking us for having Damian on the hike. The ranger said, 'What about me? I was leading the hike.' So they thanked him for coming along, too.
"Damian is one LOVED dog. People always come up and ask questions about him. He, in turn, loves everyone. The rangers at Mount Rainier love him to pieces. There are few people who are on our hikes who haven't at least one photo of Damian to take home with them."
Our friend died October 28, 2010, at the age of 17, after a long span of declining health. He is survived by his companion and friend, Allan Dreyer, and Allan's wife Lisa, who live in Tacoma. They plan to spread Damian's ashes in the national park he loved so much.
2,016 volunteers!
I've just completed our annual volunteer report for fiscal year 2010 (October 2009 through September 2010), and am pleased to report that, once again, our numbers are up overall over last year. This year we had a total of 2,016 volunteers, up from 1,865 last year. That includes 1,491 people who participated as part of 51 organized groups, and another 525 who participated as individuals, up from 1,406 and 459, respectively, last year. Total hours: 73,990, up from 72,231 last year, a number unprecedented in the history of Mount Rainier National Park except for 2007, the year after the big flood.
Groups contributed a total of 29,546 hours of time, while individuals contributed 44,444. How great a number is that?!
We're excited about the growth of new programs at the park, including citizen science, emergency roadside assistance, and living history. We're also very grateful for the help we've received from numerous community partners, including Washington Trails Association, Student Conservation Association, Mount Rainier National Park Associates, the Tacoma Mountaineers, Evergreen State College, the Boy Scouts of America, and many, many others.
Of course, every little bit adds up, and the success of our program has as much to do with those dedicated individuals who came up half a dozen times to rove the trails at Paradise, or who were only able to squeeze one visit into their busy schedules but contributed half a dozen hours to our grand total. Whatever you contributed, you can claim part of the success of Mount Rainier National Park as your own, and that's a very good thing!
By the way, the non-partisan Independent Sector currently values an hour of volunteer time at $20.85 (the equivalent of a typical employee including benefits), so that 73,990 hours is worth $1.54 million. That's something to be very proud of!
Annual Activity and Expense Report, 2010
National Park Service
Volunteers In Parks
Annual Activity and Expense Report
Mount Rainier National Park
Report Date: Oct 28, 2010
Fiscal Year: 2010
Volunteer Coordinator and Park Information
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Total Volunteers: 1,971
Alpha Code: MORA
VIP Coordinator: Kevin Bacher
VIP Coordinator Phone: 360-569-2211
Coordinator Email: kevin_bacher@nps.gov
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Volunteer hours by category:
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Administration: 6.00
Campground Host: 3,342.75
Cultural Resource Management: 3,199.00
General Management: 0.00
Interpretation: 18,377.00
Maintenance: 1,782.00
Natural Resource Management: 11,639.25
Protection/Operations/Law Enforcement: 34,870.00
Training: 773.50
[Total: 73,989.75]
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Program costs by category:
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Housing: $ 3,412.00
Meals: $ 3,434.00
Recognition/Award: $ 59.00
Supplies: $ 12,461.00
Training: $ 404.00
Transportation: $ 3,246.00
Uniforms: $ 3,802.00
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Volunteer Program Highlight
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Mount Rainier's volunteer program continued to benefit from numerous partnerships. The Washington Trails Association coordinated volunteer efforts on rebuilding the Glacier Basin Trail, with 529 volunteer participating in 53 projects for a total of 5,652 hours of service. The Mount Rainier National Park Associates led monthly projects from April to October. Several Boy Scout troops came to the park as part of an effort coordinated by the Pacific Harbor Council. Evergreen State College brought 40 students for ten days of service-learning. The Student Conservation Association supplied 12 interns and three community crews, and the Washington Conservation Corps supplied a trail team. The National Parks Conservation Association helped organize National Public Lands Day. Seattle and Tacoma's departments of parks and recreation partnered with us to recruit participants and volunteers for our second Camping Adventures with My Parents program. Meanwhile, with the help of Special Project Funding, our living history program quadrupled in size, with help from the drama department at the University of Washington. Our Citizen Science Team grew to 14 people, and our Meadow Rover program involved 156. 36 community groups contributed 29,546 hours, mostly building trail and planting native plants. Other volunteer jobs included emergency roadside assistance, curatorial assistance, mountaineering, archeology, education, interpretation, historic restoration, trail patrol, and public outreach.
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Training
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How many people at the park require VIP Program Mgmt Training: 8
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Optional Information Regarding Housing VIPS and Campground Hosts
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Number of Campground Hosts: 6
Number of VIPs housed in Permanent Structures: 39
Number of VIPs housed in Trailers: 8
Trailer Pads for Volunteers: 6
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Other Information
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Number of SCAs: 46
SCA Hours: 9924
Number of Artists in Parks: 0
Artist in Parks Hours: 0
Number of International VIPs: 11
International VIPS Hours: 1120
Number of Volunteer Senior Ranger Corps: 0
Volunteer Senior Ranger Corps Hours: 0
Number of Boy Scouts: 80
Boy Scout Hours: 730
Number of Girl Scouts: 0
Girl Scout Hours: 0
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Final Report of 2010 Conservation Crew
Crew | Dates | Project Location |
Session I | June 28 – July 12, 2010 | Glacier Basin Trail Re-Route, |
Session II | July 19 – Aug 2, 2010 | South Puyallup River Trail, |
Session III | Aug 9 – Aug 23, 2010 | Glacier Basin Trail Re-Route, |
Description of Project | # of Structures | Total Length in Feet | Person Hours |
New trail Construction | |||
Reroutes - Glacier Basin Trail Re-Route | 300 ft | 950 | |
Tread and Drainage Work | |||
Maintenance (blowdowns, widening/ sidehill, brushing, clearing drainage structures, etc) | 20 ft | 114 | |
Waterbars, Drainage ditches, dips, culverts (Rock, Timber, Prefab) | 7 water bars | 190 | |
Construction | |||
Turnpike | 1 | 80ft | 528 |
