Keep Wildlife Wild - Saturday, August 6th

Keep Wildlife Wild Event Information

Mount Rainier National Park will host its third annual Keep Wildlife Wild Day August 6th, from 9 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in an effort to educate visitors on wildlife and the impacts we have on them. The day will focus on wildlife protection and education to keep Mount Rainier’s wildlife wild.
The day will be celebrated with a number of short educational programs in the Paradise area. Interpretive rangers and biologists will present talks on native wildlife throughout the day. Activities will be provided for children to explore the interesting world of wildlife through artistic expression.

In the morning at the Paradise Inn, U.S. Forest Service research biologist Keith Aubry will present his findings on The Cascade Red Fox: Washington’s Unique and Little-known Carnivore.
Throughout the day Officer Bruce Richards from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will demonstrate black bear conflict management as a handler for the Karelian Bear Dog Program.

A morning and afternoon Bird Tour will be guided by Mount Rainier’s spotted owl crew leader Keith Bagnall to identify the human impacts to the birds of the Paradise area. Sturdy footwear is recommended.

Interpretive Teacher Ranger Kirsten Anderson will give an educational presentation on the wildlife of the Park.

Former Chief Naturalist and local wildlife artist Dale Thompson will be painting in the lobby of the Paradise Inn and sharing his stories and experiences of responsible wildlife viewing.

An educational display by Mount Rainier’s Wildlife Biologist Ellen Myers and wildlife themed craft activities hosted by the Education Department will be available for children.

Volunteers are still needed for this event. For more information or to sign up please contact Sarah Yates, Wildlife Department. 360-569-6774.

Volunteers Leading the Star Party and Night Skies Program

Ever wanted to learn more about the stars that blanket our night sky? Volunteers from the Tacoma Astronomy Society will be hosting a Star Party and Night Skies Program this Friday, July 22nd!

Read the official NPS press release listed below for more information.

Star Party and Night Skies Program

Where: Paradise

When: 9:00 PM, Friday July 22, 2011

Families and individuals of all ages are invited to the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park for a special program on Friday, July 22.. The event starts at 9:00 PM in the lobby of the Paradise Inn with a short presentation about the National Park Service “Night Skies” program. The National Park Service has come to embrace night skies as one of the many scenic vistas the agency is a steward of. It is essential to keeping a park whole and touches on almost every aspect that is important to us - from sustainability to stargazers, and animals to ancient ruins.

At 9:45 PM there will be outdoor star gazing in front of the Paradise Jackson Visitor Center with Tacoma Astronomical Society (TAS) volunteers and their telescopes. Astronomy Society volunteers will also assist with special children's astronomy activities. All ages will be able to make astronomy devices called "star finders."

If weather makes star gazing difficult, the party will move inside the Paradise Inn lobby for star finder making and a 45-minute film about the Milky Way galaxy.

If you have questions please contact Park Ranger Curt Jacquot at (360) 569-2211, extension 6577.

Information about the Tacoma Astronomy Society is found online at: http://www.tas-online.org/

MRNPA Trail Work Party - August 13th

The next Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party will be Saturday, August 13th. We will be working in the Longmire area, possibly on the Wonderland Trail north of Longmire or possibly on the Comet Falls Trail. The exact location will be determined some time closer to the August 13th date. Regardless of the work location, we will meet at the upper end of the Longmire parking lot, near the museum, at 8:30 AM on Saturday morning, and be ready to move out at 9:00 AM.

Bring work gloves, a hard hat if you have one, safety glasses, full rain gear (you never know if you will need it), your lunch, and PLENTY of fluids to drink.

If you plan to attend this work party, please reply to this email and tell me that you are coming, how many volunteers you are bringing with you. I need an estimate of the number of volunteers so that Park staff can be sure to have enough tools for us all. If you have a hard hat you will be wearing, please tell me that too.

The August work party is always followed by a potluck dinner in the campground and an overnight camp for those who wish to stay. It's a fun event, so plan on staying for potluck dinner even if you don't want to camp. Sunday we try to do a short hike together.

We have a reservations for the group campsites at the Longmire VIP campground (not the Cougar Rock campground) for both Friday night, August 12th, and Saturday night, August 13th. The camping is free for MRNPA volunteers. We will also hold the potluck dinner at the Longmire VIP Campground. If you are going to camp either or both nights, also please tell me the nights you intend to camp when you when you reply to this email telling me that you are coming. I need to assure that we have sufficient tent sites reserved.

There are safety equipment requirements for all MRNPA trail work volunteers. (These rules apply to all trail workers.) Anyone using an aggressive tool - like a Pulaski, ax, shovel, etc. - or anyone working near them - is required to wear a hard hat and safety glasses. People working with or near a less aggressive tools are not required (but will be encouraged) to wear a hard hat. If you own a hard hat that you can wear, please bring it. If you do not have a hard hat, we have hard hats that we loan for the day.

Wearing safety glasses is encouraged at all times. Not all safety glasses are comfortable for everyone and some will not fit over eye glasses. Because of cleanliness issues, some people don't like wearing safety glasses that have been worn by other people. For these reasons, and probably many others, please purchase (acquire, find, dig-up, whatever) a pair of personal safety glasses that you will wear. The local hardware store is a good place to start shopping. A serviceable pair or safety glasses will cost about $10. And be advised that shatterproof eye glasses do not meet the requirement for safety glasses. Safety glasses all have side protection which eyeglasses do not.

For more details abou this event or to RSVP for this visit http://mrnpa.org/workprojectdetails.php.

Sincerely,
John Titland
Volunteer Coordinator
Mount Rainier National Park Associates

Mount Rainier National Park Volunteer Newsletter: July 2011

Summer is here at Mount Rainier National Park and volunteer projects are starting kicking off as the snow continues to rapidly melt away. No matter what type of volunteering you are interested in, long term vs. short term, individual or group, backcountry or front country, we have many opportunities for you to help protect the beautiful natural and cultural resources of Mount Rainier National Park and to help serve its visitors.

Along with a multitude of volunteer projects happening this summer, we have many partner projects in the works as well. You can read more about upcoming events and projects Mount Rainier National Park’s Volunteer Blog.

Check out the link at the top of this blog for a calendar of activities and full details on our summer volunteer schedule, including upcoming training opportunities.

In addition, the Washington Trails Association (WTA) and the Mount Rainier National Park Associates (MRNPA) are two partner organizations that schedule day long projects and even week long vacations.

Annual Volunteer Potluck

When: August 13th (Saturday) at 4pm

Where: Longmire Community Building

You've worked hard all year long volunteering thousands of hours on your feet, sometimes on your hands and knees, through meadows, forests, rain, snow, occasionally sunshine and all on your free time. Now it's time to pat each other on the back, swap stories, and celebrate all your work over the past year.

Please plan on bringing a dish to share to the Longmire Community Building August 13th, 2011 at 4:00pm. Utencils and plates will be provided.

We will also be putting together a slide show presentation to highlight all the accomplishments of our fantastic VIPs since last August and we would love to include some of YOUR best photos showing your volunteer experiences at Mount Rainier. Please send them to Jim Ross (Jim_Ross@nps.gov).

Washington Trails Association Projects

Contact WTA through their website for details and to register for these projects:

July 1 - WTA Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 2 – WTA Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 3 – WTA Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 8 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 9 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 10 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 15 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 16 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 17 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 22 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 23 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 24 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail

Additional projects will be added to WTA’s calendar on a weekly basis throughout the summer. Most projects happen on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Labor Day.

Mount Rainier National Park Associates Projects

Contact MRNPA through their website for details and to register for these projects:

August 13 – Trail Maintenance/Campout
September 10 – Re-vegetation
October 1 – Project TBD

Event Volunteer Opportunities

We have several dates scheduled for drop-in projects, with more being planned:

August 6 – Keep Wildlife Wild:

Mount Rainier National Park will host its third annual Keep Wildlife Wild event on August 6th in an effort to educate visitors on their impacts on wildlife. The day will focus on wildlife protection and education to keep Mount Rainier’s wildlife wild.

Volunteers are needed to hand out information on wildlife feeding and patrol areas of high visitor use. Volunteers will be asked to man kiosks in groups while talking to visitors and providing information on park wildlife and the dangers of wildlife feeding. Additionally, volunteers will be asked to haze animals that are approaching visitors to beg for food. Active hazing will keep wildlife from obtaining food and set an example for those people who may be tempted to feed.
More information on the “Keep Wildlife Wild” program can be found at http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/keep-wildlife-wild.htm.

If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Sarah Yates at 360-569-6774, Sarah_Yates@nps.gov.

September 24 – National Public Lands Day:

Every year on the last Saturday of September, Mount Rainier brings its summer volunteer program to a close with a massive volunteer day, offering volunteer opportunities throughout the park including trail maintenance and re-vegetation. Watch the blog for further announcements, but put the date on your calendar!

Group Projects

If you are a part of a group and/or organization that is looking for a project at the park we have several projects that require groups ranging in size from 5 to 100. Multi-day projects can use volunteers for a single day, or for several days at a stretch.

Here are some options:

Native Plant Restoration:

Our re-vegetation crews will be welcoming drop in volunteers at the old Sunrise campground on September 10th and 17th. Groups of almost unlimited size are welcome to help, either for single days or multiple day stretches. Contact Will Arnesen at 360-569-6762 to arrange a date for your group.

Longmire Campground Setup:

The historic Longmire Campground is in full swing for the season. An unexpected delay kept us from setting up the infamous platform tents earlier last month, but now we are ready! We need an enthusiastic group of volunteers to spend half a day setting up the canvas tents. For more information contact Patti Poulin at 360-569-6588 or patricia_poulin@partner.nps.gov.

Attractants Assessment:

Mount Rainier National Park wants to evaluate its efforts at keeping human attractants away from wildlife. Annually, crews walk through the campgrounds of the park and document use of the campsites and whether items of concern (e.g. coolers, dishes, etc.) are left out where wildlife can get to them. By monitoring campgrounds, we can see how effective our educational efforts are, and where we might improve our attractant management program.Volunteers are needed to walk through the campgrounds, documenting whether each campsite is used, and what types, if any, of attractants may be left unsecured from wildlife access. The volunteer would complete specific data forms, and would have the option of providing an educational message if contacted.

Each of the four campgrounds (Cougar Rock, Ohanapecosh, White River, Mowich Lake) need surveying on a periodic (e.g. monthly) basis, July to Sept. One person can survey a campground in a couple of hours, but working in pairs or small groups might be preferred. For more information please contact Mason Reid at 360-569-6771 or Mason_Reid@nps.gov.

More projects are in the works, so even if you don't see something of interest to you here, give us a call (360-569-6588) and let us connect your group with a project that will make a real difference at Mount Rainier National Park!

Individual Openings

Interested in volunteering for a longer period of time, or return regularly throughout the summer to help with extended projects? We have many opportunities to choose from! Follow these links for details and to apply for any project that interests you:

Meadow Rover: Help us protect the subalpine meadows above Paradise and Sunrise by patrolling trails and educating visitors about the importance of staying on trails.

Plant Propagation (Greenhouse Assistant): Help grow plants for transplanting in the subalpine meadows.

Citizen Science Team: Survey frogs, salamanders, and other species in the park's backcountry!

Resources

Besides the obvious benefits of volunteering at a National Park (time outdoors, meeting new people, sense of accomplishment), our volunteers get free entrance to the park on their days of service, as well as free use of the Longmire Campground (and its showers!).

We are consistently updating our blog with all the latest information and opportunities to volunteer at Mount Rainier. If you would like to get involved in any of the programs you have read about it this newsletter get in touch with either Patti Poulin (360.569.6588 or patricia_poulin@partner.nps.gov) or Kevin Bacher (360.569.6567 or kevin_bacher@nps.gov).

Thanks for your support of Mount Rainier and we look forward to working with you this summer!

Sunrise Meadow Rovers Update

The Sunrise Visitor Center opened on July 8th with an impressive set of new exhibits and building improvements. The official Opening is Thursday, July 14th.

In the Sunrise area, meltout has started and the first pasqueflowers and glacier lilies are blooming. What a treat !!

Ten experienced Meadow Rovers marked trails and made contact with about 150 visitors this past weekend. New Meadow Rovers are expected July 16th and 17th. I hope to pair them up with some experienced Rovers for their initial day. Park attendance will increase as the snow melts and more flowers bloom, so make plans to ROVE the Mountain soon.

Gayle Eads [Sunrise computers currently down, so to contact me phone the Visitor Center: 360-569-6585] - Meadow Rover Coordinator, Sunrise

Volunteers represent Mount Rainier in 4th of July Parade

This 4th of July, seven volunteers and family members joined six rangers to represent Mount Rainier National Park in the Eatonville Independence Day parade. Along with Lee Snook, Jim and Kevin Ross, Kevin Bacher, Dave Uberuaga, and Randy King, participants included Meadow Rovers Ed Hunds and Allan Dreyer; Dave's wife Barbara; Randy's wife Sally; and junior rangers Kate, Daniel, and Christian.

Besides showing pride for the park on a day when The Mountain was gloriously visible, this year's group also carried banners on both sides of a park patrol vehicle wishing Dave and Barbara Uberuaga farewell as they move later this month "from the top of The Mountain to the bottom of The Canyon." Uberuaga has been selected as the new superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park.

Thank you to everyone who came out to represent Mount Rainier's role in the community!

More photos from the parade can be seen here.

The 3rd Annual Keep Wildlife Wild - Volunteers Needed!

Mount Rainier National Park will host its third annual Keep Wildlife Wild event on August 6th in an effort to educate visitors on their impacts on wildlife. The day will focus on wildlife protection and education to keep Mount Rainier’s wildlife wild.

Volunteers are needed to hand out information on wildlife feeding and patrol areas of high visitor use. Volunteers will be asked to man kiosks in groups while talking to visitors and providing information on park wildlife and the dangers of wildlife feeding. Additionally, volunteers will be asked to haze animals that are approaching visitors to beg for food. Active hazing will keep wildlife from obtaining food and set an example for those people who may be tempted to feed.An orientation will be provided the morning of the event and a review of the day will follow with pizza.

Volunteers will be provided a T-shirt and hat to wear, and camping may be available for either Friday or Saturday nights with prior notice.

If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Sarah Yates at 360-569-6774, Sarah_Yates@nps.gov.

More information on the “Keep Wildlife Wild” program can be found at http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/keep-wildlife-wild.htm.

MRNPA Exotic Plant Removal Work Party - July 9th

The next Mount Rainier National Park Associates work party will be Saturday, July 9th. The group will be working with Will Arneson's Ecological Restoration crew doing exotic plant removal (weeding). The project is to work along the Westside Road removing non-native plants that are invading the areas adjacent to roadway. The work area will be along the 3.5 miles of the Westside Road, from the Nisqually Road junction to the end at the Fish Creek parking lot.

To participate there is no need to know much about native plants. Will and his crew will teach you which plants to remove, and they will be able to identify for you all the native plants in the area. The Westside Road is not heavily traveled, so vehicle traffic will not be a problem. There will be no heavy tools (like shovels and pulaskis) to carry and work with. Because the group will be working along the road, you will not need to carry your pack. Packs will be transported to the lunch site.

Things you should bring are work gloves, a small digging tool like a hand trowel or your favorite gardening tool, your lunch, plenty of fluids to drink, and a full set of rain gear. Considering how this year has progressed so far, a warm jacket would be good to include. If you have a reflective safety vest, bring that too. All participants will be required to wear safety vests because we will be working along a road that is open to vehicle traffic.

Everyone will meet at 8:30 AM at the junction of the Westside Road and the Nisqually Road. (That is about a mile just inside the Nisqually Entrance to the park). Be ready to go to work by about 9:00 AM and expect to finish about 3:00 PM. Tell the ranger as you enter the park that you will be working on a volunteer project and you will be admitted to the park for free.

If you would like to camp for free in the park before or after (or both) participating in this work party, camping is available at the Longmire VIP campground. To camp for free you will need to make camping reservations by contacting Will Arneson at Will_Arnesen@nps.gov or by phone at 360-569-6762.

If you plan to attend this work party please fill out a Mount Rainier National Park Associates volunteer form indicating that you are coming and include the number of volunteers you expect to accompany you. An estimate for the number of volunteers so that the Park can be sure to have enough tools for everyone.

For more information visit www.mrnpa.org or contact John Titland (MRNPA's Volunteer Coordinator) at volunteer@mrnpa.org.

Annual Volunteer Potluck

Annual Volunteer Potluck
August 13th
4:00pm
Longmire Community Building

You've worked hard all year long volunteering thousands of hours on your feet, sometimes on your hands and knees, through meadows, forests, rain, snow, occasionally sunshine and all on your free time. Now it's time to pat each other on the back, swap stories, and celebrate all your work over the past year.

Please plan on bringing a dish to share to the Longmire Community Building August 13th, 2011 at 4:00pm. Utencils and plates will be provided.

We will also be putting together a slide show presentation to highlight all the accomplishments of our fantastic VIPs since last August and we would love to include some of YOUR best photos showing your volunteer experiences at Mount Rainier. Please send them to Jim Ross (Jim_Ross@nps.gov).

Full Time VIP Opportunity for Summer 2011

We are pleased to announce a full time VIP opportunity for Summer 2011.

This position is slated to begin on or around July 6th, 2011.

Please note that due to the impending start date all applications received by end of day Tuesday June 28th will be given preference.

Position: Visitor Use Study

Duration: July – September 2011

Internship Description:

The purpose of this internship is to collect information as part of a study to help Mount Rainier National Park staff manage visitor use and transportation in a manner that protects park resources and the quality of visitor experiences. The study will be conducted in the Nisqually Corridor and includes three interrelated components: 1) observation of visitor use on trails in Paradise Meadow and the Comet Falls Trail; 2) visitor surveys to assess the effects of crowding, resource impacts, and transportation conditions on the quality of visitor experiences in the park; and 3) transportation-related data collection. Together, the three study components will help park managers better understand connections among transportation conditions, park resource conditions, and the quality of visitor experiences.

Internship Tasks:

Multiple interns are needed to conduct several complimentary tasks, including:

(1) Visitor Use Counts on Hiking Trails :

a. This task involves observing and recording information about the number and types of visitors using trails in Paradise Meadow and the Comet Falls Trail.

(2) Visitor Surveys on Hiking Trails and at Popular Park Destinations:

a. This task involves administering surveys to park visitors, including the use of photo simulations to understand the effects of crowding and transportation conditions on the quality of visitor experiences.

(3) Parking Surveys at Trailheads and Popular Park Destinations :

a. This task involves recording information about the number, types, and duration of parked vehicles at key visitor destinations and parking areas in the Nisqually Corridor.

(4) Vehicle Traffic Observations at Paradise Intersections :

a. This task involves observing and recording with a handheld data collection instrument the number and direction of travel of vehicles that pass through two key intersections at Paradise.

Desired Skills and Abilities:

a. Ability to work independently and in settings with limited contact with other people.

b. Ability to interact professionally and comfortably with the public (e.g., to administer visitor surveys and collect other information from park visitors).

c. High degree of personal accountability to ensure timely, systematic, and consistent conduct of data collection tasks.

d. Attention to details and a good sense of quality control in the data collection process.

e. Good note taking skills, particularly to document unusual or unexpected circumstances that can affect data collection tasks.

f. Aptitude for/ability to learn how to work with electronic data collection devices (e.g., infrared trail counters, Palm Pilots, GPS-units, etc.).

g. Ability to hike up to 3 miles (one-way) on varied and often steep terrain.

h. Ability to travel on foot over flat to moderate terrain (e.g., Paradise parking areas) for an 8-10 hour period to conduct parking surveys.

i. Previous experience with data collection or other aspects of scientific studies is desirable, but not necessary.

Dates and Duration:

The internship period will be 9-10 weeks in duration, starting approximately July 6, 2011 and ending approximately September 15, 2011. Please note – due to the type of work (visitor use), interns will be required to work every single weekend day (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) and some days during the week. In other words – days off will be taken on weekdays.

Compensation:

§ Interns will earn a stipend for the 9-10 week period.

§ Housing and transportation will be provided for interns while they are working in the park. Interns may want to have their own transportation for personal travel on days off.

§ Interns are responsible for travel to and from the park at the beginning and end of the internship.

Application Process:

Interested applicants should send a current resume and 1-2 page statement of interest containing at least the following information:

§ Relevant experience, research, or courses taken (if any) related to this research opportunity

§ Why you are interested in this research opportunity

§ How this research opportunity relates to your career goals/interests

§ Three professional references



Please forward all application materials to:

Brett Kiser

bkiser@rsginc.com