Meadow Rover and Interpretation training scheduled

Dear Meadow Rovers:

Spring is on its way and we are looking ahead to a busy summer. We want to make you aware of some training opportunities that will be taking place in June. Our seasonal training will happen on May 31-June 4 and June 8-June 10. The first week will be for the interpretive staff and for those volunteers that will be presenting programs. The second week we will be bringing in subject matter experts and is open to all that are interested in attending. The training schedule will be sent out once it has been finalized.

Training for Meadow Rovers will also take place in June. We will be doing things a little differently by having training for new meadow rovers on Saturday, June 25 in the park. Meadow Rovers that have not attended training in the past are also invited. An agenda will be sent out with a request to RSVP.

Specialized training for experienced meadow rovers will take place on Sunday, June 26. We are currently looking to have this training take place at the Mountaineers’ facility in Tacoma. We will be bringing in a representative from Leave No Trace to talk about the concepts of minimal impact to the resources and how to share that information with visitors. Once the agenda has been developed we will send it out asking you to RSVP as we will be limited to 40 people.

As we look ahead, we would like to begin offering more specialized training for returning meadow rovers. If you have any suggests for topics and/or types of training you feel would be beneficial please email Mora_Meadow_Rovers@nps.gov. Please put “Training” in the subject line. We will use your ideas as we plan for trainings in the future.

Stay tuned for more information on the June trainings.
 
- Christine Czazasty
East District Interpreter

Trails Work Party April 30th

From John Titland of the Mount Rainier National Park Associates, one of our most dependable volunteer partner groups:

Greetings,

The first Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party for 2011 will be on Saturday, April 30th. That's the Saturday after next. The project will be to work on the Boundary Trail which begins right at the Carbon River entrance. We will meet at the Carbon River entrance station at about 8:30 AM and be ready to move out by 9:00 AM.

Be prepared for uphill hike to the work site. As always, bring your lunch and plenty of fluids to drink, work gloves and safety glasses, and a full set of rain gear. During April it is common to have rain or wet snow falling, so bring some warm clothing too.

If you plan to attend this April 30th trails work party and have not yet contacted me, please write to volunteer@mount-rainier.org indicating that you are coming and give me the number of volunteers you expect to accompany you. I need an estimate of the number of volunteers so that Park staff can be sure to have enough tools for us all.

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 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.

John Titland
Volunteer Coordinator
Mount Rainier National Park Associates

Meadow Rover Brunch set for May 7

From Meadow Rover volunteer and Tacoma Mountaineers member Amy Mann:

May 7, Sat., 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Potluck Brunch hosted by the Tacoma Branch Hiking & Backpacking Committee and the Mt. Rainier Volunteers In the Park (VIPs), at the Tacoma clubhouse, 2302 N. 30th Street, Tacoma, WA 98403. All Mountaineers members, as well as Non-Members, are welcome to attend this event to find out about volunteering at Mount Rainier National Park and to help the Park VIPs kick off the 2011 Meadow Roving season. There are a number of Tacoma Mountaineers who volunteer at Sunrise during the summer, as well as other Mountaineers who volunteer at Paradise and in the backcountry on a year-round basis.

Opportunities at the Park abound - check out the volunteer opportunities listed on the Park website, http://www.nps.gov/mora/supportyourpark/volunteer.htm, and at the VIP blog http://rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com/. It's a terrific job! If you have just a couple of days a month (weekends or weekdays) there is something for you to do at MRNP. If you've done all the trail maintenance and rebuilding that your body can handle, meadow roving might be just the ticket to get you out and let you give something back to the Park.

Bring something yummy to share for brunch. We'll plan to start serving food at 9:30 a.m. Doors will be open by 8:00 a.m. if you want to come early to slip your treat into the oven to heat it up. Coffee, tea, juice, tableware will be provided. Questions or for directions, contact Carol Berry, busbuster@aol.com, 253-845-9297, Amy Mann, agmann@comcast.net, 253-759-2796, or Martha Scoville, garyandmartha@harbornet.com, 253-752-5014.

[This is an annual event and always fun. Check out our previous blog entries for more information. - Ed.]

New features added to blog!

Just a quick note to call your attention to two new features now available on the volunteer blog. No fooling!

• Share entries on Facebook or other social media.Look for the icons below each blog post. To share any story on Facebook, Twitter, Google Buzz, your own Blogspot, or by e-mail, just choose the relevant icon and click away.
  
  Looks like this:
   
• Follow the blog by e-mail.
  Now, keeping up with the latest news is as simple as entering your e-mail address into the box in the right-hand column. Then, every time a new entry is posted, it will be sent automatically to your mailbox.
  
  Looks like this:

Enjoy the new features!

Japan Relief Coming from Mount Rainier

Eatonville's Dispatch News published an article this week on the Japan Volunteers-in-Parks Association (J-VIPA), which has sent student volunteers to Mount Rainier from Waseda University in Tokyo for seventeen years, contributing thousands of hours of volunteer service to the park. This summer, several members of the Mount Rainier National Park staff, on their own time, are planning to travel to Japan to return the favor. Read all about it on the Dispatch website:

http://dispatchnews.com/main.asp?SectionID=6&SubSectionID=6&ArticleID=3501

Volunteer Program Highlight: Citizen Science

I've been responding to volunteer inquiries this week, including several questions about our Citizen Science program. This is a program we're very proud of, because it provides opportunities for anyone to participate in a direct and meaningful way in the understanding and protection of the natural resources of Mount Rainier. Here's the draft letter I put together to send out to those who are interested. If this sounds interesting to you, then submit an application and join our team -- we'd love to work with you this summer!

---

Thank you for your interest in the Citizen Science program at Mount Rainier National Park! Every year, teams of volunteers help us survey amphibian species, locate vernal pools, monitor wilderness soundscapes, and assist with other science projects throughout the park. These efforts greatly enhance our understanding of Mount Rainier’s natural ecosystems and allow us to track changes over time. We are better able to protect the park’s resources with these data, but we would not have the staff to compile it without the help of volunteers.

Every summer, we hire an intern, usually through the Student Conservation Association, to coordinate the Citizen Science program. Because most of the locations we survey are at high elevations, and usually buried by deep snow until July, our intern usually comes on duty at the beginning of that month. One of their first tasks is to organize training for the summer’s volunteers and to schedule research outings for the months of July, August, September, and early October. Some are day-long trips in easily accessible areas of the park, while others may be multiple-day ventures into remote settings.

If you’re interested in participating in the Citizen Science program, you may fill out an application online at http://www.volunteer.gov/gov/results.cfm?ID=9535. It may seem like a long wait from that time until you hear back from anyone, but please be patient; you can expect to hear from us by mid July with word on whether you’ve been accepted as a member of our team, along with a schedule of training and potential outings for the summer. In the meantime, feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or to confirm the status of your application.

Note that no previous scientific experience is required to volunteer as a Citizen Scientist, as training will be provided. However, the work is physically strenuous, and often involves crosscountry travel and/or overnight stays in remote parts of Mount Rainier National Park. Survey equipment will be provided, but you’ll need to provide your own camping equipment for the overnight trips. Previous backpacking experience is strongly recommended.

Thanks again for your interest in being a Citizen Scientist at Mount Rainier! We look forward to working with you this summer.

Kevin Bacher
Volunteer and Outreach Program Manager
360-569-2211 ext. 3385

Mount Rainier National Park Associates schedules first work party of 2011 for April 30

I received this notice from John Titland, of the Mount Rainier National Park Associates. MRNPA leads a monthly project throughout the summer and has done so for many years, so they're a great way to get involved as a volunteer!

Future events (mark your calendars!) are tentatively scheduled on:
April 30
May 21
June 11
July 9
August 13
September 10
October 1

Greetings,

The first Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party for 2011 will be Saturday, April 30th. I know that is a full month away, but this early reminder to get the trail work party on your schedule can't hurt. Right now I know we will be working at Carbon River. The project options are either to work on the Boundary Trail, which starts right at the Carbon River Entrance, or the Green River Trail, which will involve a hike up past the washout to get to the trailhead. Either way, expect some hiking to get to the work site.

As always, you should bring work gloves, safety glasses, a hard hat if you have one, your lunch, fluids to drink, some warm clothing and full rain gear. This early in the season it is not unusual for there to be some snow on the ground or falling from the sky.

If you plan to attend this work party please reply to this email indicating that you are coming and giving me the number of volunteers you expect to accompany you. I need an estimate of the number of volunteers so that the Park can be sure to have enough tools for us all.

I know this may be too early to decide if you will join the MRNPA work party on April 30th, but if you are considering attending I would also like to hear from you. I will send a reminder email about a week prior to April 30th when you can tell me your final decision.

For volunteers under 18 years of age, the National Park Service requires a parent or guardian sign a consent form, which we have copies available at the work party.

There are safety gear rules 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, will be required to wear a hard hat and safety glasses. People working with or near less aggressive tools will not be required (but will be encouraged) to wear a hard hat. Wearing safety glasses will be encouraged at all times. At this time we do not have a clear idea of how many volunteers will need hard hats or how many hard hats will be provided by the park. If you own a hard hat, please bring it along. We have a supply of hard hats for those volunteers who do not have one.

Safety glasses are a different issue! 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 if you need a new pair. 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.

John Titland
Volunteer Coordinator
Mount Rainier National Park Associates

Eyes in the sky

Meadow Rover Dennis Berry sent this to me a few days ago, captured from one of our web cameras at Paradise about 5:45 pm on March 19. Great timing! Thanks for sharing it, Dennis.

In case you don't recognize it, that's a red fox mid-photo...

ArrowCorps 502 - The Ultimate Adventure

We're getting excited about a unique partnership coming up this summer--ArrowCorps 502, which will bring as many as 502 Boy Scouts, mostly members of the elite Order of the Arrow, to Mount Rainier and its neighboring National Forests for a week of training and service in early August. On February 15, several members of the group joined us at park headquarters to fill us in on the plans and answer questions. Park staff are busy putting together projects for the young men to complete, and helping with logistics.

ArrowCorps 502 is a concept based on "ArrowCorps 5," a nationwide volunteer project a few years ago that brought thousands of Scouts to five different National Forest sites. ArrowCorps 502 is organized by the Chief Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts, local T'Kope Kwiskwis Lodge number 502, and the Order of the Arrow. About half of the young people being recruited for the project will work in Mount Rainier National Park, based out of Camp Sheppard north of the park, the Longmire Volunteer Campground, Ipsut Creek Campground, and possibly Round Pass. The other half will work on trail and road projects in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie and Gifford Pinchot National Forests.

The Scouts have spent a year and a half now planning for this project, including participating in recent National Public Lands Days and other volunteer efforts at Mount Rainier.

Here's a great video put together by the Scouts themselves that captures well the energy behind this effort:



Here's the press release that went out a few weeks ago. Watch this blog for more information as the July 31 kickoff of ArrowCorps 502 approaches!

ArrowCorps502- The Ultimate Adventure (Seattle, WA, 02/14/11)—

"The goal of the project," said Evan Skandalis, ArrowCorps502 Chairman, "is to invite hundreds of Scouts, Scouters, and Arrowmen from all over the country to spend a week in Mt. Rainier National Park. It‟s a great way to get people to „pay it forward‟ and give back to one of our iconic National Parks."
The Order of the Arrow is the National Honor Society of the Boy Scouts of America. The local branch of the Order of the Arrow is T‟Kope Kwiskwis Lodge #502. The organization is known nationally for its mission of community service and focus on outdoor adventure. Uniquely, the programs in the Order are planned and executed almost entirely by youth members.

The Chief Seattle Council serves over 35,000 youth and registered adult volunteer members each year and encompasses five counties: King, Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap and North Mason.

Please contact Darla Sklar for more information and/or to participate in this incredible conservation project. Scouts are available for interviews. ArrowCorps502 is a weeklong conservation project at Mt. Rainier National Park, sponsored by Chief Seattle Council and the T‟Kope Kwiskwis Lodge of the Order of the Arrow. From July 31st through August 6th Scouts and volunteers from all over the country will rebuild campsites, blaze trail, clear invasive species, and leave a legacy that will last generations. The program is open to any Scout, Scouter, Venturer, or Sea Scout. There will also be a one-day Cub Scout program. This summer, adventure calls. Will you answer?

###

WTA Advertises 2011 Volunteer Vacations

It's only February, and it was snowing outside my window this morning, but the Washington Trails Association is already planning for summer! The calendar of Volunteer Vacations is posted on their website, and they're filling up rapidly.

If you've considered visiting Mount Rainier on your summer vacation and spending a week doing something worthwhile -- building and repairing trails in some of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth -- sign up now before it's too late! WTA provides crew leaders, food, and tools; you provide the sweat; and we provide the scenery!

Three volunteer vacations will be within Mount Rainier National Park:
Carbon River - May 28-June 4
Carbon River - June 4-June 11
Carbon River - September 3-10

See you on the trail!