Hike with a Purpose!

Volunteers are needed to hike popular trails in the park, such as trails to Comet Falls, Summerland, and Spray Park (3-4 hour round trip hikes); this is to support research on trail conditions and crowding in the park.

Along the trail, volunteers would record the number and time they passed each park visitor. Volunteers would be required to spend a set amount of time at the destination (likely around 20 - 30 minutes) and then asked to record the number and time they pass visitors on their return to the trailhead.

We need approximately 12 - 15 people for this project. Due to a desire for consistent data, preference will be given to folks that can commit to hiking 6 or more surveys (trails to destination and back) on a variety of days.

Required skills:

Diligence in accurately recording encounters
Faithful and timely return of clearly recorded data
The ability to hike in the manner of an "average visitor" (sorry, no trail running)
You will be able to pre-select dates
The ability to fulfill the hiking project in sub-optimal weather (days deemed unsafe for travel will be re-scheduled)
Ability to begin survey at a set time and location (trailhead)

If you are able to fulfill the above description and are interested in Hiking with a Purpose! We would love to talk to you. Please send an email and describe your interest, schedule flexibility and contact information to: shannon_hagen@nps.gov

Westside Road Erosion Mitigation Project

The Westside Road Phyto-Engineering Project is looking for volunteers from August  22nd- September 16^th to help collect live willow stakes to build both wattle fences and for live staking. Our project site will focus on a portion of the Westside Road beyond the gate to help mitigate bank erosion. We will be out every week day from 9:00AM-4:00PM, unless otherwise notified. Tasks per day will vary between collecting and constructing.

We are looking for 10 volunteers to help out with this project where you can learn about the process of bank erosion, and how to deal with it using various engineering methods. Although no prior experience is necessary, familiarity with gardening and construction tools is a plus! All tools are provided. Please bring your own lunch, snack, and water!

For more information, please email Jennifer_chan@partner.nps.gov

Regulations for Solo Travel

Rovers Rejoice!  We have been given permission to resume solo roving beyond the one mile limit. The following conditions have been added to the Meadow Rover Handbook.

GUIDE LINES FOR MEADOW ROVERS 

INCLUDING SOLO ROVING

• Sign-in before roving and sign-out after roving; record hours and contacts.  Meadow Rovers are only officially working if signed in. 

• Rover Manager or Visitor Center Lead will confirm all rovers have returned or make contact by radio before leaving at the end of the day.  An emergency response will be initiated if contact is not made.

• Be specific about where you will be roving.  

• Give an estimated time of return.

• Keep radio on at all times when on trail.

• If radio or battery dies, return directly to base.

• If conditions change significantly (e.g. violent weather), check in with Dispatch and report your location and intentions.

• If you see a need to change your itinerary, check in with your supervisor.  Make sure your supervisor knows where you are at all times, and approves any change of plans.

• A radio must be carried for any rove beyond 1/2 mile from a visitor center or trailhead. Only one radio per group is needed if not traveling solo.

• Solo rovers must remain within one mile radius of Visitor Center before Visitor Center opens and after it closes.

• After Visitor Center closing, radios will be checked in as per local established procedure.

• Supervisor may request that you check in at specific times or intervals.

• Make safety the highest priority in the conduct of all duties.

So keep on roving...and always keep your supervisor apprised of your where abouts!

Maureen McLean

Coordinator MORA Meadow Rovers

MRNPA: Two Work Parties In July

From John Titland:

The next Mount Rainier National Park Associates volunteer work party will be Saturday, July 16th.  This will be the annual Mount Rainier National Park Associates Exotic Plant Removal work party, which we refer to as the "deveg".  We will be working at the site of the new Carbon River Ranger Station, and the Marsh Property, both located a few miles west of the Carbon River Entrance of the park on the Carbon River Road.  The ranger station occupies a building that was formerly identified as the Carbon River Ranch.  The area is still referred to as the Thompson property.  The property extends all the way from the road down to the Carbon River.

To participate in the Exotic Plant Removal work party there is no need to know about native plants.  The NPS crew members we will work with will teach you which plants to remove, and they will be able to identify for you all the native plants in the area.  There will be no heavy tools (like shovels and pulaskis) to carry and use.  Safety helmets are not required.

Things you should bring are work gloves, a small digging tool like a hand trowel, or your favorite weed removing tool, your lunch, plenty of fluids to drink, and a full set of rain gear.  A warm jacket would be good to include. 

We will meet between 8:30 and 9:00 AM in front of the ranger station.  Be ready to go to work by about 9:00 AM and expect to finish about 3:00 PM. If  you plan to attend this work party, please reply to this email 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 who will attend.

A second MRNPA volunteer work party in July

In the advanced stages of planning is a potential MRNPA volunteer trails work party on Saturday, July 30th at Lake Tipsoo at Chinook Pass.  The project would be to remove and replace one of the foot bridges on the path around the lake.  Howard Selmer, the seasonal ranger at Lake Tipsoo, tells me that it would be a good day to wear rubber boots or an old pair if tennis shoes because wading in the water will likely be involved.  Sounds like a fun project!   And the work site is only a few paces from the parking lot .  But that has a down side too.  Saturdays in July can be  pandemonium at Lake Tipsoo.  We may need as many volunteers to assist Howard in crowd control as we need volunteers to work on the bridge.

Part of the uncertainty of this project is - on such short notice can we assemble a big enough MRNPA crew to do the whole job in one day?

 If you are interested in participating in this project and really do think you can attend on July 30th, please reply to this email to tell me you can come and if you can bring additional volunteers with you.  This really is a case where I need to know now how many MRNPA volunteers will be coming.

Mount Rainier Volunteers Tidy Up SR 706

You've seen those blue signs on your way to the Park crediting "Mount Rainier Volunteers" with adoption of a two-mile stretch of SR 706. Well, here they are, all kitted up and ready to go litter-picking! Left to right, stalwart team members Crow Vecchio, Claudia Page, Joan Hays, Jean Millan, Daren Sachet and Jim Smith collected six bags of trash which had accumulated over a mere two months from our last patrol.

Urgent: Deveg Volunteers Needed!

Do you recognize this plant? If you said "Self-heal" (wrong!), you need to join our Longmire Meadow de-Ajuga-fication Project to learn more about a rapidly spreading NON-NATIVE groundcover commonly sold in garden stores.

Yes, this is Ajuga reptans, aka Bugleweed. Visitors, volunteers and rangers walking along the Trail of the Shadows may have seen it at any time over the last several years and have dismissed it as Self-heal, a native species very similar in appearance. Consequently, Ajuga has spread dramatically, and now is choking out native species in an area covering at least 300 sq. ft. We need you to help us eradicate it.

We have to get it before it sets seed! Soon! Now!

On Wednesday July 6, we will gather on the porch of the Longmire Administration Building (the big stone building) at 9:30 AM. It's a very short walk to the site (about a tenth of a mile). There will be a quick botany briefing to assure that we only remove Ajuga, and then work will proceed on a grid similar to that used at archaeological digs. This will ensure that we get a high percentage of the plants.

It is fairly easy to pull, but many of the plants are tiny, so if you have latex or nitrile gloves, please bring them. For those tougher specimens, we'll have a few dandelion forks on hand. Volunteers should be able to sit on the ground or kneel, so if you have a pad, bring that as well.

Please RSVP to Crow at petrina_vecchio@partner.nps.gov with the number of volunteers you'll be bringing.

Nisqually to Paradise, June 23-30

Click to enlarge

Everybody Loves The Parade!

It's almost time for the Eatonville 4th of July Parade and we need you to celebrate the NPS Centennial with a parade!

Yes, this year we're going all out to celebrate the nation's 240th birthday and the park service's 100th birthday.

Many of you will be working in the park that day, celebrating with the many visitors. But if you're not in the park, think about making the parade part of your (and your family's) 4th of July festivities.

This year we get to do more than just smile, wave flags, and give high fives. We are going all out and will be doing the BioBlitz Dance! Don't panic! You can do it. If this old park service veteran can do it, so can you.

The dance has a brief intro and then four parts (moves) taking a total of 57 seconds, then we move along the parade route and do it again. By the end of the parade you'll be experts!

Here is a video that will teach you the "required" first three moves. Please note: the National Geographic link given in the video no longer offers a download of the BioBlitz song.

The fourth move (Spotted Owl) was created by Annie Runde is unique to Mount Rainier (see below).

Park staff, volunteers, scouts and their family members are welcome to join. Employees and VIPs please wear your uniforms. If you don't have a uniform, dress to celebrate.
 
If you wish to take part, we usually gather on Pennsylvania Ave., near Lynch St., one block west of the football stadium at Eatonville High School.  The exact spot is different each year and is not known until we arrive.  Just look around for some ranger hats.  Please be there by 11:15 AM so we can get instructions and run through the simple dance once or twice as a group.

For more information contact Jim Ross@nps.gov
                                                                               
Please join us!

Meadow Rover Review

Quick notes on a variety of topics!

Meadow Rover Training

Awesome success!  I enjoyed seeing all of you again and greeting the 50+ new rovers. We are going to have a terrific season.  Please check with the Sunrise or Paradise supervisors regarding the 1 Mile Solo restrictions...we are working on the waiver and should have details soon.

Left after training, the following items - let me know if they sound familiar!
   Ladies pull-over fleece L.L Bean
   Blue hard plastic coffee cup with lid
   Red neckerchief
   Spiral notebook with pen attached - lots of notes written but no name

Hike with a Purpose

Several rovers have inquired about combining Meadow Roving with "Hike with a Purpose".  This particular project involves back country trails and is not part of the Meadow Rovers duties.  However, it is another opportunity to help spread your love of this special place.  If you are interested, there is a previous blog on the topic or contact Shannon_Hagen@nps.gov. or myself.

Volunteer Agreements

If you were not at training, and have not as yet done so, you will need to complete a new volunteer agreement.  I can send you an electronic copy, or you may fill one out the first time you come to rove.

As always, keep on roving and thank you for all the help that is offered.

Maureen McLean
Coordinator MORA Meadow Rovers

Welcome - Mark Loper

Mount Rainier Volunteers!

The National Park Service Centennial year is in full swing and I'm happy to have joined the team here at Mount Rainier National Park. My name is Mark Loper and I am the SCA Centennial Volunteer Ambassador. I've been at the park for about 4 days soaking in the park's majesty. I've been working in Chicago at DePaul University for the past few years but nature called. I studied environmental policy and wanted to get back to my roots, working with people outdoors. Kevin has told me about the exciting volunteer opportunities available, and the great people that give their time and energy to the park. I'm excited to meet volunteers and hear your stories, passions and involvement at Mount Rainier. 

 

I'll be working with Kevin and our volunteer programs until June 2017. I'll try to stop by and say hello to as many volunteers as I can. 

Looking forward to a great year!

 

Mark