Volunteers will work on trails and native plant revegetation at Mount Rainier on National Public Lands Day, September 26; Entrance fees waived

September 21, 2015

For Immediate Release

Kevin Bacher, Volunteer Program Manager

360-569-6567, Kevin_Bacher [at] nps.gov

Mount Rainier National Park will celebrate National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 26, 2015 with several volunteer projects open to public participation. The work day caps a busy summer in which nearly 2,000 people have contributed to the protection of Mount Rainier’s natural and cultural treasures and helped serve its visitors.

National Public Lands Day is an annual celebration of public involvement in the stewardship of America’s national, state, and local parks and forests. More than 200,000 individuals are expected to participate in events all over the country. In recognition of this, entrance fees will be waived at all national parks for the day. Volunteers will receive an additional coupon for free admission on a day of their choice.

Members of the public are invited to join in the day’s work. The National Parks Conservation Association will help coordinate registration for the event beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the White River Campground in the northeastern corner of the park. After a brief welcome at 9:00, participants will divide into work groups. The Washington Trails Association and Park Service crew leaders will lead trail maintenance projects around Sunrise, while other crews will work on restoring subalpine meadows by planting species grown in the park’s greenhouse from seeds collected from the meadows of Sunrise. Trail work is suitable for ages 16 and up, while revegetation is good for all ages. Additional projects may be added as well.

Volunteers should come prepared for the possibility of cool, wet weather, with warm clothing, rain gear, sturdy footwear, and gloves. Knee pads are also recommended for planting. If the weather is nice, sunglasses, sunscreen, and hats are recommended. Volunteers should also bring water, snacks, and a lunch.

Free camping at the White River Campground is available both the day before and after National Public Lands Day for event participants. Contact Ian Harvey at Ian_Harvey@partner.nps.gov to reserve a campsite, and include the total number of people in your group as well as the number of tents you will be using.

Volunteers at Mount Rainier National Park maintain trails, patrol park roads and wilderness areas, assist and educate visitors, conduct research as citizen scientists, plant native plants, as well as dozens of other tasks. Last year, 1,693 volunteers contributed 57,336 hours of service, an effort valued at $1.5 million.

Information about Mount Rainier’s volunteer program, including a list of open positions, a calendar of activities, and pictures and videos of volunteers in action may be found on Mount Rainier National Park’s website at www.nps.gov/mora, or on its volunteer program blog at rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com.

- NPS -

Aiding Paradise: Volunteers are helping us understand and prepare for climate change

Volunteers make survey measurements
on the Nisqually Glacier

Many of you have already read the excellent 16-page special section in The News Tribune that came out last month called "Losing Paradise: Climate Change is Changing Mount Rainier." If you haven't done so, it's an excellent read, covering everything from the science behind climate change (both what we know and what's still uncertain) to its effects on the mountain's glaciers, rivers, plants, animals, visitors, and caretakers.

The one tiny flaw in this exceptional and comprehensive story is that nowhere are volunteers mentioned -- at least, by that title. But anyone who knows anything about Mount Rainier knows that volunteers are intimately involved in everything we do, and that is certainly true of our efforts to understand and prepare for climate change.

This mountain is one of the best places on the planet to study the local effects of changing climate, and as the article suggests, it has attracted a swarm of graduate students. Many are independent researchers, working with their universities under research permits. Others are hired as volunteers or interns by the National Park Service through programs like the Geoscientists-in-Parks program, a partnership with the Geologic Society of America (whose interns have contributed greatly to Mount Rainier over the years, and whose 2015 positions are accepting applications until February 3rd). Scott Beason, a park geologist, began his career as a "GIP" intern. John Beyeler and Rebecca Rossi, who spent the summer of 2013 gathering stream data in the Carbon River channel, and who are featured on the cover the special section in the News Tribune, sitting on an island surrounded by the rushing river, were two more such interns. Emily Knoth and John Russell, 2014 interns, are photographed conducting surveys at Longmire. Mitch Haynes, pictured mapping the Nisqually Glacier, was a 2014 summer volunteer working with park geomorphologist Paul Kennard.

MeadoWatch volunteer Karen Murante
surveys wildflowers on Mazama Ridge

Volunteers help in other ways, too. They survey sensitive animal species on our wildlife crews, and serve as Citizen Scientists, documenting the changing populations of amphibian surveys in wilderness lakes and ponds. "MeadoWatch" volunteers monitor the timing of when flowers bloom and set seed, and its Park Service and University of Washington facilitators are working with NASA satellite imagery to develop predictive snow melt models. The volunteer Cascade Butterfly Survey tracks fluctuations in butterfly populations over the years. Even casual park visitors can get involved, by submitting their geotagged photos for researchers to analyze. The deployment of volunteers gives us hundreds of data points where, if we relied solely on paid staff, we would have only dozens.

And, of course, when the rivers rise, causing damage like that of the November 2006 floods that wiped out roads, bridges, trails, and campgrounds, volunteers respond to make repairs. Miles of trail were rebuilt almost entirely by volunteers; it's no exaggeration to say that large swaths of the park would still be closed off without the help of partners like the Washington Trails Association and Student Conservation Association who helped organize work crews. Community groups representing REI, Boeing, Starbucks, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, church groups, military units, geocaching clubs, and dozens of others joined hundreds of individuals to grade and build and brush and plant.

You can make a difference! Volunteer with our MeadoWatch, Butterfly Survey, or Citizen Science programs to help gather data for researchers. Share your photos of flowering plants (how simple is that)! Work with our Trail Crews, and with our partners at the Washington Trails Association, to continue repairing and maintaining damaged trails. Support the work of other partners like Washington's National Park Fund and the National Parks Conservation Association. Join other volunteer efforts throughout the year, and encourage your employee associations, church groups, civic groups, and community organizations to contribute. Together, we can make a real difference. See you on the Mountain!

Volunteers will work on trails and campground restoration at Mount Rainier on National Public Lands Day, September 27; Entrance fees waived

Mount Rainier National Park will celebrate National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 27, 2014, with several volunteer projects open to public participation. The work day caps a busy summer in which nearly 2,000 people have contributed to the protection of Mount Rainier’s natural and cultural treasures and helped serve its visitors.


National Public Lands Day is an annual celebration of public involvement in the stewardship of America’s national, state, and local parks and forests. More than 170,000 individuals are expected to participate in events all over the country. In recognition of this, entrance fees will be waived at all national parks for the day. Volunteers will receive an additional coupon for free admission on a day of their choice.


Members of the public are invited to join in the day’s work. The National Parks Conservation Association will help coordinate registration for the event beginning at 8:00 a.m. at Longmire, six miles inside the southwest entrance to the park. After a brief welcome at 9:00, participants will divide into work groups. The Washington Trails Association and Park Service crew leaders will lead trail maintenance projects at Paradise, while other crews will winterize a campground at Longmire that is used by volunteers, school groups, and other park partners. Trail work is suitable for ages 16 and up, while campground maintenance is good for all ages. Additional projects may be added as well.


Another project, revegetating a former campground near Sunrise, will put a small number of volunteers to work on the east side of the national park. Volunteers interested in planting should meet crew leaders in front of the Sunrise Visitor Center at 9:00 a.m. and plan for a mile-long hike to the project location. This project can only accept about a dozen volunteers. Please RSVP to Kevin Bacher at Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov. Volunteers should come prepared for cool, wet weather, with warm clothing, rain gear, sturdy footwear, and gloves. Knee pads are also recommended for planting. If the weather is nice, sunglasses, sunscreen, and hats are recommended. Volunteers should also bring water, snacks, and a lunch.


Free camping at the Longmire Campground is available both the day before and after National Public Lands Day for event participants. Kevin Bacher at Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov to reserve a campsite.


Volunteers at Mount Rainier National Park maintain trails, patrol park roads and wilderness areas, assist and educate visitors, conduct research as citizen scientists, and plant native plants. Last year, 1,784 volunteers contributed 62,736 hours of service, an effort valued at $1.4 million.


Information about Mount Rainier’s volunteer program, including a list of open positions, a calendar of activities, and pictures and videos of volunteers in action may be found on Mount Rainier National Park’s website at www.nps.gov/mora, or on its volunteer program blog at rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com.

- NPS -

An epic National Public Lands Day

Saturday's National Public Lands Day was one for the record books.

No, we didn't have a record turnout; nor did we restore more miles of trail, plant more seedlings, or pick up amazing amounts of trash. But we did work in some of the wettest, muddiest weather in the volunteer program's history! Chief Ranger Chuck Young reports that from Friday through Monday about 8 inches of rain fell in the park, and those of us who spent six hours maintaining trails at Narada Falls, or taking down tents and picking up storm debris at the Longmire Campround, carried much of that home with us, soaked through to the skin in spite of the best efforts of Gortex and leather.

It was so wet, in fact, that I didn't get a total count on participants before heading out Saturday afternoon. I'm guessing about three dozen people showed up, split fairly evenly between trail work and campground restoration. The trail work was accomplished in partnership with the Washington Trails Association, while Boy Scout Troop 356 from Bothell pitched in with spirit in the campground. The National Parks Conservation Association helped with registration, and brought along volunteers, and Student Conservation Association intern Joshua Jones represented his organization's partnership honorably as well.

I've posted a complete set of photos on the park's Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mountrainiernps/, so check them out! If you took photos of your own, please post them on Flickr or Facebook or Instagram or Picasa or whatever, and send us the link -- we'd love to see every last soggy one of them.

This year's event was a testament to what people can accomplish when they come together for a common cause, in spite of epic challenges. You guys are an inspiration!

Volunteers will work on trails and campground restoration at Mount Rainier on National Public Lands Day, September 28 – Entrance fees to be waived

Mount Rainier National Park News Release

September 23, 2013For Immediate ReleaseKevin Bacher, Volunteer Program Manager360-569-6567, Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov

Mount Rainier National Park will celebrate National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 28, 2013, with several volunteer projects open to public participation. The work day caps a busy summer in which nearly 2,000 people have contributed to the protection of Mount Rainier’s natural and cultural treasures and helped serve its visitors.

National Public Lands Day is an annual celebration of public involvement in the stewardship of America’s national, state, and local parks and forests. More than 170,000 individuals are expected to participate in events all over the country. In recognition of this, entrance fees will be waived at all national parks for the day. Volunteers will receive an additional coupon for free admission on a day of their choice.

Members of the public are invited to join in the day’s work. The National Parks Conservation Association will help coordinate registration for the event beginning at 8:00 a.m. at Longmire, six miles inside the southwest entrance to the park. After a brief welcome at 9:00, participants will divide into work groups. The Washington Trails Association and Park Service crew leaders will lead trail maintenance projects around Paradise, while other crews will continue historic restoration work in a campground at Longmire that is used by volunteers, school groups, and other park partners. Trail work is suitable for ages 16 and up, while campground restoration is good for all ages.

Volunteers should come prepared for cool, wet weather, with warm clothing, rain gear, sturdy footwear, and gloves. If the weather is nice, sunglasses, sunscreen, and hats are recommended. Volunteers should also bring water, snacks, and a lunch.

Free camping at the Longmire Campground is available both the day before and after National Public Lands Day for event participants. Contact Joshua Jones at Joshua_Jones@partner.nps.gov to reserve a campsite.

Volunteers at Mount Rainier National Park maintain trails, patrol wilderness areas and climbing routes, assist and educate visitors, conduct research as citizen scientists, plant native plants, and catalogue historic records. Last year, 1,804 volunteers contributed 74,615 hours of service, an effort valued at $1.65 million.

Information about Mount Rainier’s volunteer program, including a list of open positions, a calendar of activities, and pictures and videos of volunteers in action may be found on Mount Rainier National Park’s website atwww.nps.gov/mora, or on its volunteer program blog at rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com.

- NPS -

National Park Family Day in Seattle May 19

Join Mount Rainier's outreach program, along with many others, on Saturday, May 19 in Seattle! Here's the posting on sponsor National Parks Conservation Association's website:

Date: May 19, 2012

Location: Rainier Community Center, 4600 38th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98118

Description:

It has been said that the National Park System, which includes many of our nation’s most precious, revered and significant treasures, reflects who we are as a people and as a nation– that America’s spirit is reflected in the National Park System.
National Park Family Day is a FREE, family-friendly event that brings your northwest national parks to you!

This year’s event will be even bigger and better than before with a multitude of hands-on, kid-friendly activities. Park Rangers from Olympic, North Cascades, and Mt. Rainier National Parks will be on-hand for demos and to answer all your park questions. Local organizations will be on-site teaching families about the wonders, culture and history of our national and local parks, conservation, and wildlife.  Kids will also have the opportunity to become Family Day Jr. Rangers and win prizes!

EVENT SCHEDULE- Saturday, May 19th:
 
10:00AM- National Park Family Day Begins- Come Join the fun!
11:00AM- Wildlife encounter presented by the Woodland Park Zoo
 
Additional demos: Camping 101 demonstration, “Family Day in the Garden” with Seattle Tilth and more!
Gather your family and friends and head to the Rainier Community Center on Saturday, May 19th from 10am-4pm for this fun-filled day celebrating our National Parks and the outdoors!

Participating Groups:

• Bike Works
• EarthCorps
• Green Trails Maps/NW Link
• Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
• Mt. Baker- Snoqualmie National Forest
• Mt. Rainier National Park
• National Park Service
• National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA)
• National Wildlife Federation
• North Cascades National Park
• Olympic National Park
• Outdoor Recreation Interagency Center (ORIC)
• Puget Sound Energy
• San Juan Island National Historical Park
• Seattle Parks & Recreation
• Seattle Tilth
• Seward Park Audubon Center
• Snoqualmie Tribes
• Student Conservation Association
• Washington Wild
• Washington’s National Park Fund
• Woodland Park Zoo
• YMCA/BOLD/ Passages NW

Mark your calendars: National Public Lands Day and Glacier Basin Trail rededication on 9/24!

WTA volunteers

It's time again for Mount Rainier National Park's biggest volunteer event of the year! Mark your calendars now and plan to join us on Saturday, September 24 for a combination event. First, we'll be rededicating the Glacier Basin Trail, which volunteers and park partners have helped rebuild over the past three summers following its destruction in the November 2006 flood. Then, we'll disperse for a variety of volunteer projects, including more trail maintenance and a major revegetation effort at Sunrise. Finally, anyone who's interested will re-gather at the White River Campground for snacks and a more informal celebration and sharing of stories about the Glacier Basin Trail reconstruction.

SCA's Conservation Leadership Corps

2011 statistics aren't in yet, but from 2008 through 2010, volunteers and youth organizations like the Washington Conservation Corps and Student Conservation Association contributed 49,497 hours of time on the Glacier Basin Trail, an effort worth almost $1.06 million based on current figures from Independent Sector. The work has been done by National Park Service trail crews, partner groups, community groups, and hundreds of individuals who have worked on the project through the Washington Trails Association. WTA volunteers alone contributed about 15,000 hours of service over the three year period. The Student Conservation Association has fielded more than 8,000 hours of trail teams, national crews, and members of their Community Programs, made up of high school students mostly from the Seattle area.

NPCA's registration booth

Other key partners on the project have included Alpine Ascents International; Boy Scout Troops 224 and 436, as well as the Pacific Harbors Council and the T'kope Kwiswis Lodge 502 in Seattle; EarthCorps; the Mount Rainier National Park Associates; the Northwest Youth Corps; REI Adventures; and soldiers from the U.S.S. Henry M. Jackson. About 500 volunteers worked on the project each year (with a lot of overlap from year to year).

All volunteers who contributed to the Glacier Basin Trail reconstruction are invited to return for the rededication, and stay for National Public Lands Day!

Revegetation volunteers at Sunrise

The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) will be returning again this year to help coordinate National Public Lands Day. Volunteers can choose from several projects. The National Park Service and WTA will both be leading trail maintenance projects on sections of the Wonderland Trail departing from White River Campground. Meanwhile, at Sunrise, Mount Rainier's restoration team will lead volunteers in replanting the old Sunrise Campground with native plants. For either project, volunteers should bring a lunch, snacks, water, layered clothing that you can get dirty in, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Bring your own gloves if you have a pair that works well for you. All ages are welcome! Other projects may be added between now and September 24th as well.

Registration for National Public Lands Day will be hosted by NPCA at the Amphitheater in White River Campground. Volunteers may choose to stay overnight for free in the campground the night before September 24th and/or the night after. Please RSVP with your intentions (see details below). WTA will be working on the Wonderland Trail again on Sunday, September 25th.

Event Details

WHAT: National Public Lands Day and Glacier Basin Trail Rededication


WHEN: Saturday, September 24, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
8:00 a.m. Event Registration
9:00 a.m. Glacier Basin trail dedication
10:00 a.m. Trail and meadow restoration
3:30 p.m. Informal gathering and celebration
WHERE: All events take place at, or depart from, White River Campground at Mount Rainier National Park. Click here for a map and directions. Stevens Canyon Road will be closed to the public that day due to road construction. Please enter the park via Highway 410 or 123.

RSVP: If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Mariely Lemagne at NPCA at mlemagne@npca.org. If you plan to camp overnight, please RSVP with those plans to Kevin Bacher at Mount Rainier National Park at Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov. If you wish to join a WTA work crew on Saturday or Sunday, please also register online at http://www.wta.org/volunteer/trail-work-parties.

OTHER INFO: Entry to all national park units will be free on National Public Lands Day! Volunteers who register at White River Campground will receive a coupon for free entrance to Mount Rainier National Park on a future date of your choosing. Please bring work gloves and dress appropriately for the weather and activity. Suncreen, hats, and raincoats are recommended. You will also want to bring your lunch and a water bottle to stay hydrated.

We hope you will join us for the Glacier Basin Trail rededication and National Public Lands Day!

2nd Annual NW National Park Family Day

Visitors to Mount Rainier's booth in 2010

Here's a great opportunity for families in the Seattle area. I participated last year, and we had booths from all the local national parks, environmental organizations, and youth organizations, with lots of great activities for families and kids. Put it on your calendar!

Our own calendar is beginning to take shape, so stop by and check out what's planned.



June 25th, 2011- SAVE THE DATE!

The Mountaineers Program Center

Magnuson Park - Seattle, WA

The National Park Service and National Parks Conservation Association will host the 2nd Annual NW National Park Family Day on Saturday, June 25th at the Mountaineers Program Center in Magnuson Park from 10am-4pm.

Northwest National Park Family Day—“Bringing the Parks to the People” is a free, family-friendly event filled with fun activities geared toward children and those unfamiliar with national parks of the Northwest, outdoor activities and conservation in general.

Our goals for the event are to expose lower income and diverse communities to our national parks, outdoor activities, and environmental stewardship opportunities, to educate youth on employment opportunities within our National Park System, and to inspire children and adults to get outdoors and learn about the natural, cultural and historical treasures found within our National Parks. The event will also provide visibility for NPS, NPCA, and all of our partner groups attending the event.

Last year, we had nearly 1,000 participants, volunteers, and staff in attendance, including 30 on-site groups providing activities, demonstrations, and information for children and adults. Our goal is to reach 2,000-2,500 participants this year and with the support of The Mountaineers, REI, NPS, Discover Your Northwest, NPCA, KCTS, and YOU we know we can achieve this goal!

A great National Public Lands Day at Mount Rainier!

You couldn't ask for better weather than we had at Mount Rainier National Park today for Nataional Public Lands Day! Preliminary estimates are that about 102 people turned out for three different volunteer projects in the park. I spent the day visiting each of the project areas in turn and taking pictures, a preliminary set of which is posted on my Flickr site and shown as a slide show above.

(For you camera buffs, I shot camera RAW, so the pictures will look a lot better once I've had a chance to tweak the exposure on them, hopefully Monday. But I wanted to give you a first look at all the great work that went on today!) Update 9/27: Done! The high quality, full-resolution photos are now posted.

Thirty-one people joined us on the Glacier Basin trail to continue its reconstruction. I was amazed at the amount of work that has occurred since my visit just a week ago. Eventually I'll post before and after photos so you can see what I'm talking about. The crew at Glacier Basin included members of the Washington Trails Association and the T'kope Kwiskwis Lodge of the Boy Scouts of America (who also had a number of members working on Forest Service land outside the park, which are not included in our total).

At Paradise, about 71 people worked to plant native plants around the lower parking lot. This is a project we began last year, and those plants look great, as if they'd been there for years rather than just one, so I look forward to seeing the plants put in today after they settle in to their new home! The group of volunteers at Paradise included members of a class from Evergreen State College, several volunteers from the Boeing Employee Association, and a number of volunteers recruited from their membership by the National Parks Conservation Association, as well as many members of the general public who learned about the volunteer day from their local newspapers. Many volunteers also returned after participated in National Public Lands Day last year.

Mid-afternoon, a contingent of Evergreen State College volunteers broke off from the main group and returned to Longmire to take down the platform tents in the Volunteer Campground in preparation for winter. The Evergreen students have been living in the campground for the past ten days, attending lectures under tarps in the rain, going on field trips, participating in seminars led by park scientists, and working on volunteer trail repair and planting projects, so it's fitting that they wrapped up their experience today by helping us with one final volunteer job.

Thank you, everyone, for an awesome day, and for your exceptional work in support of your national park!

Do Your Part for National Parks this Saturday

From the National Parks Conservation Association in Seattle:

MEDIA ADVISORY—Public Service Opportunity

More than 170,000 Volunteers Expected to Help Clean Up National Parks, including Mount Rainier on National Public Lands Day

WHAT: Trail Maintenance work and revegitation at Mount Rainier National Park.

WHO: We urge the public to join staff and members of the National Park Conservation Association, along with the National Park Service.

WHEN: Saturday, September 25, 2010, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: Mount Rainier National Park. Meet at Longmire Museum, 6.5 miles east of the Nisqually Entrance in the southwest corner of the park.

For directions please visit the Longmire Museum link provided above. For more information, please call NPCA’s regional office at 206.903.1444.

CONTACT: Bethany Van Etten, Administrative Coordinator—Northwest Region National Parks Conservation Association, 206.903.1444, bvanetten@npca.org

WHY: The National Parks On Saturday, September 25, 2010, more than 170,000 volunteers across the country are expected to lend a hand in cleaning up America’s public lands in recognition of the 17th annual National Public Lands Day. The nation’s leading voice for the national parks, the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) will assist in this effort and work with local volunteers at national park sites across the country, including Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. "National Public Lands Day provides volunteers an opportunity to enjoy America’s Great Outdoors and help with important restoration efforts like planting native plants, cleaning up campgrounds from storm damage, and restoring trails throughout our national parks,” said Bethany Van Etten, with NPCA’s Northwest Regional office. “The event helps bring together thousands of individuals nationwide who share an appreciation for the public lands that we so often enjoy, but many times forget to care for.”

National Public Lands Day was established in 1994 and is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands, including national parks. This year, National Public Lands Day is celebrating service and recreation on public lands and is educating volunteers about the health benefits of spending time outdoors. After the event, volunteers are encouraged to explore the wonders of the great outdoors by taking a hike, swim, or bicycle ride. National Public Lands Day is also a fee-free day for many federally managed lands, including the National Park System. Volunteers who participate are given coupons for a second free entry into their favorite federal public land areas. To learn more, visit the NPCA events page or http://www.publiclandsday.org/.

Volunteers will work on trails, planting at Mount Rainier on National Public Lands Day, September 25 – Entrance Fees to be Waived

September 21, 2010
For Immediate Release
Kevin Bacher, Volunteer and Outreach Program Manager
360-569-2211 ext. 3385, Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov

On National Public Lands Day, Saturday, September 25, 2010, more than a hundred volunteers will assemble at Mount Rainier National Park to plant native plants and work on completing repairs to the Glacier Basin Trail. Volunteers will also conduct general maintenance around the Longmire Volunteer Campground in preparation for winter. The work day will cap a highly successful season in which more than a thousand volunteers have contributed to the protection of Mount Rainier National Park’s natural and cultural treasures and helped serve its visitors.

Members of the public are invited to join in the day’s work. The National Parks Conservation Association, the Washington Trails Association, Evergreen State College, and the T’Kope Kwiskwis Lodge of the Boy Scouts of America will also participate.

National Public Lands Day is an annual celebration of public involvement in the stewardship of America’s national, state, and local parks and forests. More than 120,000 individuals are expected to participate in events all over the country. In recognition of this, entrance fees will be waived at all national parks for the day. Volunteers will receive an additional coupon for free admission on a day of their choice.

National Public Lands Day volunteers will register at the Longmire Museum, on the south side of Mount Rainier National Park, by 9:00 a.m. and then continue on to Paradise. Volunteers throughout the months of September and October have been helping park crews to plant 120,000 native plants on the site of the old Jackson Visitor Center, which was replaced in 2008. Meanwhile, at White River Campground, in the northeast corner of the park, volunteers will join crew leaders at 9:00 a.m. to rebuild sections of the Glacier Basin Trail that were damaged by flooding in November 2006.

Volunteers should come prepared for cool, wet weather, with warm clothing, rain gear, sturdy footwear, and gloves. If the weather is nice, sunglasses, sunscreen, and hats are recommended. Volunteers should also bring water, snacks, and a lunch.

A coalition of nonprofit organizations and corporations has supported volunteer efforts at Mount Rainier throughout the summer. The National Parks Conservation Association coordinates National Public Lands Day and leads efforts to increase public awareness and understanding of issues facing northwest parks. Washington Trails Association members and crew leaders have led projects at Glacier Basin and elsewhere. Student Conservation Association interns and crews serve as volunteer coordinators and on trail teams. Washington’s National Park Fund supports volunteer and outreach efforts through fundraising. Corporations including REI and Starbucks have contributed with both financial and on-the-ground volunteer support. Hundreds of individuals and dozens of groups have invested their time and sweat, in partnership with park employees, to build and patrol trails, assist and educate visitors, conduct citizen science research, plant native plants, provide roadside assistance to visitors, maintain backcountry campsites, and catalogue historic records. Last year, 1,865 volunteers contributed 72,231 hours of service at Mount Rainier, an effort valued at $1.5 million.

Information about Mount Rainier National Park’s volunteer program, including a list of open positions, a calendar of activities, and pictures and videos of volunteers in action may be found on Mount Rainier National Park’s website at www.nps.gov/mora, or on its volunteer program blog at rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com.

- NPS -

Join us for National Park Family Day in Seattle (or Vancouver)

This Sunday, May 2nd, Mount Rainier National Park will be one of 30 groups participating in the first annual Northwest National Parks Family Day at Seward Park in Seattle. The event, which will run from 10am to 3pm, is sponsored by the National Parks Conservation Association and will be packed with booths, exhibits, and activities oriented to families. The theme of the day is "Bringing the Parks to the People." Our own both, for example, will have exhibits, puppets, and a demonstration campsite with information about this summer's Camping Adventure with My Parents (CAMP) program.

Mount Rainier will also be one of several groups presenting "demonstrations" in the picnic pavillion. Ours will feature campfire songs and stories as told by rangers Jim Ross (a 40+ year veteran of telling campfire stories at Mount Rainier) and Kevin Bacher (me). Other demos include a banjo performance from San Juan Island Historical Park; nature hikes; a program called "Lost but safe and sound" by Lewis & Clark National Historical Park; a live raptor demonstration by Sarvey Wildlife Center; and a Leave No Trace camping demonstration by REI. For complete details, visit the Family Day page on NPCA's website.

If Seattle's a little far for you, but you live close to Vancouver, Washington, a similar National Park Family Day will be held at Fort Vancouver on May 15. Ranger Jim Ross will be there, too, representing Mount Rainier National Park.

Bring the kids, and we'll see you all at the park!

National Public Lands Day 2009 will be a day of service and celebration

On National Public Lands Day, Saturday, September 26, 2009, more than a hundred volunteers will assemble at Mount Rainier National Park to plant native plants, maintain trails, and restore a historic campground. The work day will cap a highly successful season in which more than a thousand volunteers contributed to the protection of the park’s natural and cultural treasures and helped serve its visitors.

National Public Lands Day is an annual celebration of public involvement in the stewardship of America’s national, state, and local parks and forests. More than 120,000 individuals are expected to participate in events all over the country. In recognition of this, entrance fees have been waived at all national parks. Volunteers will receive an additional coupon for free admission on a day of their choice.

September 26 has also been designated a Day of Service and Celebration by the National Park Service, in anticipation of the airing of a new documentary by filmmaker Ken Burns that will be released on PBS the following day, titled The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. Volunteers will be invited to attend a preview showing of 45 minutes from the series following their day of service.

National Public Lands Day volunteers will gather at the Longmire Museum at 9:00 a.m. Teams under the direction of crew leaders from the National Park Service and Student Conservation Association will help revegetate the site of the old Jackson Visitor Center, which was torn down and replaced by a new building last fall. Volunteers throughout late September and early October will plant more than 130,000 native plants at the site. Other teams on National Public Lands Day will work on basic trail maintenance and restoration of the historic Longmire Campground for use by future volunteers. Meanwhile, in the opposite corner of the park, the Washington Trails Association will continue a massive effort to rebuild the Glacier Basin Trail, which was obliterated by flooding three years ago. Projects will be available for all ages and levels of physical ability.

A coalition of nonprofit organizations and corporations has supported volunteer efforts at Mount Rainier throughout the summer and will help with National Public Lands Day. The Student Conservation Association plays a major role, with interns serving as volunteer coordinators and on trail teams throughout the park. The National Parks Conservation Association has led efforts to increase public awareness and understanding of issues facing northwest parks, including climate change and increased dangers from flooding. The Washington Trails Association and its members have worked hard to repair and maintain trails throughout the state. Washington’s National Park Fund has supported flood recovery and volunteer efforts through fundraising. Corporations including Boeing, REI, and Starbucks have contributed with both financial and on-the-ground volunteer support. Hundreds of individuals and dozens of groups have invested their time and sweat, in partnership with park employees, to build and patrol trails, assist and educate visitors, conduct citizen science research, plant native plants, remove invasive species, maintain backcountry campsites, and catalogue historic records. Last year, 1837 volunteers contributed 70,130 hours of service at Mount Rainier, an effort valued at $1.4 million.

Individuals may RSVP to help with National Public Lands Day, as well as many other projects extending into October. Up-to-date information, a calendar of activities, and pictures of volunteers in action may be found on Mount Rainier National Park’s website at www.nps.gov/mora, or on its volunteer program blog at rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com.

- NPS -

NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY 2009

Plans are still being finalized for National Public Lands Day, but this is one event that you'll want to be sure to have on your personal calendar!

This year we'll be working on a variety of projects including trail maintenance and construction, native planting, and campground restoration. All ages and abilities are welcome, though some projects will require more physical ability than others. Bring gloves, boots, sunscreen, water, and a lunch, and gather in front of the Transportation Exhibit next to the National Park Inn at 9am on Saturday September 26. We'll work till mid-afternoon and then gather at the park's Community Building for a preview showing of 45 minutes of footage from the upcoming Ken Burns documentary on the National Parks. Details on the timing will be forthcoming.

In addition to projects out of Longmire, the Washington Trails Association will be leading a trail construction project on the Glacier Basin Trail in the northeast corner of the park, out of White River Campground. Visit their website for more information or to sign up for this specific event.

Mount Rainier, of course, will not be the only national park sponsoring volunteer projects on National Public Lands Day. If you don't live near Mount Rainier, visit the "America's Best Idea" page on the National Park Service website for information about projects near you. They even feature a photo of Student Conservation Association volunteers working at Mount Rainier last year!

Mount Rainier's National Public Lands Day project is its biggest volunteer event of the year, and is presented in cooperation with the Student Conservation Association, Washington Trails Association, National Parks Conservation Association, and Washington's National Park Fund. Come join our team to help protect the natural and cultural treasures of Mount Rainier National Park!

For more information about visiting either individually or as a group, contact Kevin Bacher at 360-569-2211 ext. 3385, or write to Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov. See you here!

Washington Coastal Cleanup at Olympic, April 18

Summer is rapidly coming--but don't look at the weather forecast! Looks like we may get still more snow above 1000' on Easter Sunday. At least, this time of year it melts rapidly. How does Longmire compare to average? We have 50 inches on the ground as of this morning, compared to an average of 7 inches for this date. That's either 700% of average, which sounds terrifying, or 43 inches over normal, which realistically is only a few extra weeks of good melting weather.

But clearly, we aren't planting at Longmire yet! The Mount Rainier National Park Associates will join us on April 25th for trail work, and are looking for volunteers to help, but that will almost certainly be at a lower elevation location such as Carbon River or Westside Road.

Meanwhile, you can't get much lower than sea level... so consider taking a jaunt across the Penninsula and joining Olympic National Park for their annual Coastal Cleanup Day on April 18! Here's the summary from National Parks Conservation Association representative David Graves:

It is time for this year's Washington Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, April 18, 2009. NPCA will once again be leading a volunteer group to the Olympic National Park for a day of cleaning up the coast and camping (if you want!). If you would like to camp, we will be camping at the Kalaloch Campground in the southwest corner of Olympic National Park (for free!) on Friday, April 17th and participating in the cleanup on the 18th. We will finish the cleanup in the afternoon, which will be followed by a cookout with all the volunteers. Afterwards, you are welcome to head home or stay another night, free of charge, at the beautiful beach side campground at Kalaloch. Last year we had no rain and a beautiful day on the beach. However, the year before we had non-stop rain, so come prepared for all types of weather! To join the group and get the details, please contact David at dgraves@npca.org or (206) 902-1444, ext.25.

See also the Washington Coastsavers website at http://www.coastsavers.org/.

Outreach for Camping

Two interesting article have recently appeared about a new program we're offering here at Mount Rainier as part of our Outreach program. Called "Connecting Youth and Families to Our Parks," it will provide opportunities for traditionally underserved audiences to learn about and experience camping at Mount Rainier National Park with their families, under the guidance of Brad Carlquist, one of our park rangers. Here are the links for more information:

Free camping at Mount Rainier for city kids could be "use it or lose it" idea
The Seattle Times, April 9

Mount Rainier National Park: Reaching Out to Camping Newbies
National Parks Traveler, April 9

John Muir, 100 Years on Skis, and Ken Burns: Three upcoming events

John Muir in Seattle
One last reminder! The National Parks Conservation Association is hosting a very special event tomorrow, Thursday, March 19. John Muir, the father of the modern conservation movement, is coming to Seattle. Lee Stetson is an actor who has portrayed John Muir for years at Yosemite National Park and around the country. On Thursday, March 19th, he will be visiting Seattle’s Town Hall to present The Spirit of John Muir. This show is a fun romp through some of the very best of Muir's grand, thrilling adventures in his beloved western wilderness. The show includes Muir's encounters with a mighty Yosemite earthquake, dangerous Alaskan ice crevasses, snow blindness, and much more - all liberally salted with Muir's wilderness philosophy. Doors open at 6:00 PM; Show starts at 6:30PM. The presentation will be at Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Avenue (at Seneca Street). Tickets purchased today will be $7.00 plus applicable fees at:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/53650. Tickets purchased at the door will be $10.00. Cash or check only please.

A Centennial of Skiing
Acting Superintendent Randy King passes this along from Lowell Skoog, chairman of the Mountaineers History Committee in Seattle:

...For several years I've been working on a book about the history of backcountry skiing in Washington. Through my research I've become aware of a seminal event in Northwest skiing that occurred 100 years ago this month. It was a ski outing to Longmire by a group of professional people from Seattle and Tacoma. They included several prominent U.W. professors and the mayor of Tacoma. Prof. Milnor Roberts, the organizer, wrote an article about the trip for the 1909 National Geographic Magazine called "A Wonderland of Glaciers and Snow." Because of this important article, I think of this event as the birth of recreational skiing in Washington. A few weeks ago I started organizing an informal celebration of this event to take place at Paradise on Sunday, March 22. The celebration would be a gathering of backcountry skiers, perhaps a brief commemorative ceremony, and (weather permitting) a short tour to Sluiskin Falls, the high-point of the 1909 party's ski ventures. I'm planning to wear old-fashioned clothing and ski gear, and I'm hoping a few others will as well. I don't know how many people will come, but I imagine there may be ten to twenty of us. Our tentative plan is to meet at the Paradise visitor center after the road from Longmire opens in the morning. So far, the organization has taken place on the Turns-All-Year skiers' website, on the following thread:

http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=12431.0

This thread includes a few photos, background information, and the complete text of the 1909 National Geographic article. I've also been in touch with Craig Hill of the Tacoma News Tribune and I believe the paper will be running a story about this. I'm writing to let you know about this event and to invite you and any park staff who may be interested to join us on Sunday, March 22. I'm not expecting a big to-do -- just a light-hearted gathering of skiers to celebrate a unique date in the local history of our sport. I would be delighted to meet you or any of your staff there.

Best regards,

Lowell Skoog
lowell.skoog@alpenglow.org
206-525-6083

Ken Burns Preview
And finally, a very special invitation to our staff (including volunteers) and supporters, from Acting Superintendent Randy King and North Cascades Superintendent Chip Jenkins:

You, your family and friends are invited to attend a Monday, April 20 preview of the 6-part, 12-hour documentary on the National Park System that will air on PBS in late September, entitled The National Parks: America's Best Idea. Noted film makers Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan will speak and show a preview of their new film in Seattle. This is part of a series of events around the country intended to build public awareness and excitement about the forthcoming PBS documentary series, and about the national parks. If you make the trip to Seattle, you will find the event enjoyable and the film inspirational.

Download a flier from the National Parks Conservation Association and KCTS announcing the event, which will be held at 7pm at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. The event is free, though to help manage participation free tickets are required and available through: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/60143.

This is an opportunity for park staff, partners, friends and key opinion makers to get a chance to see previews as well as to hear from and talk with the film makers and author of the companion book. The goal is to have 1,5000 attend, so please share the information.

More information on the upcoming documentary can be found here.

Want a more personal introduction to the documentary? Consider joining Washington's National Park Fund for a preview of the preview, if you will, on Sunday, April 19. The evening's emcee will be Phil Ershler, world-renowned mountaineer and director of International Mountain Guides. The special presentation will be held in Seattle's Magnuson Park with a Northwest-themed dinner. Hear the latest news from the Superintendents of Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic National Parks; celebrate successful 2008 projects; and learn about new initiatives for 2009. The evening will conclude with a "Fund a Project" Auction, all benefiting Washington's national parks. Visit The Fund's website for more information.

News and upcoming events

There are several current events relevant to volunteers going on at Mount Rainier this week. Here's a quick round-up:

Volunteers Needed
From West District Interpreter Curt Jacquot: Hi Staff and VIP Friends! We will be moving things from the Longmire Field Office and the Museum on Friday, February 27. We need to vacate the Field Office for a renovation. This is a small job for many or a big job for a few individuals. Please let me know (360-569-2211 ext. 3312) if you can help or not. Meet at the Museum at 9:00 AM. We'll go till 4:00 PM. Drinks, snacks, and a crock-pot of soup provided. Thanks in advance!

John Muir is coming to Seattle
This from David Graves: The National Parks Conservation Association is hosting a very special event this spring. John Muir, the father of the modern conservation movement, is coming to Seattle. Lee Stetson is an actor who has portrayed John Muir for years at Yosemite National Park and around the country. On March 19th, he will be visiting Seattle’s Town Hall for:

The Spirit of John Muir
This show is a fun romp through some of the very best of Muir's grand, thrilling adventures in his beloved western wilderness. The show includes Muir's encounters with a mighty Yosemite earthquake, a climb up Mount Rainier , dangerous Alaskan ice crevasses, snow blindness, and much more - all liberally salted with Muir's wilderness philosophy.

When: Thursday, March 19, 2009. Doors open at 6:00 PM ; Show starts at 6:30 PM

Where: Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Avenue (at Seneca Street)

Tickets purchased by March 13th, will be $7.00 plus applicable fees at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/53650. Tickets purchased at the door will be $10.00. For more information, please contact Shane Farnor at (206) 903-1444, x24 or sfarnor@npca.org.

About Lee Stetson : Lee Stetson's plays include three one-person shows based on the life of naturalist John Muir, and a fourth based on both Muir and President Theodore Roosevelt. These productions, with Mr. Stetson in the title role, have been presented in Yosemite National Park since 1983 to more than a quarter of a million visitors. Additionally, the Muir shows have toured throughout the country to universities, parks, museums, wilderness and environmental organizations from Washington D.C. to Hawaii . Mr. Stetson lectures frequently on the arts and the environment, and spends a considerable portion of his time promoting the performing arts in the national parks. Lee's career has included founding and managing the Hawaii Performing Arts Company, being the Artistic Manager of both the Hawaii Theatre Festival and the Antique Theatre Festival of Idaho, and freelance directing throughout the Northwest and in Los Angeles . He is also featured in the upcoming Ken Burns’ documentary, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.

A poster for this event to post at your place of work can be downloaded at: www.npca.org/take_action/upcoming_events/pdf/John_Muir_Poster_Online.pdf

Volunteers publish foreign language brochures
Mount Rainier has been working with volunteers based at the National Park Service's Columbia Cascades Support Office in Seattle to translate park brochures for use by speakers of languages other than English. Interpretive Media Specialist Patti Wold has posted the brochures on our website: www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/brochures.htm.

Climbing Program wins national safety award
Here's a note from Superintendent's secretary Donna Rahier:

CONGRATULATIONS TO US!!! The two highest awards bestowed by the National Park Service for outstanding public and employee safety achievement – the Andrew Clark Hecht Public Safety Achievement Award and the Director’s Safety and Health Achievement Award – have been presented to Mount Rainier and Glacier Bay National Parks. This year, the Division of Risk Management was pleased to receive outstanding nominations from six regional winners competing for the public safety award and five regional winners competing for the employee safety award. Two separate review committees comprised of field, regional and headquarter NPS staff faced a challenging task to select the best from among such excellent contenders, but each review committee member put careful consideration into the selection process.

2008 Andrew Clark Hecht Public Safety Achievement Award
Mount Rainier National Park, Pacific West Region – Despite unforgiving conditions and the more than 9,000 climbers who visit Mount Rainier National Park annually, through innovative efforts of the Mount Rainier Climbing Program, other park staff and partners, the park was able to realize impressive decreases in injuries and fatalities over a sustained three year period. Enhanced communication, training, improved concessions management, and improved coordination among park programs has resulted in significant reductions in visitor injuries. Climbing-related search and rescues (SARs) have decreased from 1.14 per 1,000 climbers in 1998-2005 to 0.49 from 2006-2008. Injuries have also decreased, from 1.03 per 1,000 climbers in 1998-2005 to 0.35 in 2006-2008. Fatalities on the upper mountain have also decreased from 0.18 per 1,000 climbers in 2005-2008, and there were no fatalities in 2006-2008. Overall, 2008 had the least number of total park-wide search and rescue incidents (10) since 1987.

Mount Rainier's climbing program relies heavily on volunteers to staff upper mountain high camps and the climber information center at Paradise. Climbing volunteers, this award belongs to you as much as it does to the paid staff!

Are you deducting volunteer travel on your taxes?
There's been a very interesting discussion on our volunteer discussion group regarding deducting travel expenses incurred while volunteering on your Federal taxes. I am not a tax professional, and everyone should check with their own tax advisor to confirm this information; but the word is that travel to and from the park, when you're volunteering, can be deducted in Schedule A if you itemize on your taxes, in the "Gifts for Charity" section. You can claim the actual amount you spent on gas, if you've kept specific records, or a specified amount per mile, which in 2008 was 14 cents per mile. Given current gas prices, this is a good reason to start keeping good records! This is also the kind of discussion that demonstrates why it's worthwhile to join our free volunteer discussion group.

I blog, you blog, isn't everybody blogging?
Apparently not. A recent article on the blog of the Sunlight Foundation is called "The Feds are blogging," and discusses a new trend of openness in government through the use of blogs. They list a grand total of 40 such blogs currently active as a means of communicating interactively with the public, including--hey--this one! But only 40? I knew we were on the cutting edge, but given the size of the Federal government, and the importance of communicating with and listening to feedback from those we serve, that number seems a bit anemic. But maybe we'll inspire others! Meanwhile, if YOU have ideas about how to make this means of communicating with you BETTER, I'm all ears: post your ideas in the comments section at the end of this post! (And while you're at it, also check out Socialfeds.com.)