ALLIANCE FOR WILDERNESS EDUCATION AND STEWARDSHIP PO Box 2667, Bellingham, WA 98227-2667 Tele: 360-927-1804 Fax: 360-527-9679 bradt@wildernessalliance.org www.wildernessalliance.org STEWARDS OF AMERICA S WILD HERITAGE Mission Statement: The mission of Alliance for Wilderness Education and Stewardship is to preserve and restore the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) through education, stewardship, service and science. It is to encourage unity, collaboration, and coordination of the many efforts on behalf of wilderness stewardship. 2006 Frank Church Wilderness Citizen Stewardship Trail Campaign Coordinated by the Alliance for Wilderness Education and Stewardship Introduction Project Description Beginning in July of 2006, Alliance for Wilderness Education and Stewardship (the Alliance) is launching the Citizen Stewardship Trail Campaign in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness (FC RONRW) in Central Idaho. The trail system in the Frank is in disrepair, with more than 1000 miles impassable and hazardous to stock and hikers. The situation has reached a point where the USDA Forest Service is unable to staff and fund the basic, critical service of clearing these trails. It is time for Citizen action and involvement. As important as it is to care for Wilderness lands, we also come together to Celebrate Wilderness through this stewardship effort. The Citizen Stewardship Trail Campaign will draw on multiple partners to work on behalf the FC -RONRW. In partnership with the Salmon Challis National Forest, Backcountry Horsemen, and others we invite the members, employees, volunteers or other related individuals of your organization to spend 1 10 days amidst the mountains, rivers, meadows, and wildlife of the FC RONRW, constituting some of the most rugged, beautiful, and captivating Wilderness in the contiguous United States. Come and learn knew skills in Trail maintenance and restoration, invasive weeds identification, primitive skills, interpretation and wilderness education. Be a part of a community effort to draw on a diverse constituency in support of Wilderness. The Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness The Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness (FC-RONR) is the largest forested Wilderness area in the lower forty-eight states comprising over 2.4 million acres. The FC- RONR is located in central Idaho within portions of Custer, Idaho, Lemhi and Valley Counties. Elevations vary greatly across the Wilderness, from nearly 11,000 feet at Mt. McGuire to less than 2000 feet near the Wind River pack bridge. The wide range of landforms, elevation, and climate across the Wilderness has produced a wide variety of ecological conditions. The Wilderness provides habitat for close to 260 terrestrial species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, as well as 23 species of native fish. Due to the expansive size of the Wilderness area, endangered and threatened species are able to thrive in a natural and undisturbed habitat. Wolves and other mega fauna have flourished in the Frank Church Wilderness; still truly a wild landscape.
Project Overview The Citizen Stewardship Trail Campaign will span July through September and is coordinated by the Alliance in partnership with the National forest Service and others. This partnership enables us to be extremely flexible in scheduling citizen groups. We can accommodate for a range of experiences that best suits your time constraints and level and involvement. From shorter, less strenuous front-country based experiences, to longer back-country and camping based experience, we can arrange the appropriate experience for you or your group. Six (6) trail crews will work from strategically placed base-camps in the FC RONRW beginning in June and continuing through the end of August. Most crews will be based out of backcountry locations, however one (1) crew will be dedicated to the Citizen Stewardship effort and based out of front country locations at the Capehorn, Landmark, or Cobalt Guard Stations respectively on the South, West and East sides of the Frank Church Wilderness. The Citizen Stewardship Crew will lead in orientation, training, outfitting, and supervising citizen groups. We can accommodate groups interested in a shorter term, involving less backpacking or longer, backcountry based terms. From a front country base we can perform lighter maintenance and restoration on trails closer to entry points in the Frank Church or we can identify and inventory weeds, repair signage, or learn about wilderness values. While groups interested in longer, backcountry terms will be trained, outfitted and, then escorted into a base camp (7 10 miles hiking with a pack) to connect with a backcountry-based crew who will supervise work. See Term/ Time Commitment for more information. Crews are composed of one (1) Forest Service Crew Boss and two (2) SCA Crew Members. An Alliance staff person will also be working with the Citizen Stewardship Crew. Citizen Stewardship Components: Term/Time Commitment: Groups can sign up for 1 10 day terms (or longer if interested, just ask). Front country terms will based from various guard or patrol stations adjacent to the Salmon-Challis portion of the Frank Church Wilderness. For these front country terms we will address key access points to the FC RONRW (this will include trailheads and/or 1 3 miles trail arteries into the Wilderness with light maintenance, tread work, signage, invasive weed I.D. and inventory, or other projects that are currently under review by Wilderness Managers). The group will set the pace for work, as we want to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all participants. 2
Travel time to backcountry base-camps can take a good portion, if not most of the day to reach some base-camps. Given the remote and rugged nature of the FC RONRW, logistics can be challenging. So for groups interested in a longer term with more hiking and backpacking involved we will need at least a 3 5 day commitment (2 days dedicated to packing in and back out with 1 3 days work in between). Again, longer terms can be coordinated depending on a group s interest and availability. Group Size: We place no minimum requirement for group-size. Due to Wilderness regulations limiting the size of groups, we will accept up to 12 individuals per group. This will limit group size to 15 or 16 people, minimizing impacts to the wilderness resource and other visitors. Larger groups will be placed individually with a crew, however smaller groups may be combined to accommodate scheduling as well as crew availability. * However, front country based crews may be able to expand group size if necessary. Transportation: Citizen Steward groups will need to coordinate their own transportation to the designated orientation and deployment site. Paved and maintained gravel roads are the primary access to front-country based locations. Transportation to the trailheads and work locations will be coordinated by the Alliance. The Work: Trail work can be strenuous. However, Crews will ensure individuals are participating at a level they feel comfortable and appropriate to their skill set. Since this is a Wilderness, only primitive techniques and tools will be used in the Trail Campaign (i.e. cross-cut saws, Pulaski s, shovels, nippers, etc.). Equipment: Individuals will be asked to bring all their own camp equipment. However we will work with the Forest Service and our other partners to provide some of the camp equipment needed. Upon enrolling in this effort, we will send out a list of all required and suggested gear to bring along. Orientation & Field Training: Depending on the duration and location of your term (front country or backcountry) the appropriate orientation and training will be provided by the Alliance and Forest Service prior to deployment. Training in emergency response protocols, tools, trail clearing technique and standards, and safety will be included. We may supplement longer, multi- 3
day terms with components of natural and cultural history, wilderness education, invasive weeds identification, etc. Citizen Stewardship Training: Upon enrollment in the Trail Clearing Campaign your group will be invited to participate in a week-long Citizen Stewardship Skills Workshop in the Boise area in mid-june or early July (exact time and location are yet to be determined). The training will enlist professionals from a range of disciplines who will address key stewardship goals such as stock use, trail construction and maintenance, invasive weeds management, wildlife habitat restoration, and volunteer management, only to name a few. The workshop is intended to supplement the Citizen Stewardship Trail Clearing Campaign and provide a base of knowledge and skills that can be used in any Wilderness Citizen Stewardship efforts across the country. Our objective with this training is to begin to build a citizen base that is knowledgeable and skilled in Wilderness Stewardship goals, techniques and skills. You will be encouraged to attend all or part of this workshop. Further details will be forthcoming. Supervision: The Crews (Crew Boss and Crew Members) will be on hand to supervise and provide education and interpretation for the Citizen Stewards. Crews will be trained in technical trail skills, emergency response, safety, invasive weed identification, and camp management, among other things. We want to assure a safe and fulfilling experience for all participants. Tools: The Alliance and Forest Service will provide all necessary and appropriate tools for the Trail Clearing Campaign. Food: Food will be coordinated and provided the Alliance through a generous donation by Albertson s. Schedule Examples: Schedule Example #1: 8 Day Term (backcountry experience) Day 1: Arrive at Landmark, Capehorn or Cobalt Guard Stations for orientation and training. Camp out at Ranger Station and prepare for A.M departure. Day 2: Hike 4 8 miles to backcountry Trail Crew base-camp, set up camp and settle in. Field Orientation and safety training provided by crew. Day 3: Begin trail work with backcountry Trail Crew (technical support and supervision provided by the Trail Crew). 4
Day 4: Continue trail work with backcountry crew. Day 5: Day off to explore, hike, or just relax in camp. Day 6: Continue trail work with crew Day 7: Continue trail work with crew. Day 8: Hike out to return home. Schedule Example # 2: 3 Day Term (front country experience) Day 1: Arrive at Landmark, Capehorn or Cobalt Guard Stations for AM orientation, training, and settling in. Have lunch depart to trail location for afternoon work. Return to Ranger station for Dinner and optional evening activity (could include natural or cultural history talks or slide shows with locals, packers, Forest Service, or others). Day 2: AM departure for designated trail or trail head. After lunch continue maintenance and restoration. Return to Ranger Station for dinner and optional evening activity. Day 3: AM trail work. Lunch will be followed with close-out and departure for home. Schedule Example # 3: 1 Day term Day 1: Arrive at Landmark, Capehorn or Cobalt Guard Stations in AM (or the night before if you would like to save yourself the early morning drive) for orientation and training. We will then depart to the designated trail for the day. Depart for home in the afternoon or early evening. AWES Contact: For further question or to sign up, please contact AWES Program Director Brad Tuininga at 360-927-1804 or bradt@wildernessalliance.org. We look forward to partnering with you! 5