Make it Happen — Volunteer!

Volunteering is a way of giving something back to the land that has nurtured and inspired you. It is also a way to gain a deeper understanding of the many issues related to management of our public lands. Increasing visitation, maintenance and staffing needs at visitor centers, recreation sites and trails often exceed agencies' resources. Combined efforts from people with all levels of skill and talent can help make a difference.

Forest Recreation & Trails

The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest partners with groups such as the Washington Trails Association (WTA), Pacific Northwest Trail Association (PNTA), Volunteers for Outdoor Washington (VOW) and Backcountry Horsemen(BCH), all of which help organize volunteer work parties on trails and other sites on the forest. Volunteer hours may be good toward a NW Forest Pass.

Restore the Land!
Restoration Stewards Needed

North Cascades Institute is looking for dedicated volunteers to help restore disturbed areasmaking them more suitable habitat for plants and animals. The Institute, in partnership with North Cascades National Park Service Complex, continues the process of native plant restoration at and near the Environmental Learning Center.

This unique opportunity enables people to have a meaningful experience volunteering their time in a beautiful setting doing necessary work to restore their public lands. Volunteers will help with a variety of tasks to transplant over 12,000 plants, remove exotics, and collect seeds and cuttings, while studying and monitoring the results. Volunteers should be prepared to work in inclement weather over diverse terrain. For more information about sign-up, training, schedules, and accommodations please contact Erin Schneider, Stewardship Coordinator, at 206-526-2565 or e-mail, erin_schneider@ncascades.org. We look forward to seeing you in the field!

Get Involved!
Become a Mountain Steward or Eagle Watcher

If you enjoy being out of doors on the trails around Mt. Baker or at sites along the Skagit River watching eagles, this may be the volunteer opportunity for you. Mt. Baker Ranger District and North Cascades Institute coordinate the Mountain Steward and Eagle Watcher programs. Both provide training and resource materials to volunteers who help educate visitors about natural resource management issues, low impact recreation skills and natural history in the Mt. Baker watershed.

During the summer hiking season Mountain Stewards attend two training sessions and sign up to make public contact along some of the busy trail systems surrounding Mt. Baker. Winter months, the Eagle Watcher stewards receive training and then schedule time to meet the public on weekends at various eagle watching locations along the Skagit River.

Applications for the 2006-7 programs are available through North Cascades Institute or the Mt. Baker Ranger District. Call (360) 856-5700 ext. 209 or 515

Be a V.I.P.

North Cascades National Park has a strong Volunteers-in-Park (VIP) program. With more than 500 volunteers, the park annually has more than 30,000 hours donated to assist in its mission to preserve our natural heritage. Volunteers help in many different aspects of park operations including working with rangers at the visitor center, as campground hosts and doing trail maintenance.

The Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program offers a unique opportunity to live and work in the North Cascades. Artists aid the park's mission through creative work and educational programs. Each artist presents workshops, programs or exhibits during a month long residency. The challenge to the artist is to see the park with fresh vision and to convey this vision to the public.

Applications are available by contacting Charles Beall at: Charles_Beall@nps.gov, or calling: (206) 386-4495, ext. 12.

North Cascades also welcomes as many as 30 Student Conservation Association (SCA) interns each summer. This program provides students a chance to try careers in conservation, but anyone may apply. www.sca-inc.org

EarthCorps

Seattle area youth come to the park for one to three days to learn about wilderness, park resources, career opportunities and environmental restoration. Funded by a NPS-Public Land Corps Grant, this program is in its fifth year. The kids assist the plant propagation staff by collecting seeds and planting as well as monitoring human impacts in campgrounds.