Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Volunteering

Interested in spending your summer in one of the premier areas in the Snake River country of northeast Oregon and western Idaho?  If you are, the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest has many unique opportunities waiting to be filled.  By becoming a Forest Service volunteer, you help care for public lands, gain new work skills, provide customer service and work in scenic areas.  In this time of decreasing budgets and increasing public land use, we rely more on volunteers to help care for public lands and serve the public. We need your help!

• Campground Host
• Wilderness Steward
• Historic Ranch Host and Caretaker
• Boat Aide
• Work in Exchange for a NW Forest Pass

If you are interested in being a campground host, maintaining backcountry trails, working as a wilderness steward, or living and interpreting the past at historic river residential sites ~ we may have the right opportunity for you!

How about staying at a shady campsite in the mountains all summer as Campground Host?

This unique opportunity on the forest entails visiting with campground visitors, providing information about the local area, maintaining facilities, and acting as a general caretaker for the site. (No fee collection responsibilities are required)

In turn you may receive up to $15.00/day, a season-long campsite, propane and/or transportation allowance to town.

Most of these sites are at remote locations with no running water or drinking water. Access is mainly by unpaved gravel roads.

The opportunities are available at:

Does being a Wilderness Steward in a remote wilderness area sound tempting?

Click here for Application Form

As a Wilderness Steward you are responsible for hiking throughout the area, meeting visitors, and providing information on the area, Leave-No-Trace outdoor ethics and the local regulations. If a restoration project is being worked on you may have the chance to help rehabilitate an over-used campsite, protect a day use site along one of the lakes, or reconstruct a trail. Opportunities exist in both the Eagle Cap Wilderness and the Hells Canyon Wilderness (both in Oregon and Idaho), and the Baldy Unit of the North Fork John Day Wilderness.

See also the Eagle Cap Wilderness page

Historic Ranch Host and Caretaker, or a Boat Aide

Maybe you would prefer to volunteer on the Snake River in Hells Canyon National Recreation Area as a Historic Ranch Host and Caretaker, or a Boat Aide on the Wild and Scenic Snake River or at river access sites?

As a Historic Ranch host and caretaker you are responsible for greeting many canyon visitors who arrive by boat, raft or trail each day. For these travelers, you represent the Forest Service by providing information and the history of the ranch sites and Hells Canyon. Grounds and facilities maintenance are seasonal responsibilities. Year-round volunteer opportunities range from several weeks to one and occasionally, two months.

At the river access sites you will be providing the public with river information and regulations as well as checking and/or issuing river permits for floaters and powerboaters.

Volunteer applications are currently being accepted for 2003 opportunities at the river residential sites and for current river program volunteer projects.

The Wild and Scenic Snake River of Hells Canyon volunteer program includes students who are planning careers in resource environments ~ couples with a month to offer in support of the river program ~ and retirees with years of experience and skills to contribute. Volunteers must be self-starters, independent, highly motivated and good communicators who sincerely like people. They must have the basic skills necessary to function effectively and safely in a backcountry setting far from the nearest town and services. Transportation to and from is by boat and communication is by radio. The residential sites are furnished with the necessities of life and come completely stocked with an assortment of plants, wildlife and sunsets that can take your breath away at the end of a Canyon day!

Volunteers are the good hosts and caretakers of the public's resources ~ please join us in these unique and wonderful volunteer opportunities on the Snake River of Hells Canyon!

For information on the volunteer program, residential sites and allowances ~ please contact Pat Worle, Volunteer Coordinator at:

Hells Canyon National Recreation Area Snake River Office,

P. O. Box 699 Clarkston, WA 99403

(509) 758-0616

 

2 days = an entire summer of fun!

The Forest has over 2300 miles of trail maintenance opportunities for horseback/packing, foot, mountain bike, accessible, and crosscountry skiing. From the Elkhorn Mountains near Baker City to the Wallowa Mountains near Enterprise, check with us to see where your skills can best be used.

We are always looking for volunteers and partners! If you would like to become involved, contact us at:

USDA Forest Service

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Supervisor's Office

1550 Dewey Ave.

P.O. Box 907

Baker City, OR 97814

(541) 523-1250

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USDA Forest Service - Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
Last Modified: Tuesday, 26 October 2004 at 14:00:08 EDT