Idaho AmeriCorps 2011
Hitch 1 Wildlife, Hitch Lead: Jason Member: Jeff
Hitch 1 Wildlife: Jason Klotz and Jeff Stenzel
We started out doing multi-mile hikes trying to identify the aspen plots we were going to record throughout the weeks. The first few days consisted of hiking around Opal Lake, Forney Mountain and Bull Springs area. Not only did we come across some epic views that were completely hidden from the road, but we came across some massive herds of elk and a few golden eagles as well. We feel we are quite comfortable with exploring all of Moyer basin from hiking literally everywhere now. Our backcountry skills have gotten better from the second part of the hitch when we actually went out and camped in a valley. At first, we were a little rusty at using the densitometer and other tools we were given to survey the plots but once we got into the swing of things, it went quite smoothly. We now have a good estimate of what a quarter acre looks like so we no longer have to count paces to determine this. Overall, it was a good hitch experience and we learned a lot about inventorying, the local area and what we are truly made of. Can’t wait to do it again. The only bad part was the dang tick bite :(
Hitch 1 U-routes Hitch Lead: Kendra Members: Kelly, Andrea, Nina, and Brett
Hitch #1 U-routes Synopsis:
The first official U-routes hitch of the 2011 SCA Moyer season was one infused with dedicated GIS software formatting and instruction (all hail Brett), determined willow whacking through remote trails, strong leadership (yaya Kendra!), and fierce teamwork. Kendra captained our rugged five-some June 9th-16th throughout Moyer Basin, above Blackbird Mine, and into Rabbit’s Foot Summit in efforts to walk “user” or “undesignated” USFS routes to record erosion features and trail maintenance concerns. The crew, consisting of “Kommander” Kendra, “Burly” Brett, “Affable” Andrea, “the Notorious” Nina, and “Kinetic” Kelly fought their way through near starvation (almost missing dinner one night) and quicksand in treacherous black bear country, conquering and recording around 40 miles of U-route data using Trimble GPS units. Successful and sweaty, the crew returned home to Moyer Base on the 16th with lots of hard work completed for America and many incredible stories to share.
SCA Idaho AmeriCorps Training
Members of the SCA Idaho AmeriCorps 2011 crew met in Boise on the 28th of April. After two days of orientation we spent a full day journeying up to our base, Moyer. Moyer sits at around 5700 feet, secluded from most signs and sounds of civilization. So far we have seen grouse, eagles, beavers, deer and elk.
Recently, we successfully completed Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training. The 80 hour WFR course covered a wide range of illnesses and injuries that we are likely to encounter in the future. Our intrepid Aerie instructors, Josh and Eagle, are Wilderness EMTs and do backcountry Ski Patrol. The already fascinating subject matter was augmented by Josh’s self-admitted cool-dry wit and Eagle’s male-model good looks. Actually, some of the jokes were good:
How do you tell the difference between an oral and rectal thermometer?
Taste.
We were stoked to have them at our base for a week. Here is a photo of the Josh demonstrating a traction splint on Eagle’s isolated mid-shaft femur fracture.
We learned a whole variety of splints, slings and swaths to deal with breaks, fractures and dislocations. Here is a creative way a group dealt with John’s posterior shoulder dislocation.
Fortunately, the scenarios we used to practice our new skills didn’t require actual injuries. One time we were thrown into a multiple patient scenario at night and with limited resources. The already stressful situation was exacerbated by the failure of one radio, the arrival of an unruly relative (played by Eagle), and the critical condition of one patient (props to Progam Manager Jackie). We persevered, walking and littering the patients to safety. By the end of the course we became very efficient at patient assessment and care.
Roughly two more weeks of training and we will begin work in earnest. On the 18th of May we head into the closest town, Salmon, for 4x4 driving training with the Forest Service and to do some volunteer work. Next week we learn tool use and safety. Things are moving right along. Another update will be along soon!
Jason Klotz
Grew up in Albuquerque, NM where I gained a love and respect for the outdoors. I can't remember a time where I wasn't running through a forest or a National Park. I graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.S. in Environmental and Water Resource Sciences. In the meantime, I've done a tour with the Southwest Conservation Corp in Tucson, AZ and have been traveling all over. Some of my favorite interests include hiking, snowboarding ,camping, bouldering and rafting. I'm looking forward to starting with the SCA and all the exciting opportunities that will come with.
Sincerely,
Jason Klotz
Kyle Taylor
My name is Kyle. I'm a recently graduated biology student from Michigan interested in botany, ecology, and fire effects monitoring. There are a host of species and landscapes that are entirely new to me out West, and I'm looking forward to using my experience in the SCA to bolster my knowledge of the region's ecology. After my SCA internship is over, I plan on attending graduate school for terrestrial ecology.
Andrea Harbin
My name is Andrea. I was born and raised near Portland, OR, but currently live in southwest Colorado. I studied economics at a small school in Wisconsin, where I swam for three years and participated in an exchange program to Quito, Ecuador. I love to travel, hike, snowboard, and generally explore super cool places. I am super excited to be working outside for the next six months and hope that this experience opens my eyes to various new opportunities and possibilities for the future.
Kelly Krieves
Hey all, I'm Kelly. I'm from Portland, OR and I graduated from Oregon State last June with a degree in English Lit. Though my B.A. separates me academically from the many environmental degree folks here at Moyer, I share their passion for conservation and outdoor living. I fell in love with backpacking three years ago during a restoration field course in glorious Montana and I'm overjoyed to get back to the area to explore career and lifestyle opportunities. I love fly fishing, bluegrass festivals, trail running, and western living. I'm extremely thankful for the chance to serve with AmeriCorps and the SCA in Idaho. Let's go America! Yeeyeyee!
Stephanie Deckman
Hello! My name is Stephanie Deckman and I am so excited to be here in Idaho for the next 6 months! I have lived in the big city of Chicago for the past few years, and while Chicago is great place to be, it was time to break away from all the hustle. This past December I finally graduated from Northeastern Illinois University with a degree in Environmental Studies. I am still not sure if I want to pursue something along the lines of Watershed Management or Environmental Education when I go back to school, but I’m not too worried about all that just yet. My love for the environment started with a trip to Costa Rica back in 2007 and I have been traveling and exploring the world since then. Right before I came to Idaho I was studying abroad in Ireland and backpacking all over Europe. Having experiences like that where you are exposed to new cultures and new ways of life can really change a persons’ perspective on a lot of things, and this time in Idaho is going to do just that as well. Besides all the hands on work experience, I hope to learn how to rock climb and kayak and just get out there and explore!
Nina Sackett
Hello! My name is Nina. I joined the SCA after a successful stint in the Peace Corps with an eye towards getting some solid professional experience in crew leadership, natural resource management, and trail maintenance. I come from a liberal arts and agriculture background, and I’m very excited to be starting a program that will help me round out my work experience. This is my first time in the lovely state of Idaho, and it is both beautiful and peaceful. I highly recommend making the drive to come out and visit us to experience both the natural wonders of Idaho and the amazing group of people that I am here with.
Kendra Fuller
My name is Kendra Fuller; I am from Santa Cruz California. This past June, I graduated as a Structural Engineer with a minor in Environmental Studies from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I love being outside and exploring but particularly love all water activities including: swimming, kayaking, rafting, water volleyball, scuba diving, and surfing. I am excited to learn more about the industry surrounding natural resource and land management. I am hoping this experience will help establish my goal of obtaining a graduate degree in Environmental Education. I look forward to working hard and learning a lot from the leaders, my crew and the land itself.
Jeff Stenzel
I'm Jeff...I'm from Connecticut and I gradated from Williams College
in Massachusetts last June. Since then, I've explored a bit out west,
lived in Boston, then Vermont, and most recently worked on a produce
farm (Peace Valley Farm) in my college town. I love trail running,
snowboarding, downhill longboarding, backpacking, and general
exploring.
I was a bio major in college. I'm trying to decide how I want to
contribute to conservation, though I know I'd like to eventually work
directly with wildlife. Right now I'm insanely excited about spending
the upcoming season in such an amazing place.
SCA Idaho AmeriCorps
The SCA Idaho AmeriCorps program is quaintly nestled in the Salmon-Challis National Forest near the old town site of Cobalt, ID. This year marks the third year of the program in partnership with AmeriCorps, U.S. Forest Service, BLM, and Salmon Valley Stewardship. The program consists of 15 Corps members, 2 Project Leaders, and 1 Project Manager. SCA’s mission is To build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of our environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land. This year’s members will take on Trail projects in the North and South Zone of the Salmon-Challis including the Continental Divide Trail and the Big Horn Crags. Members will work with directly with Hydrologists in riparian zones, Archeologists building fence, Wildlife Biologist doing aspen inventory, Foresters doing old growth inventory, and Salmon Valley Stewardship recruiting volunteers along with other exciting opportunities with GPS and GIS systems.
Dan Perez
Daniel is from Boston, MA, and graduated last spring from
Williams College (bonus points to those who know where Williams is)
with a degree in Geology. This is his second tour with a SCA Corps
program (the first being Mass Parks '07), and is immensely excited to
spend the next 6 months exploring and working on the trails here in
the Gem State!
Brett Murphy
This is my second experience serving with the SCA, and the sixth or seventh time I have taken the opportunity to experience a new place. I have taken opportunities to live and work in various places across the country in order to experience local cultures and landscapes. This year I look forward to gaining experience in a potential career field in a breathtaking location.
As a recent graduate in Geography, GIS, and remote sensing, I am looking for direction and am hoping this experience will help illuminate my path to the next step in life. In the meantime, I enjoy many activities across the wide spectrum of outdoor recreation.
John Matthews
I'm John, originally from Menlo Park in the San Francisco Bay Area and currently live in Chico, California. I graduated from Chico State last spring, where I majored in human geography with a certificate in rural and town planning and played on the ultimate frisbee team for four years. I love getting out and exploring, hiking, biking, camping, disc golf, reading, and other fun stuff. I also took a beginning whitewater kayaking class right before I graduated so I hope do some more paddling on the rivers of Idaho.
Stevi Swanson
My name is Stevi, I'm from Saginaw, Michigan. I've been attending Delta College and will transfer to NMU to pursue a degree in Biology with an emphasis on Ecology. I don't know exactly what I want to do when I finish school, but I know I want to be outside and working to protect our remaining natural areas.I love to do anything outdoors, especially hiking, swimming and fourwheeling. I enjoy photography, sketching & painting, canoeing/kayaking/tubing, singing, watching movies and documentaries, jogging, black and white movies and enjoying wildlife.
Jenna Johnson
Hello everyone, I’m Jenna. I am originally from Washington but I’ve lived in a few different states. I also have had the opportunity to live in Europe. My parents currently live in Sicily so for the time being I consider that home. Recently I moved back to the northwest from Missouri where I majored in wildlife conservation and management. I love the outdoors, traveling, and photography.
Eric Molnar
My name is Eric. I am from Washington State. Last year I graduated
from Whitman College where I studied Economics. Through working with
Idaho AmeriCorps I hope to advance my career goals in Environmental
Economics. In my free time I enjoy swimming, backpacking, and mountain
biking. I like traveling, learning new things, and good books.
Someday, I hope to summit Mount Rainier.
Jess Macy
Howdy! I'm Jessica. I grew up in a Polish family in Houston, TX. About a decade ago, I moved to the PNW, where I fell in love with the forest. After taking a lot of art classes, and studying herbalism and permaculture within the community, I went back to school to major in Env. Sci. Now I'm trying to hone in on how I want to contribute to conservation efforts and protecting our remaining wildlands. So I am thrilled for this opportunity to develop skills and make a difference! I'm super excited to explore new areas, and I'm up for any kind of adventures (hiking, rafting, biking, hotspring-ing)! I love to geek out on plants/ecology and enjoy wildcrafting edible/medicinal plants and mushrooms. I also like reading, yoga, guitar, and watching nature-documentaries.
Jackie Lucero (Program Manager)
Hi. I’m Jackie and I’m back for a second year as the Program Manager of the SCA Idaho AmeriCorps program. I started with SCA just over 10 years ago with the New York Adirondack AmeriCorps program and have bounced around in a variety of positions since then from intern, to recruiter, to temporary cook, to crew leader, to most recently Education and Service Learning Manager with SCA's Mass Parks AmeriCorps. In addition, I took a brief sojourn away from SCA spending two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and going to graduate school with the Audubon Expedition Institute. In my free time I love to play the guitar, hike, and bake, but am game for just about any outdoor adventure if someone is willing to teach me. Montana born and breed, I and am glad to have this opportunity to once again connect with the landscape of my youth.
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