The goal of the SCA/USFWS Trails Inventory program is to provide the Fish and Wildlife Service with a comprehensive and accurate inventory of all trails on USFWS sites across the country. This is certainly an ambitious project as there are over 600 USFWS sites nationwide. This project will take us to every corner of the country, to high mountains and low deserts through bayous and fjords. We are all extremely excited for this opportunity as it provides the chance to perform an important service to the USFWS, expand our own knowledge and expertise, and experience many different parts of the country for the first time.
Alex Aaker
My name is Alexandra Aaker. I grew up in the midwest where I attended St Olaf College in Minnesota, majoring in Environmental Studies with a focus on the humanities. Following my graduation in May '09 I have participated in SCA programs in various locations, ranging from Alaska, to southern California, to New Jersey. I’ve restored illegal OHV routes in the Mojave, performed trail maintenance on the Pacific Crest Trail, and led high schoolers in trail work in the wilds of New Jersey.
I’m excited for this job to take me to parts of the country I’d never thought to see and I hope to educate myself on the different ecosystems, plant, animal, and human, in these areas. I’m also interested in the GPS/GIS component and the process of mapping the places we go and the trails we walk. It’s also a skill that will perhaps inform my decision for future work—I’m interested in the intersection of hiking, building, and mapping trails.
