THE WILDEST PLACE N E WSLETTE R OF TH E SE LWAY B ITTE RROOT FR AN K C H U RC H FOU N DATION
SPRING 2022 1
SPRING 2022
FROM THE
STAFF
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SALLY FERGUSON
JIM HEIDELBERGER
Executive Director
Chair - Moscow, ID
CAITLIN STRAUBINGER
DEB GALE
Community Engagement Director
Vice Chair – Corvallis, MT
SUE WEBSTER
Treasurer – Boise, ID
Membership Assistance
KRISSY FERRITER Volunteer Coordinator
IAN DAVIDSON
JONI STRIGHT CARLOS DIAZ Secretary – McCall, ID
NANCY FELDMAN Past Chair – Boise, ID
Program Director
KARLISSA SKINNER Wilderness Project Liaison
CLINT KINGERY Nez Perce-Clearwater Lead Wilderness Steward
JAY MAJERSKY Nez Perce-Clearwater Trail Crew Leader
WILLIAM COPECK Nez Perce-Clearwater Trail Crew
BOB BECKLEY Missoula, MT
BUTCH HARPER Ketchum, ID
CHARLES MILLER Hamilton, MT
ED KRUMPE Moscow, ID
JANE HOLMAN Moscow, ID
JERRY RANDOLPH McCall, ID
CAMDEN LONG Nez Perce-Clearwater Trail Crew
JOHN LLOYD Ketchum, ID
JACOB MICK
MICHAEL WANZENRIED
Nez Perce-Clearwater Trail Crew
Boise, ID
AMTULLAH NORTON
Grangeville, ID
Nez Perce-Clearwater Trail Crew
LAUREN SIMMS Salmon-Challis Lead Wilderness Steward
MADELINE WILLIAMS Salmon-Challis Wilderness Steward
STEVE KIMBALL Missoula, MT
CONNIE SAYLOR JOHNSON 2006 - 2018
AMBASSADORS
NICHOLAS CAPILLE
CLARE O’CONNELL Missoula, MT
DIANE PETTIT Juliaetta, ID
GINNY ELLIOTT Bend, OR
KERRY MCCULLEY
322 E. Front St., Ste. 420F P. O. Box 1886 Boise, ID 83701 208.373.4381
Grangeville, ID
WESTERN MONTANA OFFICE
Hamilton, MT
120 Hickory Ave, Ste. A Missoula, MT 59801 406.880.1927
Moscow, ID
LARRY SWAN McCall, ID
MARK WETHERINGTON SARAH WALKER TOM KOVALICKY Grangeville, ID
The Wildest Place is the membership newsletter of the SelwayBitterroot Frank Church Foundation. With the support of members, local businesses, and generous grantors, the Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation assists the Forest Service in providing stewardship for the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church-River of No Return Wildernesses and surrounding wildlands through boots on the ground work, public education, and partnerships.
EDITING: Caitlin Straubinger DESIGN & LAYOUT: Kelsey Selis CONTRIBUTORS: Sally Ferguson & Jim Heidelberger COVER IMAGE: Location: Bitterroot National Forest - Montana Backcountry Horsemen provide SBFC with pack support The Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
SELWAYBITTERROOT.ORG facebook.com/selwaybitterroot
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It’s an exciting time to be involved with the Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation. Last year was one of our best, and 2022 is looking even better. I was lucky enough to be on the first SBFC volunteer trip back in 2008 on the Dan Ridge Trail. I remember being amazed at how the Wilderness Ranger Fellows (previously called “interns”) on that trip were so skilled, competent, and helpful. After many years and being on about 20 volunteer trips, I am no longer surprised. Our process for recruiting, screening, hiring, training, and supervising has resulted in having 108 Wilderness Ranger Fellows since 2009. These men and women come to the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness areas from all over the United States, and we have even had a few from Europe. SBFC will again have 12 Wilderness Fellows learning and working in the wilderness within the Bitterroot, Salmon-Challis, Nez Perce-Clearwater, and Payette National Forests. The Fellowship Program is one of the things that make SBFC unique and is only possible because caring people like you support these efforts. I am signed up for my 21st SBFC volunteer trip this summer and am excited to be heading back into the Frank Church Wilderness. Thank you for your ongoing support! I hope to see you outside, celebrating our beautiful wildernesses.
JIM HEIDELBERGER Board Chair
PHIL JAHN
Bitterroot Lead Wilderness Steward
BOISE OFFICE
BOARD CHAIR
selwaybitterroot
FROM THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR I'm very excited for the 2022 season and looking forward to a summer that will offer plenty of wilderness stewardship opportunities for volunteers. We have scheduled 18 volunteer projects. In addition, we have 10 seasonal staff plus 12 Wilderness Fellows who will be working in the Selway and the Frank on the Nez Perce-Clearwater, Bitterroot, Salmon-Challis, and Payette National Forests. Several of our volunteer projects will be with partner groups including HERE Montana, National Smokejumper Association, CatRock Youth Academy, American Hiking Society, IDAWA, and Idaho Trails Association. We also have volunteer projects open to the public and we need an enthusiastic cadre of wilderness stewardship volunteers – like you! If you’re interested in spending time in the Wilderness with an awesome group of individuals, please take a look at our 2022 volunteer opportunities (see page 8). We have a variety of projects, from one-day to multi-day trips that range from easy to challenging terrain. You can learn more and sign up at www.selwaybitterroot.org/volunteer. Questions? Please send them to volunteer@selwaybitterroot.org. On a different note - I’m proud to announce that SBFC recently awarded the first round of the annual wilderness education grants. Starting this year, students from schools and organizations in Montana and Idaho will have new opportunities to learn about wilderness through hands-on experiences. These grants are the result of the newly established Connie Saylor Johnson Wilderness Education Endowment. Please see page 10 to learn more. Under the header of staff changes, I’m thrilled to welcome our new Community Engagement Director, Caitlin Straubinger. She brings to SBFC an abundance of relevant experience. Caitlin is based in the Boise office, but she has already travelled to Missoula to work with SBFC staff and board members. She is planning to join volunteer projects in the Selway and Frank this summer. The new season will start in a few short weeks and we are ready! I’m looking forward to seeing you on the trails this summer!
SALLY FERGUSON Executive Director
WELCOME, CAITLIN STRAUBINGER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR
FUN FACT
Caitlin Straubinger is a Florida native who cultivated her love of the outdoors by leading backpacking and paddling trips throughout the Southeast and the Appalachian Mountains. After a stint working in the Colorado high country, Caitlin moved to Idaho in 2014. Since then, she has been busy exploring Idaho and Montana on foot, bike, and boat with her husband and dogs. Caitlin brings over a decade of experience in communications, development, event management, experiential education, and community engagement. In her spare time, she enjoys trying out new hobbies; most recently, playing the banjo and fly fishing. She is always happy to connect over a shared love of Wilderness!
Caitlin traveled around North America in her van in 2018, and by her count, she hiked and backpacked in 10 different designated Wilderness areas!
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MEET OUR 2022 SEASONAL STAFF KARLISSA SKINNER
WILDERNESS PROJECT LIAISON
JAY MAJERSKY
TRAIL CREW LEADER Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest
CAMDEN LONG
TRAIL CREW MEMBER Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest
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Karlissa spent her summers hiking and camping around Helena, Montana. Her youth corps experience doing trail work and living in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness helped her to discover her love for the natural world and wilderness conservation. Karlissa is an avid rock climber, backpacker, and river rafter. This is her second season as a member of the SBFC staff.
Jay moved to Montana from Connecticut in 2017 where they worked trails along the Magruder Corridor. Jay started backpacking while spending three months on the Appalachian Trail in 2015 and has gone on to work in nine different Wilderness areas across Idaho, Montana, and Arizona. Having a job that allows them to backpack, work, and explore these wild and remote areas of America is a dream! This is Jay’s second season as a member of the SBFC staff.
Camden is from Knoxville, Tennessee. He has worked in the outdoors for three years, doing trail maintenance on public lands from the Grand Canyon to the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. He has been a trail conservation crew leader and is looking forward to exploring Montana and Idaho.
CLINT KINGERY
LEAD WILDERNESS STEWARD Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest
WILLIAM COPECK
TRAIL CREW MEMBER Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest
JACOB MICK
TRAIL CREW MEMBER Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest
Clint grew up in Helena, Montana. He first discovered his love for Wilderness while working on trails in the Sawtooth Wilderness. He has also worked in the heart of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and knows the Moose Creek area well. Clint is uncompromisingly passionate about Wilderness. This is his second season as a member of the SBFC staff.
William grew up in New Jersey and moved to North Carolina, where he graduated from high school. William moved to Montana to work on public lands, where he quickly adapted to the trail work life. While working on trails William learned the importance of maintaining our wilderness areas and trails that allow use and respect for tribal land. He’s excited to get back out on the Nez Perce-Clearwater for another season.
Jacob grew up in Michigan and went to college at Northern Michigan University. While there, he took a trail building class and began doing trail work with a local nonprofit after graduating. Jacob is passionate about wilderness because it is where he finds solitude and recuperates from the humdrum of modern life.
MEET OUR 2022 SEASONAL STAFF AMTULLAH NORTON
TRAIL CREW MEMBER Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest
MADELINE WILLIAMS
WILDERNESS STEWARD
BUY A PLATE!
Salmon-Challis National Forest
Amtullah grew up in Missoula County, Montana. She spent two years working in the Anaconda-Pintler, SelwayBitterroot, and Frank Church Wilderness areas, as well as other national forests around Montana and Idaho. Amtullah loves the wildlands for their rugged, inspiring beauty. They've taught her so many lessons that she carries with her. Amtullah feels very lucky to call these mountains home.
LAUREN SIMMS
LEAD WILDERNESS STEWARD
Madeline grew up in a small community in Southeastern Idaho. She has been engaged in environmental-related work from a very young age and her experience includes education, water sampling and rangeland management. Madeline is passionate about the outdoors and is committed to protecting and preserving natural areas and those that inhabit them.
Salmon-Challis National Forest
NICHOLAS CAPILLE
LEAD WILDERNESS STEWARD Bitterroot National Forest
Lauren grew up outside of Philadelphia. She found her love for trails in Yosemite, where she was a youth corps member. In 2019 Lauren served 14 weeks as a SBFC Wilderness Ranger Fellow in the SelwayBitterroot Wilderness, her first experience in capital-W Wilderness. This is her second season as a member of the SBFC staff.
Nicholas grew up in a small town in Southern New Jersey close to the Pine Barrens. His first backpacking trip was in the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, as a volunteer conducting Wilderness Character Monitoring. Through college, Nicholas worked for the Forest Service in Wise River, Montana. After graduation, he worked in California with the BLM, where he led Wilderness Character data collection. He has also worked at a camp leading rafting, climbing, and hiking trips around Missoula.
SUPPORT WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP IN IDAHO! PLATE FUNDS SUPPORT SBFC AND THE WILDERNESS WORK WE DO.
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MEET OUR 2022 WILDERNESS RANGER FELLOWS ANI LOVE
SALMON-CHALLIS NATIONAL FOREST Frank Church Wilderness
Idaho State University Major: Sport/Outdoor Recreation and Biology
JAMES PERKINS
PAYETTE NATIONAL FOREST Frank Church Wilderness
University of Wyoming Major: Wildlife Management
WALTER EMANN
NEZ PERCE-CLEARWATER NATIONAL FOREST Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
University of Vermont Major: Natural Resources Ecology
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Ani is a student at Idaho State University and hails from Anchorage, Alaska. In her free time, she enjoys frisbee, photography, sketching, music, morel hunting, and breakfast! After graduation next year, she plans to trek the Annapurna Circuit in the Himalayas. Growing up in Alaska, Ani has always had an affinity for dynamic and rugged wilderness, so Central Idaho feels like home. Since moving to Idaho, Ani has maintained trails in The Frank, rebuilt hot springs, preserved Native American artifacts and pictographs, and contributed to the repopulation of steelhead. She’s grateful for this opportunity to give back to the land that has provided her with adventure and strength. James is from Charlotte, North Carolina, but has lived in Wisconsin and Chicago. He is an Eagle Scout and a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School and avidly hikes and camps in his free time. James is passionate about wilderness because as an undergraduate pursuing a bachelor's degree in wildlife management at University of Wyoming, he finds it important to educate himself and protect the natural environment.
Walt grew up in Central New Jersey and spent most of his time as a kid outside in the sun and dirt. That passion for nature's offerings has translated into a desire to nurture and preserve them and keep people engaged. Walt has helped with conservation projects, restoration work, habitat monitoring, trail cleaning, and has generally tried to put a lot of his energy back into the natural and human communities around him.
EVAN WELTSCH
SALMON-CHALLIS NATIONAL FOREST Frank Church Wilderness
University of Utah Major: Environmental Sustainability
BREANA SCOTT
PAYETTE NATIONAL FOREST Frank Church Wilderness
Texas State University Major: Recreation Administration
JACQUELINE MILLER
NEZ PERCE-CLEARWATER NATIONAL FOREST Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Northern Arizona University Major: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Minor: Environmental Sustainability
Evan grew up in Ventura County in Southern California. Hiking in the foothills along the coast and through the national forests was always a favorite activity. After his work at the University of Utah studying Environmental Sustainability, he’s looking forward to learning more about working on trails and working with fellow crew members. He’s passionate about wilderness because it allows him to immerse himself in an environment where he feels most like himself.
Breana grew up in Odessa, Texas and will graduate in May 2022 from Texas State University with a degree in Recreation Administration. She plans to continue her academic career and work towards a graduate degree. At sixteen, Breana worked at a Boy Scout Ranch and fell in love with the idea of being an outdoor professional. In 2021, she did conservation work in Oregon and Washington. This experience shifted her career and personal priorities. It fueled her interest to contribute to wilderness through conservation efforts. Breana loves adventuring, including kayaking, canyoneering, or backpacking. Jacqueline grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, longing to be alongside the trees in the woods. Growing up, most of her free time was spent outdoors and her passion for the natural world grew. Camping is her favorite leisure activity. Jacqueline has always wanted to give back to nature for all that it has given us, and she feels that the Wilderness Ranger Fellowship will help her do just that!
MEET OUR 2022 WILDERNESS RANGER FELLOWS MACKENZIE SCANLIN
NEZ PERCE-CLEARWATER NATIONAL FOREST Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
Texas A&M University Major: Recreation, Parks and Tourism
STEVEN ADAMSON
BITTERROOT NATIONAL FOREST Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Major: Natural Resources and Environmental Science
HANNAH CARAM
BITTERROOT NATIONAL FOREST Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
University of Findlay Major: Animal Science Minor: Psychology
Mackenzie is from College Station, Texas. She’s a senior at Texas A&M University, pursuing a degree in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Science, with a focus in Natural Resource Conservation. She’s passionate about being in nature and has a goal of visiting all the national parks. She loves to spend time gardening and hiking, as well as trying new things outdoors! Mackenzie is eager to learn as much as she can about protecting our public lands, and all the animals and plants within them!
Steven is a junior attending the University of Illinois, studying Natural Resources and Environmental Science with a concentration in Fish and Wildlife Conservation. He grew up in Sumner, Illinois, a small town in the southeastern part of the state. Being from a rural area, Steven has always had a passion for the outdoors because he grew up hunting and fishing, and it is through these activities that he came to appreciate and respect the environment.
Hannah grew up in northeast Ohio in a small, rural town. For her undergraduate degree in Animal Science, Hannah attended the University of Findlay, where she grew to love animal husbandry and management. Her previous experience working in the outdoors is mainly through bird banding and volunteering to clean up local rivers. Animal behavior fascinates Hannah, and she wants to learn how behavior changes through proper wildlife management. Hannah is passionate about the preservation and conservation of the wilderness because she does not think we can ethically enjoy the outdoors without doing so.
CHARLES WARREN
NEZ PERCE-CLEARWATER NATIONAL FOREST Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Sewanee: The University of the South Major: Environment and Sustainability | Minor: Economics
VERONICA POSTER
BITTERROOT NATIONAL FOREST Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Ohio University Major: Outdoor Recreation and Education | Minor: Environmental and Plant Biology
FORREST DAVIS-CLARK
BITTERROOT NATIONAL FOREST Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Appalachian State University Major: Parks and Recreation Management | Minor: Criminal Justice
Charles was born in Atlanta, Georgia and has always had a passion for the outdoors and the environment. Growing up, his family would regularly go on camping and hiking trips in the mountains of North Georgia. Charles has visited several national parks and wilderness areas, which inspired him to strive to protect these vital areas for future generations. He is a rising college senior and after graduation, Charles plans to enter the conservation field and work to protect our world's ecosystems. He enjoys a range of outdoor pursuits, from backpacking and camping, to climbing and caving, however he absolutely loves fly fishing. Charles is excited to learn more about trail maintenance!
Veronica is from Columbus, Ohio and is currently a rising senior seeking to earn an Outdoor Recreation and Education major along with an Environmental and Plant Biology minor and Environmental Studies certificate from Ohio University. Veronica has grown up camping, hiking, fishing, and learning about the natural world. She spends her free time traveling in her van and hiking all over the US, most recently in the Adirondacks. As an avid wanderer, Veronica is excited for her first season deep in the Wilderness working with SBFC!
Born in Apex, North Carolina, Forrest was practically raised in the woods. Camping and fishing trips with family and friends were a routine part of his childhood. He studies Parks and Recreation Management at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Through the university, he studied under the State Forestry Service's assistant fire chief, earning an enlightening certification in wildland firefighting. In 2021, Forrest began working as a groundskeeper at a community park in Valle Crucis, NC. Upon graduating, he hopes to work for a public land management agency, doing his part to provide safe and clean recreation spaces for future generations to enjoy.
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2022 VOLUNTEER PROJECTS Join SBFC on one of our single or multi-day trips in the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank ChurchRiver of No Return Wilderness areas to assist the US Forest Service in maintaining and opening trails for public access. Projects range from easy to strenuous. Lace up your boots and join us for an unforgettable backcountry experience! Visit www.selwaybitterroot.org/volunteer to learn more and register!
JUNE 4TH JULY 1ST-3RD
ST. MARY PEAK TRAIL
JULY 6TH-13TH
BIGHORN CRAGS
AUGUST 3RD-10TH AUGUST 17TH-24TH
AUGUST 27TH SEPTEMBER 24TH
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest: Colgate Licks
NATIONAL TRAILS DAY
Bitterroot National Forest
Salmon-Challis National Forest
RUSH CREEK / TELEPHONE CREEK WOMEN'S PROJECT
Salmon-Challis National Forest: North Fork Elk Creek
JERRY JOHNSON HOT SPRINGS CLEAN UP NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY
Payette National Forest
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest
Bitterroot National Forest: Roaring Lion
2022 VOLUNTEER PROJECT PARTNERSHIPS CatRock Ventures, American Hiking Society, National Smokejumper Association, HERE Montana, Idaho Trails Association, Johnson County Iowa Conservation Department, Sierra Club, Dallas County Iowa Conservation Department, Pulaski Users Group
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ST. MARY TRAILHEAD VOLUNTEER AMBASSADOR PROGRAM PURPOSE: WHEN:
Educate trail users about trail safety, responsible trail use, and Leave No Trace principles.
Saturdays and Sundays in July and August. 3-hour or full-day shifts.
Virtual training will be provided. | www.selwaybitterroot.org/volunteer
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CONNIE SAYLOR JOHNSON WILDERNESS EDUCATION FUND: 2022 GRANT RECIPIENTS! In 2019, SBFC established an endowment fund for wilderness education to honor the memory and service of Connie Saylor Johnson (1941-2018) and her career devoted to involving youth and teachers in wilderness stewardship. We are thrilled to have selected our first round of grant recipients earlier this year! The Connie Saylor Johnson Wilderness Education Fund (CSJWEF) will provide support to the following projects focused on wilderness stewardship: • Pulaski Users Group, Hailey, ID – A project to develop Wilderness Readers that include wilderness information for trail restoration volunteers. • Grangeville Elementary School, Grangeville, ID – Field trips for second and third graders to local natural ecosystems to learn about wilderness. • One Stone Lab51, Boise, ID – An immersion course for high school students that includes a backpacking trip, readings, and interviews. • Helena Indian Alliance, Helena, MT – A weekend retreat for native youth to Blackfeet Nation, which includes a camping trip, skill building, and conversations with elders. • Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute, Moscow, ID – An outdoor education program for students ages 6-12 to learn about Leave No Trace camping, fire starting and wilderness survival. We will share more about the impact of the Connie Saylor Johnson Wilderness Education Fund Grants after the awardees complete their projects later this year!
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CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
Applications are open for the second round of Connie Saylor Johnson Wilderness Education Fund Grants! To learn more and apply, visit www.selwaybitterroot.org/csjwef-grant by October 31, 2022. Grant purpose: To support wilderness education for future generations by providing teachers and educational organizations with incentive grants to incorporate the stewardship of wilderness into classroom and/or outdoor curriculum. Who can apply: Elementary and secondary teachers and schools, museums, libraries, historical societies, arts organizations, colleges and universities. Questions? Contact csj@selwaybitterroot.org
GRANT RECIPIENT HIGHLIGHT:
Helena Indian Alliance- Traditional Knowledge Retreat The Helena Indian Alliance will lead a weekend retreat for native youth this summer. Youth will learn survival skills, plant identification, traditional plant education, and engage in conversations with tribal elders and native youth who live in the Blackfeet Nation. Grant funds will be used to help fund the retreat, as well as provide attendees with a tent and sleeping bag to take home, helping make outdoor recreation more accessible in the future.
If you are interested in supporting the Wilderness Education Grant, you can make a dedicated gift via www.selwaybitterroot.org/donate. Contact membership@selwaybitterroot.org if you have any questions. 11
Selway-Bitterroot Foundation INC PO Box 1886 Boise, ID 83701
2021-2022 Annual Sponsors
PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE LEGACY OF WILDERNESS YOUR GIFT SUPPORTS: Wilderness stewardship for the Selway-Bitterroot and the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness areas.
PLEASE INDICATE YOUR MEMBERSHIP LEVEL $30
$60
$120
$240
$600
$________
Send gift with this form to: SBFC Foundation – PO BOX 1886 Boise, ID 83701 Monthly and one-time payment options are available on our secure website: selwaybitterroot.org/donate Name:________________________________________________________ Address:______________________________________________________
Please charge my credit card one-time. Card Number _____________________________________________
City:__________________________ State:__________ Zip:___________
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIFT
REMEMBER THE SELWAY BITTERROOT FRANK CHURCH FOUNDATION IN YOUR ESTATE PLANS We hope you will consider the Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation in your estate planning. Memorial gifts and bequests are placed in a special fund so that these gifts can permanently support wilderness protection in the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness areas. We welcome your inquiries about bequests and other kinds of giving. Please call or email Sally Ferguson, 208-871-1906, sferguson@selwaybitterroot.org.
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