Mary Mitsos

Veteran staff member Mary Mitsos has been promoted to Executive Vice President. Mitsos oversees all conservation programs (including five field offices) and provides direction for the NFF’s widely regarded Conservation Connect program.

“The focus and impact we have achieved in recent years through the Treasured Landscapes campaign and Conservation Connect is paying big dividends not only for forest health, but also for the working relationships between communities and the Forest Service in dozens of places around the country,” said Mitsos.

“In the twelve years that I have worked with Mary Mitsos, she has always demonstrated leadership in advancing our collaborative approach to conservation, managing our relationship with the Forest Service nationwide, and managing our on-the-ground restoration activities. She has earned her new position through dedication and hard work,” said Bill Possiel, NFF President.

On April 1, the NFF expanded its staff capacity with the appointment of Ray A. Foote as Executive Vice President. Foote has opened a Washington, DC office from which he will oversee the work of the Communications and Development team. Foote’s appointment will provide the NFF with a stronger DC and East Coast presence, including continuing to strengthen the NFF’s relationship with the Forest Service. Prior to joining the NFF, he proposed and led a five-year capital campaign for the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) seeking to raise $125 million. That effort closed on December 31, 2012 having raised $134 million in private funds.

Ray Foote

Possiel noted, “Ray adds an exciting new dimension to our work, having completed a national campaign for NPCA. He has demonstrated a commitment to ensuring that the many values of public lands endure for generations to come.”

John Hendricks, chairman of the National Forest Foundation and founder of Discovery Communications, said, “Ray is an experienced professional who will help leverage every public and private investment in the NFF. I am very impressed with Ray’s professionalism and track record of success. He joins a staff that our board believes is one of the best nonprofit teams in the nation.”

“It is a privilege to join with committed NFF colleagues and partners around the country to protect and promote a remarkable National Forest System,” commented Foote. “The caliber of the NFF’s volunteer leadership and our on-the-ground results speak to the value and impact of the NFF. I know we can continue to increase Americans’ understanding of these vital places and their commitment to protect them.” 

As you're planning your next trip to a National Park - whether it's Yellowstone, Shenandoah, Zion - keep these things in mind: 

• National Parks require an entrance fee; many National Forest recreation areas do not.
• Camping in a National Park can be expensive and competitive. Backcountry camping almost always requires obtaining additional permits as well. National Forest campgrounds are more economical, less crowded and dispersed or backcountry camping is usually free.
• You cannot bring your dog off leash or on trails in a National Park. You can bring your well-behaved dog just about anywhere on a National Forest.
• Just about every activity you might enjoy in a National Park, from biking to hiking to paddling is easier and less restricted in a National Forest. So, this summer, avoid the full parking lots and crowded trails at National Parks and explore the neighboring National Forests.
• NFF Blog post: What are the differences between National Forests and National Parks? 

Olympic National Forest

Olympic National Park

Surrounding the Park, Olympic National Forest has varied landscapes, ranging from iconic rainforests to deep canyons to high mountain ridges. Stay at the historic Lake Quinault Lodge or visit one of the several waterfalls on the peninsula.

Flathead National Forest

Glacier National Park

Just south of Glacier, Montana’s Flathead National Forest is home to lynx, grizzly bear and more. Explore the massive Bob Marshall Wilderness or stay a historic cabin or lookout for a memorable overnight experience.

Kaibab National Forest

Grand Canyon National Park

On your way to the Grand Canyon, you’ll surely find yourself in or near Arizona’s Kaibab National Forest. From red rock canyons to prairie and mountains, the Kaibab National Forest offers a refreshing respite from the masses at the Grand Canyon, and the views are just as breathtaking.

Sierra National Forest

Yosemite National Park

South of the iconic Half Dome lies the untamed landscape of the High Sierra. Explore the world famous John Muir Wilderness without the crowds of Yosemite on the Sierra National Forest.

Stanislaus National Forest

Yosemite National Park

North of the Park, more than 800 miles of rivers and streams await you on the Stanislaus National Forest. Raft or kayak down the Tuolumne River for an exciting whitewater adventure.

Gallatin National Forest

Yellowstone National Park

With six mountain ranges as well as a host of wildlife – including grizzlies and wolves – the Gallatin National Forest offers just as much of an opportunity to see animals in their native habitat than in Yellowstone. The Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, just north of Yellowstone provides unmatched solitude throughout its 900,000 plus acres.

Bridger-Teton National Forest

Grand Teton National Park

The Teton’s aren’t the only breathtaking mountain range in western Wyoming. Take a drive on a scenic byway through passes with 360 degree views or find yourself in a Wilderness Area away from it all on the Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Shoshone National Forest

Grand Teton National Park

Bordering both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, the Shoshone National Forest hosts grizzlies, big horn sheep, wolves, mountain lions, elk and more. Go back in time in the old mining town of Kirwin or stay on one of the Forest’s 32 campgrounds.

Fishlake National Forest

Bryce Canyon National Park

As you make your way to the hoodoos of Bryce, take some time to enjoy Utah’s largest natural mountain lake, Fish Lake. Be sure to visit the 75-foot Bullion Waterfalls for an impressive overlook.

Dixie National Forest

Zion National Park

Red rock formations rival those of the nearby Parks - Zion, Bryce, Arches - and from the top of Powell Point you can see three different states. Ample fishing, hiking and camping opportunities await as you escape the crowds of Zion on the Dixie National Forest.

Arapaho-Roosevelt National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

Surrounding the park on almost four sides, the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest will not disappoint with Rocky Mountain splendor. Drive the highest paved road in North America to the summit of Mount Evans or rope up and ascend the granite walls of Boulder Canyon.

Nantahala National Forest

Great Smokey Mountains National Park

North Carolina’s largest National Forest, the Nantahala, is home to countless waterfalls, including Dry Falls, which you can walk under without getting wet!

Pisgah National Forest

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

High peaks and dense woodlands await on the Pisgah National Forest. Be sure to visit the first school of forestry in the nation, now preserved at the Cradle of Forestry in America. In fall, the hillsides transform into a menagerie of warm colors.

Black Hills National Forest

Black Hills National Park

Just west of Badlands National Park, the Black Hills National Forest is not lacking for activities. Looking to camp not far from Mt. Rushmore? Look no further than the 30 campgrounds on the Forest or the reserve historic Summit Ridge Lookout Cabin.

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

North Cascades National Park

From old growth forest to deep river valleys to high alpine peaks, the Okanogan-Wenatchee is a wild and diverse place. Wake up at the top of the world at the Hart’s Pass Campground or explore underground at the Boulder Cave Trail.

George Washington and Jefferson National Forests

Shenandoah National Park

Extending along Western Virginia in the rolling Appalachian Mountains, the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests will quickly become a favorite. Bike along an old railway system on the Virginia Creeper Trail or saddle up and ride the Virginia Highland Horse Trail.

photo courtesy of the Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation.

Taking care of 193 million acres is no small feat. Our National Forests need our help to ensure they stay healthy and provide clean water, wildlife habitat, and amazing recreational opportunities. Every year, the NFF provides grants to local non-profit organizations to help implement projects that directly benefit our National Forest System. By focusing on action-orientated, on-the-ground projects, the NFF supports restoration initiatives that improve forest health and strengthen community’s ability to steward our National Forests and Grasslands.

In just the first half of our 2013 fiscal year, we’re thrilled to have provided more than $1.5 million for 57 grants to accomplish work in 36 different National Forests .

photo courtesy of Appalachian Mountain Club

These projects will accomplish the following types of stewardship work:

• Trail improvements and maitenance,
• Wetland restoration,
• Volunteer events,
• Wilderness stewardships,
• Wildlife habitat enhancement, and
• Plant monitoring.

Our Matching Awards Program leverages conservation investments by offering challenge grants for stewardship activities benefitting National Forests and Grasslands. These conservation organizations then work with their local National Forest to accomplish on-the-ground restoration, community engagement, and monitoring activities.

Funds from the Wilderness Stewardship Challenge go to organizations that help the U.S. Forest Service meet management standards for Wilderness Areas. This program helps maintain and improve the character of some of our nation’s most pristine areas.

Thanks to our unique partnerships with ski areas and lodges, our Ski Conservation Fund and Forest Stewardship Fund provide opportunities for ski resort and lodge guests to support restoration projects on the National Forest they visit. The NFF matches these guest contributions to increase the restoration results achieved by the local conservation organizations that receive the grant funding.

Birds are less elusive than many other kinds of wildlife and provide valuable lessons in ecology – the interaction between animals and their environment. You can watch a robin pulling a wriggling red worm from the ground right in your backyard or set up near a river and watch for an osprey to make a catch! Kids enjoy watching birds at any age. See below for some activities that will get your kids excited about birds and encourage them to explore the natural world around them.

What You'll Need

• Binoculars
• Field guide, field journal, and colored pencils
• Suitable clothing for traipsing through the woods including rain gear and rubber boots
• Extra food and water

There are binoculars made especially for kids, but any good pair will do. If you have a choice, a pair of hiking binoculars can be particularly nice as they pack down well and are light enough to be worn around the neck.

A good field guide is invaluable and readily available. You can find one at your library or check with your local Audubon chapter. See Bird Watching Tips (below) on how to avoid misidentifying your bird. You can also check out bird apps available. They can be a good way of getting older, gadget-oriented kids into the field.

The importance of a field journal cannot be overestimated! A journal gives your child a place to sketch or draw their specimen, include names of those birds you’ve observed, and other important information like weather, habitat, and the date and time of observation.
Remember to bring extra food, water and clothes. A hungry child or a sudden rain storm can make for a short trip or make your kids wish they were back home watching T.V.

Packed and ready, where to go?

Check out your local National Forest! You can find birds in a variety of habitats (including your own backyard), but you will have the best luck at dusk or dawn in healthy, intact forest or prairie ecosystems, near bodies of water, and at “habitat boundaries,” the edge between two habitat types such as a field and forest. Encounter new birds by visiting different habitat types. Remember to give birds plenty of space, especially around nesting and feeding sites. Some birds, like swans and geese, may become aggressive if you approach too closely.

In the Field

Field Journal
Make your own bird book. Sketch the birds you see, including some simple observational facts on the habitat and location of where the bird was seen. Use your field guide or a photo taken of the bird to color your drawings.

Mimicking Bird Songs
Listen to the sounds the birds in your backyard make and try to mimic them. This is a great exercise for learning to identify birds without even seeing them.

Pin the Feather on the Bird
Collect feathers while you are out in the field and see if you can identify to what kind of bird they belong. Tape some of the feathers into the field journal with sketches of the bird.

Bringing the Birds to You

Building a birdhouse with your kids is a fun activity. You can also hang a bird feeder to attract birds. Sunflower seeds will attract most birds, but you can do some research about the particular kinds of birds you want to attract and what will be most appealing to them. 

Bird Watching Tips

Study Silhouettes
When a bird is flying, it can be especially difficult to identify. Instead of focusing on color, pay attention to the shape of its body, beak, tail, wings and legs. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the body short or long? Narrow or round?
• Is its beak short or long? Thin or wide? Is it shaped like a hook?
• Is the bird’s tail rounded, square, pointed or forked?
• Are the wings rounded or pointed?
• Are its legs short or long?

Determine Category
Birds generally belong to one of eight categories. Use your field guide and observations to help categorize your bird.

• Ducks and duck-like birds
• Gulls and terns
• Long-legged waders
• Shorebirds and small waders
• Fowl-like birds
• Birds of prey
• Flycatchers
• Warblers

For more good ideas visit Go Explore Nature and TLC.

Other Resources: Big Learning, Bird Freak, Audubon, and Cornell. 

Regardless if this is your 50th or 5th spring hitting the trails or finding the perfect early season camp spot, it’s always a good idea to review safety. 

Spring weather is fickle. The day may start out clear and sunny and before you know it, snow is falling. Be sure to pack extra layers of clothing, including socks. Is there anything worse than cold, wet feet? 

Heading up into the mountains? You’ll most likely encounter snow. And where there is snow in the mountains, avalanches are always a risk. Check your local avalanche forecast before heading out. 

In a word, spring hiking is wet. Rivers may be low in the morning, but can be high by afternoon and roads are muddy. Snow is melting and rain is often falling. Be wary of wet surfaces, stream crossings and muddy roads. Be especially wary of rising waters and flash floods. Warm spring days and spring storms can cause very sudden rises in water levels.  Pitch your tent well above the highwater mark even if it means a longer walk to the stream, or a slightly less impressive view.  If you’re in a campground with designated sites, be sure to think through grabbing that sweet riverfront site.  Just because they’re designated, doesn’t mean they’re safe for spring time camping. 

Speaking of wet, remember the old adage, “cotton kills.” While it’s great to have a cotton t-shirt or sweatshirt to slip on after the hike, wet cotton clothes rob the body of heat and take a long time to dry out. Be sure to wear synthetic clothes appropriate for the sport and conditions you’re experiencing. 

If you’re a paddler, don’t forget that if the air temperature and water temperature aren’t more than 100 when added together, hypothermia is a real concern if you get wet.  Probably best to wait for a sunny day, or at the least, be sure to bring some dry clothes and fire starter in your dry bag should you go for a swim.

Joints, muscles, and lungs may have also been hibernating over the winter along with the bears. Don’t start out on a 20 miles trail run if you haven’t been running in months. Be sure to warm up slowly and stretch when you’re done. This goes for peak-bagging, paddling, biking, or any other sport. Work up to longer outings so you don’t injure yourself and miss the rest of the summer.

photo by Michelle Turner

Check out your gear. Remember that last camp out of the season? The one where the fuel nearly ran out, it rained the morning you broke camp, and you discovered a hole in your sleeping pad. Well, if you’re like most of us, the fuel canister is likely still empty, the tent likely reeks of mildew, and the pad is still punctured. Spend an evening examining, cleaning, and fixing your gear before you head into the wild with a broken tent pole or busted stove.  If you’re bringing kids or a newbie, this is especially important.

Speaking of kids and newbies, start easy early in the season. Maybe the three night backpack you’ve been dreaming of all winter isn’t the best early season trip for your new sweetie. Start with something easier and adopt a positive attitude. Remember, you want this person to like camping, hiking, paddling, trail running, or whatever. 

Share your experiences and expertise!  If you see someone  who looks in over their head, who is obviously exhausted, or who is setting up camp in an obvious flood zone when thunderstorms are in the forecast, politely suggest they take a rest, share some of your water, or find a safer place to camp. You don’t have to be a know it all to help someone out. 

Have you had a memorable outdoor spring experience? Let us know about it on Facebook or in the comments below. 

Mt. Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest, WA

At first glance, our nation’s National Parks and National Forests may appear to be just about the same thing, with both as public lands. Under closer comparison though, each has their own unique history and priorities. 

As said by Gifford Pinchot, first Chief of the Forest Service, National Forest land is managed, “to provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people in the long run.”

Torres Del Paine, Chile

Hi, my name is Emily and I could not be more excited to be starting off the New Year as the new Administrative Assistant at the National Forest Foundation.  

I was born in Maryland, raised in Michigan, and came into my own in Montana. (It appears I have a thing for “M” states.) I have always loved the woods; that was instilled in me from a young kid growing up in northern Michigan camping and playing with my family. But my love for the mountains was an outcome of spending almost every summer growing up, at camp in Colorado learning every possible way to play outside.  Sanborn Camp was a very molding experience for me and the first chance I got, I moved away from Michigan, back to the mountains and started going to school in Missoula at the University of Montana.

I did a summer semester abroad participating in a NOLS course in Scandinavia where I spent my summer sea kayaking, backpacking and further solidifying my addiction to travel and being abroad.  After graduating with a degree in Business Administration with emphasis in Marketing and Event Management, I moved to Seattle dazzled by the charm of a big city near the mountains. It almost seemed too good to be true… And it was… After only a year and a half my boyfriend and I packed up everything again, and moved back to a place we both love, Missoula.

I spent the last few years working at REI and a local brewery. I was starting to feel like I wanted a change but before I could settle down; I wanted to go back abroad with my fiancé Tim. We decided to take two and a half months and explore the bottom of the world in Patagonia. It was incredible and would have stayed down there forever if we could. The snow and our dog Russ eventually lured us back to Missoula, and after a while, I realized I really did want to settle down and find a meaningful career with a fun, inspiring organization.  

In my free time I love to cook, read, ski, hike, bike, camp, really any way to get out play outside in our beautiful Montana Mountains.  If I had to choose a favorite activity, it would be skiing without a doubt. I spend time almost every day in our nearby Lolo National Forest and was thrilled to land a job with the NFF. I think it is amazing the hard work everyone does here to support our National Forest system and could not feel luckier to be a part of this all-star team.  

• Fun forest fact in your Facebook newsfeed
• Behind-the-scenes photo on Instagram
• Fun and latest National Forest news tweeted throughout the day
• Inspirational nature quotes an camping recipes on Pinterest
• NFF and Forest Service News delivered to your inbox

Like the NFF on Facebook

Follow the NFF on Twitter

Follow the NFF on Instagram 

Follow the NFF on Pinterest

Add the NFF to your circles on Google +

A bi-monthly newsletter that has it all - NFF happenings, Forest Service news, Environmental info and fun links about the outdoors! 

Sign-up for tree-mail

The guide profiles projects throughout the region and shares practical insights about the quality and performance of local young-growth in a variety of applications.

Through the Community Capacity Land Stewardship (CCLS) grant program, the NFF is administering USDA agency funds to provide capacity building support for local collaborative efforts that work toward achieving watershed restoration objectives within the geographic focus areas. With support from the NFF, the Sitka Conservation Society produced an educational guide for young growth Timber in Southeast Alaska. 

Dave Schuldt and Peter Partel

Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance received funding from the NFF Matching Awards Program for 2012 projects—including replacing the bridge at Deep Creek. Stacy Karacostas, Communication and Membership Director of Evergreen MTB recaps an impressive day of trail work on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie Forest as told to her by Graham Turnage, Evergreen’s Backcountry Trails Crew Lead.

Five of us met at the trailhead with light snow falling on a chilly Saturday morning in October – four hardy volunteers and me, the Backcountry Trails Crew Lead from Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance. The goal? Replace the old, rotting trail bridge over Deep Creek, located on the White River Trail off HWY 410 near Crystal Mountain on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.  

The bridge replacement process had actually been started the previous year with the first of the stringer logs being cut and laid near the old bridge. Now it was time to get the new bridge finished… No easy task. 

So we quickly walked the short distance to the old bridge with our tools. Then we gathered ‘round to formulate a plan as plumes of crystallized breath floated white through the air. 

Peeling the new sill logs for the ends and 30 foot long stringers to span the creek was hard work but relatively simple. The tricky part was rigging a highline cable system to "fly" the new, peeled cedar parts into place, and "fly" the old bridge pieces away. Thankfully we had a ringer on our team - Art Truftee.

Art is a wizard at setting up highlines and using cables to make heavy work light. It’s pretty darned impressive watching a couple hundred pound log zoom through the air to its new home across the creek. Especially when the alternative is to hand carry it through the woods!

Cedar decking had already been delivered by the Forest Service. So once we had the stringers in place, all that was needed was a little fine tuning for leveling purposes and we were ready to install the decking. Viola, a bridge is born!

Just in time too…The old bridge was so rotten it wouldn’t have survived the winter snows!  That also made tearing it out a breeze. Then we just had to make sure the new bridge was bedded with rock where it met the earth and tamped into place for a solid foundation.

Huge thanks go out to the intrepid volunteers who gave up their days off in the name of better trails: Art Truftee, Len Francis, Dave Shuldt and Peter Partel. All it took was a weekend of camping in the snow, drinking and eating at the local pub, and sharing energy, experience, random skills, and lots of laughs to make a big difference on a popular trail used by hikers and mountain bikers alike!

The nonprofit Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, the largest mountain biking organization in Washington State, coordinates more than 100 other single and multi-day trail work parties around the state each year. In 2011 Evergreen partnered with public land managers to provide more than 7000 hours of volunteer trail work. 

To learn more about Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance visit http://evergreentmtb.org

(photo by Emily Smith)

The Mendocino National Forest of Northern California offers marvelous vistas and numerous opportunities for recreation. The Mendocino boasts that it is the only National Forest in California without a major paved road winding through it, which allows for a distinct feeling of solitude and peace. Among this massive and majestic landscape, there is a balance of different activities available for people with myriad interests. From boating and fishing to hiking and cross-country skiing, everyone can find a way to enjoy the Mendocino. There are also two satellite locations maintained by the Forest Service, the Genetic Resource and Conservation Center located in Chico, CA, and the Red Bluff Recreation Area in Red Bluff, CA.

As an intern for the Student Conservation Association working with the U.S. Forest Service to conduct visitor land use surveys, I have a wonderful opportunity to see a lot of the forest and meet many people who work in it over the span of a year. I’ve lost count at how many times I’ve grabbed my camera and attempted to capture the flora and fauna of the forest. At one point I was lucky enough to view fog roll into a valley of the forest at sunset. I may or may not have rhapsodized a little bit about how the tops of the hills peeked up above the cloudy haze, comparing it to that satisfying feeling that comes with being taller than someone who’s trying to intimidate you. The landscape is a refreshing change from my Midwestern background. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good horizon, but the rolling scenery of the Mendocino is incredibly more satisfying.

If you ever have the opportunity to visit the Mendocino National Forest, I highly recommend it. Essentially any outdoor activity you can think of is most likely available there, and if you are very lucky you may meet me conducting land use surveys throughout the year! 

Did you get the chance to read the backcountry skiing article in Your National Forests yet?  If you’re planning a trip into the backcountry, be sure to check avalanche conditions and learn proper backcountry winter travel techniques. Check out this short blog below from February 2011 on some very BASIC avalanche awareness techniques. We also encourage you to check out www.fsavalanche.org for additional information and resources on avalanches. Have fun and be safe!!!

This blog was originally posted February 1, 2011.

As avalanche warnings begin to appear across the West, it’s a perfect time to start a discussion about snow safety and how we can strive to be smart and informed outdoors enthusiasts on our National Forests this winter season.

Traveling at speeds of up to 120 miles per hour, avalanches are truly a force of nature. Of the three main types of avalanches, slab avalanches are the most deadly. These slides typically occur when a harder layer of snow settles on top of a softer, weaker layer; as the name suggests, a slab of snow breaks free from the layers beneath it and slides down the mountainside. The majority of these avalanches are caused by backcountry users making their way through terrain that is unsafe, so knowledge of conditions and warning signs are essential to safe winter adventures. Here are some simple guidelines: 

Slope:One of the simplest ways to find out if you’re in avalanche country is by measuring the slope of the terrain you’ll be exploring. This can easily be done with a slope meter, compass or clinometer, essential tools for the winter backcountry user. As a rule avalanches don’t usually occur on slopes lower than 30 degrees

Snowpack: Keep this in mind: even if the mountain you are eyeing is steep enough to avalanche, slides will only occur if the snowpack is also unstable. So, when you know for sure that conditions are safe – go for it, shred that mountain! But, if you have any doubt, save it for another day. What makes for unstable conditions? Snow is least stable right after a storm; heavy precipitation, whether it is rain or snow, adds weight to the snowpack and often creates dangerous layers of snow that could easily slide. Wind can also create unstable conditions by picking up snow and then depositing it elsewhere, also adding weight to the snowpack. Temperature wise, rapid warming can cause snow to creep or glide downhill, causing instability. 

Staying Safe:There are many ways you can stay safe this winter recreation season – from checking weather and avalanche reports for your backcountry destination to learning to check snow stability and look for “red flag” warning signs. Luckily for all of us that want to venture outside this winter, the Forest Service National Avalanche Center has a great site on the web, full of important and relevant resources for skiers, snowboarders, snowshoers and snowmobilers.  Check out the "A Day in Avalanche Country" section for a step by step guide to playing it safe in the backcountry. 

Winter mountains are imposing and seductive. Their snowy slopes draw us from the cozy warmth of our homes into the chilling beauty of the backcountry. Stay informed and aware this season. Take an avalanche class, wear a beacon.  And then when you’re properly prepared, give in to temptation and get outside already!

After the past few years working part time and raising my two wonderful little boys, I am thrilled to be back in the field of conservation full time. It is through this position as the Conservation Awards Associate at the NFF in Missoula, MT that my passion for restoring the natural world is ignited once again. I look forward to working with this amazing team and meeting all of the partners and field staff over the years.

As an undergraduate at Penn State University, I got my first experience in the western U.S. while working at Yellowstone National Park. Every year following that first summer, I drove back out west to visit the many National Forests and Parks that we are so fortunate to have.  My final year of college, I was an intern with a research crew based in Lassen National Forest.

Following undergraduate studies, I developed a stream monitoring and education project for the Kiski-Conemaugh River Basin in Western Pennsylvania and then decided to venture westward to pursue a Master’s degree at The University of Montana. I was privileged enough to jump right into a marine restoration project in French Polynesia on the Island of Moorea as part of my master’s thesis. Post graduate work involved managing a database and web interface project at The University of Montana for the Herbarium in the Division of Biological Sciences. 

My family enjoys our National Forests regularly while skiing, biking, hunting, camping and hiking. It is my hope that these beautiful places will remain intact for my children and grandchildren in the generations to come. I am thrilled to play a part in restoration and conservation of these many treasured landscapes. It is a pleasure to be here. 

Sometimes restoration activities can take months or even years to appreciate the results. Tree-planting for example, can take ten years to even look like new trees—or longer. Stream restoration can take several seasons for the first fish to return. Road removal however, can have nearly instant results—at least to the eye.  

This past summer and fall, the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust removed 11 miles of unused roads on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and surrounding state lands near the town of North Bend, Washington, completing a total of 22 miles of road decommissioning in the Granite Creek Basin. Six miles of those roads were converted into a hiking trail. 

The new trail will provide access to Thompson Lake and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Bell also explained that a new $22 million federal paving project on the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Road will mean there will be “a lot more people coming” from the service area of 3 million people. With the influx of visitors the removed roads and new trail will help “get people out in the woods” said Bell.  

In addition to providing an expanded recreation opportunity, removing the roads supports the environmental health of the forest. Initially, it was estimated that 80-85 culverts were in the project area; so far Greenway Trust has removed more than 100, opening up and restoring natural stream habitat for cutthroat and rainbow trout as well as mountain whitefish. 

“We’d like to leave a lasting legacy in the area,” said Tor. 

The project had been many years in the making. Some of the project was on state land and some on federal National Forest land. Without funding for both halves, the project couldn’t happen. The Washington Department of Natural Resources had the funding; unfortunately, the Forest Service did not. This is where the National Forest Foundation stepped in. Through the NFF Matching Awards Program, Greenway Trust was able to receive funding to match the state funding and cover the Forest Service half to complete the entire project. 

It’s hard not to be excited about our National Forests and the restoration taking place when you see the before and after photos from this project. Work done on this public-private partnership will endure and continue to add to the value of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the greater Seattle area. 

On October 20, 2012, twenty-five volunteers gathered on the Willamette National Forest in Sweet Home, Oregon for the community’s first Friends of the Forest Day. The volunteer stewardship event was not only an opportunity for the local community to get their hands dirty with on the ground restoration project in their “backyard forest,”  but was also a celebration of the Sweet Home Ranger District’s “All Lands Collaborative Approach” to promoting a healthy landscape (and healthy community) across management boundaries in the Soda Fork Watershed. 

The All Lands Collaborative Approach is made up of partners from: Cascade Timber Consulting, Linn County, City of Sweet Home, Sweet Home Ranger District, and the South Santiam Watershed Council. Volunteers chose to work on projects located on three different partner site locations – all related to Soda Creek watershed restoration. With their help we:

• Planted 80 native plants
  
• Improved habitat near dispersed campsites through planting and building a protective fence
  
• Applied 20 storm drain markers in the City of Sweet Home
  
• Removed invasive blackberry
  
• And on the Cascade Timber Consulting site worked on an elk forage enhancement project.

After completing our projects the volunteers came together at a County park for a “salmon bake ”!  During lunch Cindy Glick, District Ranger spoke about the All Lands Collaborative Approach effort and recognized the importance and commitment of the local partners to working together in their local watershed. It was a wonderful day of celebrating partnerships and community engagement!

In Sisters, Oregon and throughout the Northwest, recent forest fires have reminded us just how much local forests impact our quality of life. With the Pole Creek Fire burning just 5 miles from Sisters, Central Oregonians came out in droves to volunteer at the National Forest Foundation’s Friends of the Forest® Day. 

More than 115 volunteers were escorted through the fire closure area, driven past charred landscapes, and taken to the beautiful and lesser known river, Whychus Creek. Both Whychus Creek and the Metolius River are the focus of NFF’s Treasured Landscapes conservation campaign known locally as the Tale of Two Rivers. 

Working near Whychus Creek, volunteers set to work planting and having fun in a sparse old campsite. This campsite was a popular spot for shooting, graffiti, and big parties of over 70 people. With overuse, the area’s sensitive habitat was trampled, leaving big areas of loose soil that rain flushed directly into the creek. This sediment covers spawning grounds of returning steelhead and degrades water quality. 

With the Pole Creek Fire ravaging more than 26,000 acres of this watershed system, every little bit we could do to improve the health of the forest was a big help. 

At the end of the day, volunteers looked proudly at an area of the forest they had transformed. Even two year-old Stella Stroup was amazed at how many native shrubs and grasses she had been able to plant with her mom. 

Volunteers planted 1,600 native shrubs, trees and grasses, spread 2 acres of native seed and improved 1 mile of trail.

“Overall, the biggest impact of today was seeing so many come out to support the health of their National Forests,” said Sisters Ranger District Ecologist, Maret Pajutee. “It’s great to see people invested in this area and working together to restore our local watersheds.”

As a plein air painter and visual artist, I don't often use words to express the beauty I find in our National Forests and their waterways. I usually just try to paint them, capturing their essence, beauty, energy, vitality and diversity by putting oil paint on canvas. We plein air painters want to give viewers the feeling that they are there, experiencing the moment right alongside with us.

The forests and the natural world have been the steadfast, eternal muses of mankind since the beginning of artistic awareness. Nature at its unspoiled best is unimaginably rich in all aspects. Artists love to tap into this diverse richness, absorb it and spew it back in one form or another. 

Our National Forests are that exquisite environment available to all of us. It's a very primal encounter which has the ability to enable me and others to transcend our often overwhelming daily lives to enter into a physical and mental space which can put us in touch with our basic, more primitive, instincts and intuitions. 

We find a solitude which can sooth us, give us solace and quiet down the mental happenings within ourselves, to become more aware of our place in the world. We can watch fish, hike in the woods, spot a golden eagle, catch a glimpse of a rare wild flower, see plants we've only ever read about, smell and absorb fresh air and internalize the energy of the swiftly moving river. We are free to delight in the visual feast of colors and shapes. All of these things revitalize and serve as a muse for all types of artists and people from all walks of life. 

It has been my pleasure and an honor to participate in three  of the four timed Plein Air Paint Out events the NFF has organized to raise public awareness of our National Forests. I am pleased that the forests I love so much and have painted on canvas will be used to inspire our present and future generations to come out and experience this incredible unspoiled beauty for themselves. 

It is important to not just preserve this beauty for ourselves, but for itself, the animals, birds, fish, insects, plants, trees and the quietly unfolding miracles within and under the canopy of our wonderful forests. 

For more information about Patty Gifford's artwork visit: http://www.patriciagifford.com/

On September 13, 2012 twenty-seven Cycle Oregon cyclists rode to the top of Mt. Ashland…on a yellow school bus. During “Day 5” of Cycle Oregon’s week long ride the enthusiastic cyclists volunteered to give back to one of the National Forests they had been riding through. 

The project site straddled two national forests, the Rogue-River Siskiyou National Forest and the Klamath National Forest. The volunteers vigorously worked to deconstruct on old wood pole fence once used to keep cattle from the heavily used “Grouse Cap” shelter along the Pacific Crest Trail. Cattle have been long gone from the area and the fence had succumbed to rot and was unsafe for hikers and visitors. So, with our box of tools and hand saws the volunteers quickly took down the fence.

Despite a grueling uphill ride the previous day, volunteers worked tirelessly on their day of rest to support our National Forests. Some riders remarked at how much work was completed in only one day with many hands helping. 

Often during the week-long ride cyclists’ fly past the scenery of the national forest backdrop – but on this day they spent hours learning, working, giving back, and socializing in Ashland’s “backyard forest”. From our high altitude restoration project site we could see clear sweeping views of California’s Mt. Shasta in the distance and were surrounded by mature trees and brush meadows.  During lunch we listened to interesting geological and historical discussions of the area led by leading representatives of the Pacific Crest Trail Association, Mt. Shasta Ski Area and the Rogue-River Siskiyou National Forest. 

View more photos of the day here. 

For more than two years Grand Trunk Goods has supported the National Forest Foundation by offering a unique giving opportunity to their customers. For each online purchase, Grand Trunk customers have the option of donating five percent of their purchase to the National Forest Foundation, supporting on-the-ground restoration efforts on our National Forests across the nation. 

As a manufacturer of outdoor equipment and travel and lifestyle products, Grand Trunk customers expect the company to give back, especially to the places where their merchandise is used. From tents to hammocks to cookware, Grand Trunk Goods would not be out of place on our nation’s public lands. 

At the National Forest Foundation, we unite a diverse group of stakeholders, including corporations large and small, to care for our National Forests and Grasslands. Our collaborative strategies help us engage thousands of individuals, communities, organizations and partners, magnifying the impacts of our conservation strategies. 

If you’d like to get ahead on some holiday shopping (it’s never too early) and give back to our National Forests and Grasslands, visit grandtrunkgoods.com and start planning your next adventure! 

Hi, I’m excited to introduce myself , the newest member of the National Forest Foundation (NFF) as the Southern California Program Associate. I had been working with the NFF on the Angeles National Forest for the past seven months as a contractor and it is fantastic to transition to a regular employee of such an incredible organization. 

The dedicated staff and mission of the NFF have made the transition easy. Previously I had been assisting in developing a Friends of the Angeles group to support forest wide initiatives as well as helping with the Treasured Landscapes campaign site in Big Tujunga Canyon on the Angeles National Forest. 

It’s great to have an opportunity to work on the National Forest that was my extended backyard while I was growing up in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. The Angeles offers so many benefits—open space, habitat for endangered species, miles of recreation trails, to the major local source of water—that it is an honor to help with programs to support all of these ecosystem services. I love exploring the outdoors and relying on nature to help moderate my busy life in a major metropolitan center. 

Prior to joining NFF I was with the Council for Watershed Health managing Watershed Monitoring Programs and a large Green Infrastructure Project. I experienced the value and importance of our local mountains for Los Angeles’ precious water supply firsthand by taking samples throughout the watershed, building examples of bio-swales and drought friendly landscaping, and developing policies for municipalities. 

My previous work in California involves trail planning, documenting environmental impacts to biological species, defining mitigation measures, and preparing restoration plans. I also worked as a biologist with Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and as green building consultant. I received my Masters Degree in Environmental Science and Management with an emphasis in Conservation Planning from UC Santa Barbara in 2004 and received a BS of Biology in upstate New York at Hobart College. 

I enjoy working with people and getting outside to find that bird calling in the tree, the best boulder to admire a stream, or the top of a peak to get a view of the city below or the wilderness beyond. I’m looking forward to engaging more support for the valuable resource that is “Los Angeles’ Great Backyard,” the Angeles National Forest. 

(photo by Dustin Solberg/TNC)

Originally posted on The Nature Conservancy Blog on August 27, 2012.

A Volvo 480 crawler excavator is a big yellow machine. Weighing in at well over 50 tons, it will move just about anything, such as a 17,000-pound log. Massive logs like these are key ingredients in restoring salmon streams but only if they’re put in the right place.

In all, a crew from a local contractor, Southeast Road Builders, carefully placed 325 logs in just the right spots in and along Alaska’s Twelvemile Creek – all in an effort to recreate the features that allow fish to thrive in a river.

“We’re asking them to use really big machines like fine-tuned instruments,” Brian Barr, a Forest Service hydrologist, told me as we waded the shallows to get a close-up view of a restored river.

The Tongass National Forest is also home to more than 50 years of logging – much of it at a time when fish-friendly logging rules weren’t in effect. As a result, more than 90 percent of the valuable stream side forests were logged in this watershed. Tom Cady, a Tongass National Forest fish biologist who helped lead the project, put it this way:

“Twelvemile was probably one of the earlier areas of logging in the Tongass, in terms of industrial scale logging. And the logging that occurred here was performed under a different set of standards than what we have today with the national forest plan on the Tongass. So they were allowed, in those days, under an authorization by the Forest Service, to log clear up to the stream banks. And so that is the underlying role of this project, to really put back the conditions that were probably here before that occurred,” Cady said.

This work, led by the National Forest Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service, and The Nature Conservancy, is one example of how the Tongass National Forest is undergoing a transition toward restoring its streams and forests, and fostering healthy habitat for species such as fish and deer – keystone species for the ecosystem.

On Twelvemile Creek, this means restoring diverse and productive features – including pools, riffles, eddies and lots of big trees and root wads.

“Pools provide many habitat functions. They provide compartments for fish, especially for juveniles. If it’s nice and deep it provides nice cool water,” Barr says.

Over time, the diverse habitat has been disappearing, which means the time to intervene is now.

“We’re very fortunate at Twelvemile Creek. We still have a healthy salmon population in the creek,” Barr says. “We’re not working to bring back a decimated population. What we’re doing is we’re trying to preserve a population.”

(photo by Chris Wojcik and Evergreen MTB.)

Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance received funding from the NFF Matching Awards Program for 2012 projects—including Kettle Fest. Stacy Karacostas, Communication and Membership Director, of Evergreen MTB recaps a fun day of trail-building on the Colville National Forest.

The overcast sky is just starting to break on a beautiful July morning as 30-some mountain bikers mill around a campground clearing, swilling coffee and waiting to start the day. They’ve come from all over Washington, Idaho and Canada for Kettle Fest – an annual five-day mountain biking and trail work gathering in the Kettle River Range of the Colville National Forest, located in northeastern Washington.

The Kettle Range is a little known gem located between the tiny towns of Republic and Kettle Falls. The area features more than 60 miles of high-quality, subalpine backcountry trails open to hikers, horses, and of course, mountain bikers. If you look at a map, you’ll see the opportunities for epic mountain bike rides on the Kettle Crest and other nearby trails are almost endless.

But today we’re not riding. We’re headed up the Sherman Pass trail to fix a number of sections muddied by nearby seeps. It’s a diverse group – I catch up to a family with three kids age 9 months, 6 years and 13 years bringing up the rear behind a young guy in his twenties, a couple in their fifties, and a handful of happy trail dogs. 

Some are veteran trail builders; others have never done trail work at all. But with the guidance of Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance’s experienced Trail Crew Leads everyone digs in - literally. 

We spend the day laughing, joking and moving a heck of a lot of rocks and dirt. Even the kids have a good time helping tote the rocks used to create better drainage in the trail. The work is surprisingly fulfilling too.

By day’s end we can see the positive changes all our sweat and effort has created. It feels good knowing we've made this terrific trail more sustainable and less susceptible to erosion. As an added bonus the next day we get to experience the wonders of our handiwork firsthand the next day as we ride smoothly over the once mucky sections on our bikes, 

The nonprofit Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, the largest mountain biking organization in Washington State, coordinates Kettle Fest and more than 100 other single and multi-day trail work parties around the state each year. In 2011 Evergreen partnered with public land managers to provide more than 7000 hours of volunteer trail work. 

Click here to learn more about KettleFest 2012. 

To learn more about Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance visit: http://evergreentmtb.org 

This summer I interned with the USDA Forest Service National Partnership Office as a William A. Demmer Scholar with funding from the National Forest Foundation.  I secured the internship because one of my professors at Michigan State University referred a class to me about natural resources advocacy and I jumped at the opportunity.  It turned out that Mark Rey, the former Undersecretary for Agriculture and Natural Resources, taught the class!  Luckily, I earned a 4.0 in the class and was invited to participate in his summer course in Washington DC on federal policy in the natural resources arena.  

Each student attended the class one night a week and interned full-time for a federal agency, non-profit or trade association.  Due to my love of National Forests and the outdoors, as well as my origins from the heavily wooded Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I was placed with the Forest Service.  To be honest, I really didn’t know much about the Forest Service since my area of study was Comparative Cultures and Politics, with a specialization in Science, Technology, Environment and Public Policy. However, I quickly became enthralled by the mission of the Forest Service to serve the greater good.  It didn’t hurt that I had a soft spot for Smokey Bear; on the way to my grandparent’s house in Escanaba, I would always watch for as a child!  

Over the course of the summer, I assisted with reinvigorating the YouthGO.gov website, which aims to engage youth in outdoor events, educational and employment opportunities.  I also participated in many Forest Service events including, but certainly not limited to, the Outdoor Nation Summit, construction of the USDA Folk life Festival exhibit, becoming Smokey Bear, lunch with Secretary Vilsack’s Chief of Staff, the Length of Service Award Ceremony, countless webinars and my favorite, Take a Kid Fishing Day!  I assisted with rigging lines, educating kids on best fishing practices and a whole lot of worm wrangling.  Several kids were able to hook a fish and I even caught one by accident! 

During my internship, I began to appreciate the Forest Service more and more.  I learned how thoughtful forest stewardship ensures quality forests for recreation and healthy habitats for plants and animals.  Learning and working with a diverse group of individuals, I will certainly take the Forest Service ideals and commitment to public service with me in my career as I start an internship with a Forest Service partner, Sustainable Northwest!

As the organizer of the NFF’s Plein Air Paint Out, I have a confession to make: if you bought that stunning painting of the Metolius last Saturday, that may be a piece of pickle in your painting. It’s not my fault—you’re the one who left your painting for safekeeping at the deli.

Thirty-eight painters joined us on the last Saturday of July for the Plein Air Paint Out. “En plein air” is a French term used to describe the act of painting in the open outdoors. In addition to infringing pieces of pickle, there are real hazards to this type of painting. Plein Air artists are a tenacious lot.

For the past four years, participants of the NFF’s Paint Out near Sisters, Oregon have lugged heavy easels and equipment on dirt trails in July heat, perched on rocks and teetered near the river, and  performed under extreme deadline pressure. Imagine creating and framing a work of art in only four hours! It’s a daunting task to try to capture the beauty of our National Forests, and to do this in such a short time frame is an insane challenge. Along the way, artists contend with changing light, temperature variation, and gathering crowds of trail goers who stop to watch.

In spite of all these hurdles, by 1 p.m. artists turn in full-fledged works of art. It’s an incredible transformation. Many of the paintings haven’t even dried by the time they are on display at the reception, and it’s a good year when I only have one or two smudges of blue oil paint on me at the end of the day.

So why do artists keep coming back to our Paint Out year after year despite these obstacles? It’s because, like us, they love the Treasured Landscapes near Sisters, Oregon. They want to be part of preserving the Metolius River for generations to come. Their paintings serve as records of how special our Metolius River is, and they inspire others to care for it to keep it that way.

The artists connect with the forests and river as they paint them. No one is more aware of the stunning beauty of the clear water Metolius River than the artist on the banks trying to mix the precise baby blues and turquoise tones of the rapids. When we told them to look for the group of sockeye salmon returning from the ocean for the first time since the 1960s thanks to recent restoration efforts, they scanned the water with an even keener eye.

At the end of the day the artists kept saying, “I want to come back here.” As painter Norma Holmes said, “This place nourishes the soul.”

A picture is worth a thousand words. As the NFF uses images of these paintings, we hope they will communicate that love of place, and that connection. The NFF will use Sandra Melchiori’s winning piece on the poster for National Public Lands Day to recruit volunteers while other pieces will be used in reports, outreach materials, presentations, and letters.

“It’s amazing the effect these paintings can have on people,” said Sisters District Ecologist and local partner of NFF, Maret Pajutee. “With these images people really pay more attention—they care more about restoring these beautiful places.”

Click here to view photos.

July 7 and 8 more than 60 volunteers spent the weekend at the Coldwater Science and Learning Center at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Under the watchful eye of Mount St. Helens, volunteers contributed 335 hours of labor and had a little fun while doing so.

On Saturday, volunteers prepped and repainted four information kiosks, repaired and refurbished two miles of trails and constructed a quarter mile of new trail. Ten people received Volcano Volunteer interpretive training to help share the volcano and its history for future visitors. Volunteers also developed six new tent pads and installed 15 signs and 20 fence posts. In need of some love, the deck rails at the Center also received a fresh coat of paint.

Saturday evening, volunteers were treated to a concert at the Johnston Ridge Observatory by bands Lincoln’s Beard and Riviera, with none other than Mount St. Helens as a backdrop.

Later, volunteers were treated to a large tub of Nutella and giant marshmallows with which to enjoy s’mores, in keeping with the camping tradition. The marshmallows were cold of course, since fires are not allowed in the Monument…

Thanks to the Vancouver Sidewalk Astronomers, who arrived with some of the largest portable telescopes we had ever seen, volunteers were treated to a luminous night sky! Seven volunteer astronomers and their scopes provided various different views of the incredible sky on a near moonless night. Views included Saturn, the Andromeda Galaxy, M13, and a star nebula.

To enjoy some of the beautiful scenery they’d been working in the day before, volunteers had the opportunity to explore the area on Sunday. Activities available included kayaking on Coldwater Lake and a guided hike on the hummocks trail with Forest Service interpretive staff.

NFF would like to give a huge thanks to our partners—the U.S. Forest Service, Mount St. Helens Volcanic Monument, Cowlitz Economic Development Council, and the Mount St. Helens Institute. Without their collaboration and support, this weekend would not have been possible.

Click here to view photos.