Trail Talk: How to Volunteer with the USFS

Marta Sheridan, Volunteer Coordinator for the USFS. Photo Credit: Marta Sheridan

Hike anywhere in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and you’re bound to eventually run into friendly folks in U.S. Forest Service uniforms. We wanted to learn more about how to get that coveted job, where your commute is on a trail and your office is the wilderness, so we talked to Marta Sheridan, coordinator of the North Bend Volunteer Ranger Program, to learn more about getting involved with the program.

How long has the Forest Service Volunteer Program been in place?

The program has been in place for 20 years. I’ve been fortunate to be involved for the last 3 years. In Washington, there are opportunities out of North Bend and Skykomish. Skykomish is looking for more volunteers, especially with their trails plans for the Wild Sky Wilderness.

What are volunteers with the program responsible for?

Volunteers are expected to interact with forest visitors, remind them of the rules and regulations of the wilderness and to answer questions. They should have a good grasp of wilderness regulations, like where dogs are allowed off-leash, whether you can have a campfire at your site and what permits are required at the trailheads. Volunteers wear a Forest Service uniform, so a level of professionalism is expected on trail. Ideally, each volunteer should be on trail eight times a season, from early June through mid-October.

How many volunteers do you get each season?

There are typically around 20 new volunteers who join us for orientation, but there are returning volunteers I see every year. I also have what I call my “baker’s dozen” of volunteers that I ask to hike early season before most people are available, or before the snow melts. They’ve been in the program for years, and they are always reliable and available. Lori Houston-Gaidos started in 2006 as a volunteer and is now a paid employee for the Forest Service. I also have some volunteers, like Harold Buresh, who has been coming out since the start of the program.

What is your most notable experience while working as a volunteer coordinator?

As the volunteer coordinator, I’m informed by my volunteers of any accidents they come across while out on trail. One of the most memorable was when a hiker had taken a fall at the top of a rocky trail and had head injuries. Instead of calling 911, the people assisting the hiker called REI. It took search and rescue a little longer to assemble because of this but the hiker was able to walk out on their own.

What aspects of outdoor recreation do you wish more hikers were aware of?

Overall, know the regulations of the wilderness. If you don’t know, ask one of us. Or read about them before you go. Other big ones include dogs off-leash and littering. People leave their dog’s waste in bags alongside the trail for someone else to pick up. And it’s amazing how many people leave trash along the trail and at the trailhead. Sadly, we need to tell people to protect our wilderness.

How can someone interested in the program learn more about it?

Anyone interested in joining the volunteer program is welcome. We get volunteers in all shapes, sizes and hiking types. This season is almost over, but we’d like to see you next season. You can visit us at the North Bend Ranger Station, call (425) 888-8773, or visit fs.usda.gov/main/mbs/workingtogether/volunteering.

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This article originally appeared in the Sept+Oct 2013 issue of Washington Trails magazine. Join WTA to get your one-year subscription.