Annualreport 2005
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ANNUALREPORT 2005 Student Conservation Association Since 1957 NATIONAL OFFICE The SCA Center for Conservation Service 689 River Road PO Box 550 Charlestown, NH 03603-0550 Phone: 603-543-1700 Fax: 603-543-1828 REGIONAL OFFICES SCA Boise 1491 Tyrell Lane Boise, ID 83706 Phone: 208-424-6734 Fax: 208-424-6944 SCA California / Southwest 655 13th Street Suite 100 Oakland, CA 94612 Phone: 510-832-1966 Fax: 510-832-4726 SCA Mid-Atlantic / Southeast 1800 North Kent Street Suite 102 Arlington, VA 22209 Phone: 703-524-2441 Fax: 703-524-2451 SCA Northwest 1265 South Main Street Suite 210 Seattle, WA 98144 Phone: 206-324-4649 Fax: 206-324-4998 SCA Three Rivers Investment Building 239 4th Avenue Suite 1007 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Phone: 412-325-1851 Fax: 412-325-1856 www.theSCA.org 1 STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT 2005 2 Chairman’s Letter President’s Letter There’s a line in Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Well-deserved credit must go to the leadership of this Responding to the Need. and effective work skills, and community outreach and environ- Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, in which a young boy organization, from my colleagues on the Board of Directors, mental education in metropolitan and rural communities. How will 2005 be remembered? For some, it will be the tells author Richard Louv that he “likes playing indoors better to President Dale Penny, and the professional staff responsible year in which unprecedented environmental disasters altered In a world in which our society is becoming more urban, ’cause that’s where all the outlets are.” for so much of SCA’s success. It is a privilege to serve with the landscape and impacted the lives of so many. It should more technologically driven and less connected to the natural such a talented, dedicated, and inspiring team of individuals. The boy is referring to the electrical outlets that power also be remembered, however, as the year when historic world, the need for young people to assume the lead in the his television and video games, but his statement’s double- Some of these assets moved on to other endeavors in 2005, numbers responded by giving money, food and shelter to preservation of the land and the education of its people meaning should not go unnoticed. and I thank those directors who completed their terms of improve the lives of others, and assisting in the recovery of becomes increasingly acute. With your help SCA will be there Our nation’s parks, forests and historic sites are, of course, service – Jeannette Arcé, George Covington, Jonah Gitlitz, and our natural and built environments. to provide them that opportunity. Jed Williamson. Each has left a positive legacy for the future. chock-full of outlets for recreation, rejuvenation, and learning. For the Student Conservation Association, this was also a I want to thank the members of the SCA Board of Directors And last year, the Student Conservation Association did an In looking ahead, SCA sees ample challenges but far greater year of record response. You will read in the pages that follow who contributed greatly through their guidance this past year, extraordinary job of both protecting these resources and opportunity. The land we serve is also the land that nourishes, the stories of a few of the almost 3,000 SCA members who and especially Bill Coleman for his leadership as Board helping a new generation plug in to them. connects, and uplifts us all. SCA’s call to conservation is the dedicated up to a year of their lives to protecting wilderness, Chairman. I also am grateful to our alumni, almost 45,000 SCA established new highs in total volunteers, diversity cure to “nature-deficit disorder.” And the many hands of our restoring ecosystems, preserving our historic and cultural now, who continue to demonstrate their commitment to among that membership, and the number of hours and places volunteers are our brightest hope for the future. heritage, and engaging tens of thousands of children and conservation in their careers and communities. served. We launched new community initiatives, expanded Thank you for your trust and support. And should you adults in environmental stewardship. I particularly wish to acknowledge and thank SCA’s staff traditional field programs, and recorded an operating surplus meet any SCA members in your outdoor travels, please be SCA’s leadership role in responding to the evolving skills for their service this year. In a time of rapid change they for the 18th consecutive year. And most important, SCA – sure to thank them as well. and knowledge required for conservation in the 21st century brought a commitment, creativity and energy to our work that through the skilled and selfless efforts of our volunteers and evolved sharply last year. When we first began partnering with ensured we would meet the needs of our land management with the support of our many partners – improved the health land management agencies in 1957, the essential implements partners, supporters and the young men and women who and prospects of our natural world and all those who depend were a Pulaski and a shovel. Today, while those traditional volunteer through SCA. upon it. tools are still required for many jobs, our members are also William C. Coleman, Chair I am pleased to report that as SCA approaches its 50th year actively engaged in GIS/GPS mapping, scientific research to of operation in 2007, its performance has never been stronger. protect endangered species, training volunteers in leadership Dale M. Penny 3 STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT 2005 4 Anyone who has seen the morning sun scale El Capitan or the autumn palette of Shenandoah finds it hard to walk away unimpressed. SCA volunteers, on the other hand, find it hard to walk away at all. Conservation in Action SCA members see beyond the beauty and recognize the many expanded capacities, contemporary skills, and immediate challenges facing our natural world. Their connection to the impact. land is deeper than mere appreciation and extends to respon- SCA volunteers, however, do not work alone. They serve sibility. And when it comes to protecting our wilderness, together with one another, in partnership with resource there’s no such thing as “wait and see.” SCA volunteers are management professionals, and with the support of tens all about taking action. of thousands of generous patrons. Mirroring nature’s own “I live in a neighborhood where industrial smokestacks block model, they are both supportive of, and dependent upon, out the stars each night, others. And without them, our land could not flourish. and their emissions give “As a society, we’ve reached the point where we understand the moon a strange glow,” the factors behind the destruction of our environment and says SCA intern Blake what can be done to stop them,” SCA’s Johnson asserts. “We Johnson, 18 (left). “I must all work together to end the degradation and let the just have to give back healing process begin.” to the earth.” Nearly 50 years ago, SCA Founder Elizabeth Titus Putnam The young women and saw past a need and envisioned a solution: a legion of young men of the Student people whose energy, passion and values could augment Conservation Association conservation efforts already in place and advance them comprise one of the largest, most powerful forces on the To build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire beyond anyone’s dream, all to the benefit of our fragile American landscape. Every day, in every state, on virtually environment. lifelong stewardship of our environment and communities by every one of our nation’s environmental fronts, SCA members are making vital and enduring contributions. Today, SCA volunteers affirm and uphold that very same vision. engaging young people in hands-on service to the land. From giving new hope to endangered condors to rescuing ailing ecosystems, from educating observers on wolf reintro- Restoring. Protecting. Conserving. SCA Mission Statement ductions to preserving archaeological sites, these dedicated Collaboratively. Responsibly. Urgently. stewards are changing the course of conservation. They bring For the planet. For the future. For all of us. 5 STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT 2005 6 These Interns Mean Business In the national park system, few sites and operational standards. And they “This is an important program,” states “If a shirt has been rinsed in a stream, smoothly and efficiently. Absolute draw more admiring gazes than the spur dramatic improvements in the Erin, “that brings the experience of Wall “I Live it’s clean,” states one teen. strangers just days before, they have Grand Canyon, but a troubling mainte- way the parks conduct their business. Street to the trails of our National already forged powerful alliances and nance backlog has many also eyeing the Parks.” “All you really need in life is a pair of “The three parks of the Flagstaff learned the rewards of working together parks’ funding gap. in This dry socks,” declares another. National Monuments, where I served, for a common goal. Enter SCA, through an innovative were aligned by mission but their “In the woods, there is no five-second “Even though I’m from far away from partnership called the National Parks resources were quite disparate,” notes World” rule – unless it lands in dung!” here,” says Estefani Morales (top right) Business Plan Initiative wherein gradu- Columbia University senior Erin Cooke Howls of laughter and disgust ensue. of Antioch, California, “at the moment ate students from leading business and (top left). “We realigned the staff and I live in this world and stewardship here public policy schools serve as special their objectives and implemented This spirit of camaraderie is a recurring is my responsibility.