Student Conservation Association Natural Resource Stewards Midterm Report

Student Conservation Association Natural Resource Steward Midterm Report

Program Dates: 5/24-11/5 Program Coordinator: Deanna Oliveri Email: [email protected]

Summary The Natural Resource Steward Program is a collaboration between the Student Conservation Association and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The program is funded by the Environmental Protection Fund, through a contract administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The program places Stewards across various NYSDEC properties in the Adirondacks, Catskills, and parts of Central and Western New York. The Stewards play an important role at these sites, with duties ranging from environmental education, site maintenance and restoration, trail work, invasive species monitoring, wildlife monitoring, and recording visitation.

About SCA The mission of SCA is to build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of our environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land. SCA was founded in 1957 by Elizabeth Putnam. While at Vassar College, she developed her senior thesis around the concept that a commonsense solution to the abuse and under-maintenance of America’s treasured public lands would be putting to good use the energy, talent, and hard work of a force of youthful volunteers. In the intervening 63 years, SCA has deployed a force of more than 75,000 members, completing 26 million hours of conservation service in 550 parks, forests, wildlife refuges and urban green spaces at the national, regional, state and municipal level in all 50 states.

About SCA Natural Resource Stewards The Natural Resource Steward Program is built on over a decade of success of the Backcountry Steward Program. Many of the young adults serving in the program are NY AmeriCorps members, and are a part of the national service movement, making a commitment to support their country though service and volunteerism. Natural Resource Stewards come from all around the United States to perform the critical work necessary to conserve wild places around New York State, serving 16-week and 24-week service terms.

Student Conservation Association Natural Resource Stewards Midterm Report

By the Numbers

Number Of Stewards Number of Sites Number of Number of Members Members Serving 16 Serving 24 Weeks Weeks 19 14 17 2

Description of Work Work Performed Trail Maintenance 96,924 Feet Visitors Educated 831 Visitors Campsites Restored 74 Campsites # of Privies Relocated 14 Privies Acres of Land Restored 1.25 Acres Safety Signs Installed 39 Signs Feet of Shoreline Cleaned 274,560 Feet Beachgrass Replanted (# of plugs) 175 Plugs

Student Conservation Association Natural Resource Stewards Midterm Report

Description of Work Performed

Trai Maintenance The Natural Resource Stewards have performed many hours of trail construction and maintenance at numerous New York State Department of Environmental Conservation properties. Stewards received conservation work stills training at the beginning of their service from their site partners and from DEC Forest Rangers. The following tasks are examples of some of the important trail work that the Stewards perform: • Clear vegetation overgrowth along trails • Remove downed trees from trail corridor • Identify and remove hazard trees and limbs • Complete bridge maintenance • Repair culverts • Clear drainages Otter Creek Horse Trails Trailhead, recently cleared by • Repair water bars Natural Resource Steward • Resurface damaged trail tread The Natural Resource Stewards are provided tools and PPE from their DEC site partners.

Student Conservation Association Natural Resource Stewards Midterm Report

Education One of the unintended consequences of Covid lockdowns in 2020 was an increase in outdoor recreation and the use of wilderness areas. This uptick in use has continued into 2021, bringing with it some new challenges. With more users than ever, the need for on-site educators at popular wilderness areas and wild forests is paramount. Some of the most important work that the Natural Resource Stewards perform is to provide critical education to forest users on Leave-No-Trace principals. The Stewards impart this information to visitors using the “Authority of the Resource” approach. The Natural Resource Stewards are often stationed at strategic locations throughout some of the DEC’s most scenic, ecologically fragile, or dangerous areas. Their goal is to educate visitors, often before entering these areas, so that the visitors can use this knowledge to mitigate their environmental Natural Resource Stewards discuss daily impact and reduce risk to themselves or assignments at Salmon River Falls. others. In addition to this preventative approach, the Natural Resource Stewards also provide important site information to users to reduce risk of injuries, going off- trail, or getting lost. They serve as “eyes-on-the-ground” for forest rangers and other law-enforcement and have assisted in “lost hiker” and search-and-rescue situations.

Student Conservation Association Natural Resource Stewards Midterm Report

Campsite Restoration & Privy Maintenance Within many of New York State’s Forest preserves and wilderness areas, there are primitive campsites. Natural Resource Stewards work to ensure that these campsites are useable and maintained throughout the peak-use season. This includes many specific tasks, including: • Cleaning up garbage • Improving/dismantling fire pits • Fixing drainage issues • Moving and repairing privies • Installing signs

Natural Resource Stewards and DEC site partner perform site assessment of a campsite within the Moose River Plains Wild Forest. Student Conservation Association Natural Resource Stewards Midterm Report

Wildlife Monitoring and Reporting The Natural Resource Stewards have worked alongside New York State DEC Staff and other stewardship groups to conduct important surveys and monitoring of flora and fauna. The SCA Natural Resource Stewards assist the New York State DEC with its on-going effort to study and develop remediation strategies against invasive species. Stewards received Invasive Species training during orientation, and record observed invasives using the IMAP Invasives App. Additionally, Stewards work with DEC staff and other groups on wildlife studies, particularly centered around endangered or at-risk bird and fish populations. Examples of some of the wildlife monitoring and surveying conducted by Natural Resource Stewards include: • Invasive Water Chestnut monitoring • Inventorying of Invasive Hemlock Wooly Adelgid • Surveying of Piping Plover Nests along Shoreline • Invasive Water Chestnut pulls • Banding of Caspian Terns for wildlife survey • Replanting of beach grass along Dunes

Lake Ontario Dune Stewards band a Caspian Tern chick as part of a wildlife survey.

Student Conservation Association Natural Resource Stewards Midterm Report

Member Experience

The day-to-day experience of the Natural Resource Stewards varies across the sites. While some Stewards spend a large portion of their day-to-day interacting with the public, others work in remote, backcountry locations on multi-day hitches doing trail maintenance and campsites restoration. The Natural Resource Stewards utilize their knowledge of environmental conservation, outdoor recreation, and safety and risk management to do work that is often in difficult-to-access areas. Stewards are provided the equipment and vehicles necessary to do their work, including canoes and 4x4 vehicles. Natural Resource Stewards work 5 days on and 2 days off, completing View from a Natural Resource Steward’s canoe while monitoring campsites. full, 40-hour weeks.

Student Conservation Association Natural Resource Stewards Midterm Report

Site Locations The Natural Resource Stewards work across 14 sites, which are managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. These sites are located within the Adirondack Park, Catskills, and Western and Central New York State. These sites are:

• Cranberry Lake • Lake Ontario Dunes • Whitney Wilderness • Central Adirondack Forest Preserve • St. Regis Canoe Area • Northern Catskill Park • Lake Ontario Dunes • Southern Catskill Park • Old Forge Wild Forest • Lake George Wild Forest • Independence River Wild Forest • Siamese Ponds Wild Forest • Salmon River Reservoir • Wilcox Lake Wild Forest Student Conservation Association Natural Resource Stewards Midterm Report

“I was brought up to believe that land is a trust and that we are all responsible for taking care of this earth. I was also taught that life itself is a privilege and that we must always give something back. As my father said, ‘If something needs to be done, pitch in and help out.’ I believe we all can make a positive difference with our lives.” —Liz Putnam, Founder, SCA