M
Mike Vandeman
Guest
From: "Jim Preston" <[email protected]>
Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 20:04:22 -0800
Subject: Ventana Wilderness Alliance success story
The VWA is a mini-Sierra Club that focuses on wilderness in the
northern
Santa Lucia Mountains. These rugged mountains are south of Carmel to
Cambria on Highway 1, known mostly as Big Sur, and west of 101 from
Salinas
to Paso Robles. The wilderness areas are within the Los Padres
National
Forest. www.ventanawild.org
There is a mountain bike club that is working on trails south of the
wilderness areas but I met them as they stumbled into us on a
wilderness
trail. The trail leads always have an FS radio but they didn't harass
the
MTB'ers for illegal riding. These MTB'ers were trail workers and
admired
our work so that probably had something to do with attitudes
I do a little trail work with this lively group and decided to attend
the
annual meeting in Marina yesterday (Saturday). A few items of
interest to
ROMP and the presidents of other clubs who lurk on this list:
1) VWA is only 8 years old. It has a couple hundred members with
about 50
who are active and 25 who are very active. Sounds typical, heh?
2) They have a useful Web site and it is being upgraded soon. Most
people
find the group, as I did, by doing a Web search for the trails in the
Ventana. The VWA has an excellent list of the trails and user input
about
the conditions. The USFS and State Parks refer visitors to the Web
site for
trail information. It is a useful and powerful recruiting tool that
is
going to be improved soon. This is about their only outreach.
2) The Webmaster is in Washington State for whatever reason but they
have
recently opened, and filled, the position of Editor to relieve the
Webmaster
of such work. The Editor is building a little editorial staff. This
effort
stems from their 2007 Action Plan effort.
3) They recently had a board retreat to discuss, well, if they are
being all
they can be. Their 2007 Action Plan is divided into Organizational
Objectives and Program Objectives. They are currently executing on it
and
have finished several objectives such as the trail brochure for the FS
and
State Parks visitor centers and the purchase of a $7,000 software
package
for managing non-profits - Exceed Membership Management.
http://www.telosa.com/ They estimate that this investment will save
100
volunteer hours / year plus increase organizational effectiveness. It
seems
they have either finished or have substantial progress on all 11 items
of
the Organizational Objectives for 2007. Yesterday's date was 1/20/07.
Not
bad. They create their own weather.
4) They actively seek new trail leads and get them approved by the FS.
They
have a trail lead coordinator for this task and have 8 trail leads
with me
being the newest. Trail crews work year-around, including holidays
such as
Thanksgiving and Christmas.
5) The annual meeting included a display and discussion of the
organization's extensive selection of tools, including several large
crosscut saws. The trail work challenge is vastly more than in ROMP's
region or in the Sierras. We rarely have to cut our way by hand
through 60"
diameter downed trees.
6) They have applied for a grant from the American Hiking Association
for
$14,000 for professionals to blast downed trees that are too dangerous
to
cut by saw. Patagonia has contributed thousands of dollars to VWA
projects
and had some very nice clothing available at the meeting for a
generous
raffle, along with three Patagonia staff (not raffled).
7) Last year's volunteer hours were over 2,000 just on the Cone Peak
Trail
restoration and the FS valued them at $45,000. They also did
extensive work
with dozens of volunteers to clean up old cabin sites in new
wilderness
sections along with other projects. Those projects had close to 1,000
hours.
8) The VWA raised $20,000 last year for professional trail crews to
work the
really tough stuff on the Cone Peak project.
9) A crew started today, Sunday, on a three day work trip near Kirk
Creek
with 12 volunteers. That's not bad turnout for January weekdays. They
usually get lots of volunteers. The problem is enough trail leads.
Mike
wanted several volunteers and he ended up with 12. He doesn't even
like to
supervise. VWA makes trail work romantic.
10) Besides all the officer and board positions, and they aren't
always the
same people, they have 25 activity chairpersons positions filled and
active.
They have a separate board to which the founders are now retiring to.
Actually not retiring. The board of directors does real board work
which is
one of the reasons for their success.
11) They spent $30,000 more than revenue last year and could afford
it. The
money went for projects.
12) They created a reserve fund recently and it is up to $40,000. They
received one check for $10,000 and another for $5,000. Next they are
developing an endowment fund.
Does the VWA organization walk on water? Not yet, but they are closer
to it
than many organizations. I find it interesting that the Sierra Club
Ventana
Chapter has been active in the Big Sur area for decades, including
wilderness issues, trail work, and publishing books. The VWA seems to
be
out-competing the Sierra Club, although they do work together often.
If you check the VWA's Projects Web page you'll see a variety of
projects
that are similar to the MROSD and FS projects, except for the Navy
bombing
next to the wilderness at Fort Hunter Liggett.
I don't have a date set yet but sometime in May I'll be the trail lead
on a
brush and tread work project on the Little Sur River Trail. The trail
is a
mess but the swimming hole and waterfall at the camp four miles in is
a real
treat. Email me off the list if you are interested in doing trail
work on
the Little Sur. We'll backpack in but day labor works also. Some
poison
oak is mitigated by the swimming hole and the gourmet pot-luck that is
the
trademark of this group.
The backpacking in the Ventana Wilderness is world class, or better,
with
awesome views, amazingly rugged terrain, and incredible remote
swimming
holes. Rescues are common as are huge forest fires. There are hot
springs
and condors, the hot dry eastside and the cool wet coastal side with
extensive redwood groves. The northern Los Padres is not all
wilderness and
MTB opportunities exist, if someone wants to create them.
- jim
===
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!
http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande
Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 20:04:22 -0800
Subject: Ventana Wilderness Alliance success story
The VWA is a mini-Sierra Club that focuses on wilderness in the
northern
Santa Lucia Mountains. These rugged mountains are south of Carmel to
Cambria on Highway 1, known mostly as Big Sur, and west of 101 from
Salinas
to Paso Robles. The wilderness areas are within the Los Padres
National
Forest. www.ventanawild.org
There is a mountain bike club that is working on trails south of the
wilderness areas but I met them as they stumbled into us on a
wilderness
trail. The trail leads always have an FS radio but they didn't harass
the
MTB'ers for illegal riding. These MTB'ers were trail workers and
admired
our work so that probably had something to do with attitudes
I do a little trail work with this lively group and decided to attend
the
annual meeting in Marina yesterday (Saturday). A few items of
interest to
ROMP and the presidents of other clubs who lurk on this list:
1) VWA is only 8 years old. It has a couple hundred members with
about 50
who are active and 25 who are very active. Sounds typical, heh?
2) They have a useful Web site and it is being upgraded soon. Most
people
find the group, as I did, by doing a Web search for the trails in the
Ventana. The VWA has an excellent list of the trails and user input
about
the conditions. The USFS and State Parks refer visitors to the Web
site for
trail information. It is a useful and powerful recruiting tool that
is
going to be improved soon. This is about their only outreach.
2) The Webmaster is in Washington State for whatever reason but they
have
recently opened, and filled, the position of Editor to relieve the
Webmaster
of such work. The Editor is building a little editorial staff. This
effort
stems from their 2007 Action Plan effort.
3) They recently had a board retreat to discuss, well, if they are
being all
they can be. Their 2007 Action Plan is divided into Organizational
Objectives and Program Objectives. They are currently executing on it
and
have finished several objectives such as the trail brochure for the FS
and
State Parks visitor centers and the purchase of a $7,000 software
package
for managing non-profits - Exceed Membership Management.
http://www.telosa.com/ They estimate that this investment will save
100
volunteer hours / year plus increase organizational effectiveness. It
seems
they have either finished or have substantial progress on all 11 items
of
the Organizational Objectives for 2007. Yesterday's date was 1/20/07.
Not
bad. They create their own weather.
4) They actively seek new trail leads and get them approved by the FS.
They
have a trail lead coordinator for this task and have 8 trail leads
with me
being the newest. Trail crews work year-around, including holidays
such as
Thanksgiving and Christmas.
5) The annual meeting included a display and discussion of the
organization's extensive selection of tools, including several large
crosscut saws. The trail work challenge is vastly more than in ROMP's
region or in the Sierras. We rarely have to cut our way by hand
through 60"
diameter downed trees.
6) They have applied for a grant from the American Hiking Association
for
$14,000 for professionals to blast downed trees that are too dangerous
to
cut by saw. Patagonia has contributed thousands of dollars to VWA
projects
and had some very nice clothing available at the meeting for a
generous
raffle, along with three Patagonia staff (not raffled).
7) Last year's volunteer hours were over 2,000 just on the Cone Peak
Trail
restoration and the FS valued them at $45,000. They also did
extensive work
with dozens of volunteers to clean up old cabin sites in new
wilderness
sections along with other projects. Those projects had close to 1,000
hours.
8) The VWA raised $20,000 last year for professional trail crews to
work the
really tough stuff on the Cone Peak project.
9) A crew started today, Sunday, on a three day work trip near Kirk
Creek
with 12 volunteers. That's not bad turnout for January weekdays. They
usually get lots of volunteers. The problem is enough trail leads.
Mike
wanted several volunteers and he ended up with 12. He doesn't even
like to
supervise. VWA makes trail work romantic.
10) Besides all the officer and board positions, and they aren't
always the
same people, they have 25 activity chairpersons positions filled and
active.
They have a separate board to which the founders are now retiring to.
Actually not retiring. The board of directors does real board work
which is
one of the reasons for their success.
11) They spent $30,000 more than revenue last year and could afford
it. The
money went for projects.
12) They created a reserve fund recently and it is up to $40,000. They
received one check for $10,000 and another for $5,000. Next they are
developing an endowment fund.
Does the VWA organization walk on water? Not yet, but they are closer
to it
than many organizations. I find it interesting that the Sierra Club
Ventana
Chapter has been active in the Big Sur area for decades, including
wilderness issues, trail work, and publishing books. The VWA seems to
be
out-competing the Sierra Club, although they do work together often.
If you check the VWA's Projects Web page you'll see a variety of
projects
that are similar to the MROSD and FS projects, except for the Navy
bombing
next to the wilderness at Fort Hunter Liggett.
I don't have a date set yet but sometime in May I'll be the trail lead
on a
brush and tread work project on the Little Sur River Trail. The trail
is a
mess but the swimming hole and waterfall at the camp four miles in is
a real
treat. Email me off the list if you are interested in doing trail
work on
the Little Sur. We'll backpack in but day labor works also. Some
poison
oak is mitigated by the swimming hole and the gourmet pot-luck that is
the
trademark of this group.
The backpacking in the Ventana Wilderness is world class, or better,
with
awesome views, amazingly rugged terrain, and incredible remote
swimming
holes. Rescues are common as are huge forest fires. There are hot
springs
and condors, the hot dry eastside and the cool wet coastal side with
extensive redwood groves. The northern Los Padres is not all
wilderness and
MTB opportunities exist, if someone wants to create them.
- jim
===
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!
http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande
