Forest Service hosts Desolation Wilderness volunteer workshop in South Lake Tahoe Contact(s): Public Affairs, Lisa Herron (530) 543-2815

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is looking for hard-working, dedicated volunteers that are interested in helping to preserve one of our nation’s most beautiful wilderness areas, Desolation Wilderness. Interested and committed individuals are invited to attend an informational open house on Thursday, March 15, 2018, from 5 – 7 p.m. and/or Saturday, March 17 from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. at the Forest Supervisor’s office, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, California 96150. The open house will include information about different volunteer opportunities, training, minimum requirements and how volunteer help is important to the preservation of Desolation Wilderness. Volunteers work closely with Forest Service wilderness staff and can choose from a variety of project based activities including visitor education, wilderness staff support for office and field projects, back-country trail maintenance, campsite restoration and wilderness character monitoring. Field projects involve hiking in moderate to difficult terrain and require an appropriate level of physical ability. Volunteers should be able to commit to a minimum of seven days for the summer season and must be age 18 years or older. Desolation Wilderness volunteer experience counts toward federal work experience and looks great on federal employment applications. Additional information is available at http://www.desowv.org. Selected candidates will be required to attend a volunteer training workshop on May 19 – 20, at the Sly Park Event Center at Jenkinson Lake, Mormon Emigrant Trail, Pollock Pines, California 95726. Desolation Wilderness is approximately 64,000 acres of pristine sub-alpine and alpine forest, granite peaks and glacially-formed valleys and lakes situated in the Crystal Range of the Sierra Nevada, southwest of the Lake Tahoe Basin. Desolation Wilderness was designated in 1969, under The Wilderness Act, and has protections in place that aim to preserve this amazing place for future generations. For more information, contact the LTBMU Wilderness Program Manager, Don Lane at 530-543-2621 or Recreation Specialist, Bob Becker at 530-543-2688. Photo caption: A volunteer interacts with hikers in Desolation Wilderness. Photo credit: Les Thomas, Desolation Wilderness Ambassador. ### The mission of the U.S. Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation's clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.



