Forest Service seeks Desolation Wilderness volunteers

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is looking for volunteers who love working outdoors, educating and helping people, and would like to help preserve one of our nation’s most popular wilderness areas, Desolation Wilderness. The public is invited to attend one of two informational meetings in South Lake Tahoe in May to learn about different volunteer opportunities, training, minimum requirements and how volunteer help is important to the preservation of Desolation Wilderness.

Desolation Wilderness is approximately 64,000 acres of pristine sub-alpine and alpine forest, granite peaks and glacially-formed valleys and lakes located on the southwest end of Lake Tahoe.

Volunteers work closely with Forest Service wilderness staff and can choose from a variety of project based activities including newly developed trailhead and backcountry naturalist programs as well as visitor education, wilderness staff support for office and field projects and backcountry trail maintenance and campsite restoration. Field projects involve hiking in moderate to difficult terrain and require an appropriate level of physical ability. Volunteers should commit to a minimum of six days for the summer season. Additional information is available at http://www.desowv.org/volunteer.

Prospective volunteers should attend a 90-minute informational meeting on Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at 7 p.m. or Saturday, May 12, 2012, starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Supervisor’s Office at 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, Calif., 96150. For more information, contact Chris Engelhardt at (530) 543-2766.