Thousands of acres of public land and trails were closed last year after the devastating Beachie Creek Fire. After everything TKO learned from recovering trails in the Columbia River Gorge after the Eagle Creek Fire, we knew we had to help. A spring internship program, working with land managers on in-depth trail assessment and recovery plans, and ongoing volunteer events are just a few of the ways we are and will continue to give back.
But we can’t do it with out support from donors like you who provide us with the resources that make this work possible. TKO’s volunteers are eager to tackle the huge amount of work thats waiting for us in the Santiam Sate Forest and beyond.
We know from experience that the best way to teach someone a skill is to get a tool in their hands and let them experience the process for themselves. This happened to TKO as an organization as we embraced our role as a recovery partner after the Eagle Creek Fire. This philosophy has since been built into everything we do.
Fire recovery takes dedicated and persistent focus. After finding success piloting an internship position dedicated to recovering trails in the Gorge, we knew that this approach was a perfect fit for the trails that had been swept up in the Beachie Creek Fire. We collaborated with Northwest Youth Corps to support not just one but three internship positions dedicated to trails in the Santiam State Forest. Their work during the spring helped lay the ground work for community volunteers to come in and keep drumming the beat of fire recovery stewardship!
The past few years have seen record damage to trails from wildfire and wind storms across the state. From southern Oregon to the central coast to the Willamette National forest, these events left behind a lot of work to be done.
TKO has been here before. Here is where we know we can step up:
The surge of community support and involvement after the Eagle Creek Fire in 2017 is where many of the current TKO Crew Leaders got their start. We have used what we learned from those experiences of bring trails back from the ashes to build a cohort of skilled volunteers across the state. We have been working tirelessly for the last three years to build a training program for trail steward volunteers to be ready to tackle any trail issues that arise, including fire impacts.
Support Oregon’s trails by serving on the TKO Board
Trailkeepers of Oregon’s annual Board application window is now open! We invite applications from those who are interested in broadening access to nature and Oregon’s outdoor places and who are passionate about TKO’s mission: protecting and enhancing the Oregon hiking experience through stewardship, advocacy, outreach and education.
This spring, the Trailkeepers of Oregon launched our very first “hike-a-thon” style fundraising campaign. This campaign, dubbed the Trailkeeper Challenge, was centered around inspiring folks to engage their communities in spending time outside the ways they enjoy most.
Spring is quickly approaching! That means before we know it, Trailkeepers of Oregon will be kicking off another Trail Ambassador season. Through partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon State Parks, the Mt. Hood – Columbia River Gorge Tourism Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, and Friends of the Columbia River Gorge, Trail Ambassadors will take to trails beginning April 22nd to engage with trail users across the state. We are always looking to grow our team – if you’ve been looking to give back to the trails you love, we want you on board!
Trailkeepers of Oregon
P.O. Box 14814
Portland, OR 97293
(971) 206-4351