TKO has always stepped up where federal resources fall short, but the current funding crisis is putting Oregon’s trails—and our ability to maintain them—at serious risk.
A Looming Crisis for Public Lands
Federal budget cuts and layoffs have eliminated thousands of agency jobs, including recreation managers, trail crews, and wildfire mitigation teams—the very people who keep our trails safe, accessible, and well-maintained. Certain Ranger Districts report they have no dedicated trails staff. With another round of cuts expected, it’s becoming clear that nearly 100% of trail maintenance on National Forest lands will rely on volunteers.
Nearly $500,000 in federal funding awarded to TKO is stalled, delayed, or in question. Every $1 to TKO nearly doubles out to trails. These funds are tied to TKO’s commitments to:
Over 170 trail days & trainings from Great American Outdoors Act deferred maintenance funding for restoring trails in multiple National Forests across the state.
Over 100 trail days & Ambassador activities through Title II Rural Schools, Roads & Trails grants for maintenance and visitor services in Siuslaw and Mt. Hood National Forests.
Over 50 trail days through disaster relief funds to perform wildfire restoration in Mt. Hood NF, critical for post-fire trail recovery.
Over 50 volunteers and professionals to issue saw certifications in Deschutes NF, essential for training sawyers who clear downed trees on popular trails like the Pacific Crest Trail.
Over an estimated 3,000 volunteer participants maintaining and restoring trails, engaging visitors at trailheads and the backcountry with an in-kind labor value of over $800,000 to keep Oregon’s trails safe and welcoming before/during your next hiking adventures.
Even $50,000 in services we’ve already provided is unpaid due to government delays the first 3 months of this year.
What TKO Is Doing Right Now
I want to be transparent with our community about the impact this may have on our mission. Each day we hear of another nonprofit laying off staff and/or suspending federal land activities, if they can. The U.S. Forest Service has let us know that our future federal funding may be delayed while it is under review as part of the new administration’s efforts to reduce federal spending and staffing. We are unsure when or if this funding will be cut, reduced, or fully restored.
With this uncertainty, we are planning our work and working our plan:
With dwindling cash reserves, and a hope for invoicing to catch up, we are still hosting dozens of trail stewardship events and educational programs on federal trails, ensuring Oregon’s trails remain open and safe.
TKO’s fundraising team is having a flurry of major donor conversations and planning a spring fundraiser to invest in TKO’s service to National Forests while funding is in question.
Our program staff is actively putting in place contingencies for stewardship & Ambassadors, pivoting to non-federal projects, working with state, county, and local land managers to continue essential trail service.
We’re also engaging directly with other trail organizations, state leaders, and lawmakers to advocate for funding stability and long-term investment in public lands.
This isn’t just about TKO—it’s about keeping Oregon’s trails accessible for everyone. Learn how you can help below.
See you on the trails,
Steve Kruger
TKO Executive Director
How You Can Help
Public lands belong to all of us. We need to act now.
💪 Volunteer – Sign up for a TKO trail party and help keep Oregon’s trails open. Find an event:
💰 Donate– Help us fill the funding gaps and keep trail work moving forward. Give today:
📣 Tell a Friend – The more people who care about trails and protecting our wild places, the stronger we are. Share this message, invite a friend to a trail event or help pay forward the service we provide.
This moment is a test of our commitment to Oregon’s trails. TKO is ready. Join us in our mission to keep trails open for all to enjoy!
This post comes with big thanks to our friends at Washington Trails Association who invited us to borrow heavily from their similar action alert! We invite you to scan the similarities and differences between Oregon and Washington in WTA’s article with a carbon copy for Oregon that we created below.
If you hike in Oregon, odds are excellent that you’ve enjoyed trails on U.S. Forest Service land. About 39% of Oregon (yes, that’s over 14 million acres of the state) is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. National forests contain some of the most iconic landscapes, popular campgrounds and beloved hiking trails in the state. Encircle Mt. Hood on the Timberline trail, hike along a National Scenic Trail like the Deschutes River trail, visit the Oregon Dunes along the coast, or backpack in the Eagle Cap Wilderness and you are enjoying some of the over 15,000 miles of national forest trails in Oregon.
Millions of visitors spread out in Oregon’s 14 million acres of Forest Service lands and 15,000 miles of trails. Photo by TKO volunteer leader Neil Cadsawan
A funding crisis is putting Forest Service trails, campgrounds and other types of outdoor recreation at risk. The U.S. Forest Service is currently making major cuts to its workforce that will reduce its ability to maintain trails, clean trailhead restrooms, collect trash and provide essential services.
BUDGET CRISIS WILL CUT JOBS AND REDUCE SERVICES
The U.S. Forest Service manages most miles of trail in Oregon:
U.S. Forest Service has more than 15,524 miles of trail in Oregon state.
In contrast:
Oregon State Parks manages over 1,300 miles of trails.
Oregon Department of Forestry includes over 175 miles of non-motorized trails.
Crater Lake National Park contains over 100 miles of hiking trails.
National forests are managed by the federal government for a mix of purposes including recreation, timber production, and preserving natural resources and biodiversity. The Forest Service has historically accomplished most of its on-the-ground work with temporary employees who work for a portion of the year.
A U.S. Forest Service seasonal employee walks alongside Trailkeepers of Oregon volunteers on the Historic Columbia River Highway after restoring sections of hiking trails in 2018 when the area was closed due to the Eagle Creek fire. Photo by TKO
The Forest Service currently has less money than it needs to cover its expenses and pay its staff. The agency has a deficit of more than $700 million. In response, the chief of the Forest Service announced that the agency will not hire any seasonal positions except those that respond to forest fires. This means cutting more than 2,400 seasonal jobs, including trail crews, wilderness rangers, biologists, and many other types of temporary staff.
BLOCKED TRAILS, UNSANITARY BATHROOMS & LACK OF BACKCOUNTRY SUPPORT
It takes a lot of time and effort to maintain Forest Service trails. Volunteers, including the thousands of people who power TKO’s trail parties, keep many national forest trails open. But volunteers are not the only ones in the woods fixing trails and clearing obstacles. Forest Service trail crews spend their summers in the backcountry. Each year, those seasonal employees accomplish about half of the trail maintenance completed on national forest trails.
When you hike on national forest lands next summer, you will feel the absence of Forest Service seasonal staff. You will likely see trails and even roads blocked by logs. You may notice small landslides and debris flows that bury your path or find trails covered in thick brush. At trailheads, you may find unsanitary bathrooms.
Here are some of the tasks that seasonal workers impacted by the cuts do for the Forest Service:
Share information with the public about recreation and regulations.
Maintain trails, cut brush, remove logs, build rock retaining walls
Repair infrastructure including tables, signs, buildings and fire pits.
Inspect trail bridges
Patrol wilderness areas and protect natural resources from avoidable damage
Conduct surveys of wildlife and collect other types of scientific data.
Help control noxious weeds
Assist in laying out timber sales and plant trees after a timber harvest.
Maintain range structures like fencing
Remove graffiti and pick up trash
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
This budget crisis has both long-term and short-term causes. Since the 1990s, the Forest Service has lost about 8,000 jobs nationally, including about half of its trail crew and forestry technician positions. Funding for the agency has not kept up with rising costs. TKO seeks to consistently advocate for the Forest Service, we are now teaming up with Washington Trails Association so that the Forest Service can hire more people to complete its complex mission. Recent events have taken the agency in the wrong direction.
In the last few years, costs at the Forest Service have gone up but federal funding hasn’t. For instance, in 2022 and 2023, federal workers received cost of living adjustments to lift real wages to match inflation.
However, Congress did not pass bills to increase funding for salaries and expenses at the U.S. Forest Service to pay for those wage increases.
The Forest Service added employees as the agency works to implement projects that reduce the risk of forest fires, using funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, but that funding was short term and is not available moving forward.
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a spending bill that would cut funding for the Forest Service in 2025. This bill has not become law, but the Forest Service is making cuts to prepare for a possible reduction in resources.
The result of all of this is a depleted agency that is making drastic cuts to its operations and searching for ways to save money in all of its non-fire-fighting programs.
WHAT IS TKO DOING?
Since the cuts were announced, TKO has advocated for the Forest Service to adjust their plans. Teaming up with 27 organizations in lobbying the agency to exempt seasonal positions that are funded entirely from outside grants from the cuts. Eliminating grant funded positions will provide little cost savings and disproportionately hurt trails. TKO is coordinating with nonprofit partners and talking with Forest Service leaders, Oregon’s congressional delegation, and others to explore additional long-term solutions.
Public lands need robust funding. TKO will continue to work with partner organizations from across the country to advocate for trails and ensure that everyone can enjoy their benefits. In 2025, Congress has the opportunity to invest in our country’s trails by reauthorizing the Great American Outdoors Act’s Legacy Restoration Fund, which has directed more than $149 million to help reduce the maintenance backlog on national forest trails over the last 4 years. We will work to get that legislation passed. At the same time, we expect the new Congress and incoming presidential administration to consider cuts to government programs including further shrinking budgets at the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. TKO will remain a stalwart voice speaking up for public lands.
HOW CAN HIKERS HELP?
Donate to TKO. Even if we can convince Congress to pass a budget and make drastic changes, it is apparent that already there are rippling effects that will delay winter storm clean up, wildfire restoration, and annual/deferred maintenance. Contributing financially to TKO will help us do more in this immediate time of need!
Can’t give financially? Make a phone call. Congress has not yet passed bills to fund the government in 2025. There is still time to avoid the further budget cuts and address the Forest Service funding crisis. Oregon’s congressional delegation needs to hear why national forest trails are important to you. Take action today.
In 2025, we need Congress to reject the Forest Service funding cuts proposed by the House of Representatives. This year and moving into the future, we need increased investment in the Forest Service to support staffing including seasonal employees.
The most important message for Congress is that hikers value our National Forests and Trails. Here is what that might look like in federal budget language:
Congress should address the current budget crisis and invest in the U.S. Forest Service workforce.
For fiscal year 2025, funding for the Forest Service is better in the Senate’s Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act than in the House version. Congress should use the Senate numbers.
The U.S. Forest Service has an account called Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness which helps it manage its lands. We want to see $70 million added to that account — and we want to see a commensurate increase to the National Forest System Salaries and Expenses to cover the staffing costs to support the work.
Calling members of Congress is a powerful way to make your voice heard. Staff who work for elected officials keep track of the calls they receive and consider their constituents’ views when they decide what challenges to prioritize. A single call can elevate an issue. All members of Congress benefit from hearing that hikers care about public lands and want the Forest Service and recreation to be well funded.
It will only take a few minutes of your time to share your support for USFS trails!
Hi, my name is [your name], and I’m a constituent calling to ask that Congress increase funding for the Forest Service in 2025. I’m asking to fund the Forest Service at the levels in the Senate’s Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, not the reduced funding recently proposed by the U.S. House of Representatives. Cutting funding for the Forest Service and its staff reduces access to the outdoors and our public lands and threatens to close our Forest Service trails and campgrounds. Getting outside benefits our economy, our health and it’s personally important to me because [your message]. Thank you for taking my call today.
Among the many communities, natural landscapes, and hiking trails that were set ablaze in the historic 2020 Labor Day Wildfires, the Beachie Creek fire swept across Shellburg Falls Recreation Area in the Santiam State Forest southeast of Salem. Once the smoke cleared, TKO was called upon to help!
Scouting by TKO interns in spring 2021 along the Shellburg Falls trail.First scouting trip into Shellburg Falls post-fire, new signage was the first thing to go up even before any of the hazard tree removal or trails restoration.Scouting by TKO interns in spring 2021 along the Shellburg Falls trail, shot from the section of stairs that have now been decommissioned post-fire.
Like its neighbor Silver Falls State Park (but much smaller), Shellburg Falls is known for the same —one 100 feet tall and the other 40 feet— and a modest network of trails that wound through deep forest and over footbridges. Thanks to untold hours of trail restoration (okay, yes we keep track of our volunteer hours) and sophisticated bridge construction by Trailkeepers of Oregon volunteers, the park is again welcoming visitors to this recovering fire-scarred landscape.
In the first year after the fire, the Oregon Department of Forestry began removing hazard trees, and TKO was approached by Northwest Youth Corps to assign TKO-managed interns to scout the conditions. A three-person team of interns reported the severity of damage across 24+ miles of trails in the Santiam State Forest that is divided into several large blocks of land and numerous smaller parcels. The TKO interns addressed immediate safety concerns so that volunteers could follow them up and do the painstaking trail restoration necessary to welcome the public back again.
Volunteers cleared the slurry of rock and rubble and they battled brushy trail corridors at the closed site, “but the vegetation would just immediately grow back because there were no hiking boots on the ground” to help keep the trails brush-free, said Nelson Kline, a Salem-area volunteer crew leader with TKO. Nelson watched with disappointment as the cycle repeated itself over a couple of years, the open canopy accelerated the carpet of vegetation and covered TKO’s progress. With critical resource protection and necessary water crossings needing new footbridges to be built, TKO brought new energy to the site’s restoration.
Crew Leader Nelson Kline and his 6 volunteers for a day in 2021 after the Beachie Creek fire.TKO Interns scouting the damaged Bridge in the spring of 2021.Having fun, pretending to move an old growth log from a trail corridor during a trail realignment of Vine Maple Loop in the heart of Shellburg Falls.Assistant Crew Leader and Board member Pablo Medina, taking a moment to walk a fresh trail realignment.
By fall 2023 the Oregon Department of Forestry recognized that without new footbridges, the park and its trail system couldn’t be reopened. ODF had bought two “bridge kits”: stacks of glulam stringers and other materials. But the two 30-foot span bridges and their approaches still needed to be designed and built.
A mighty team helped over 2 months to build two 30-foot bridges. Photo by volunteer.The bridge footings, or sills, are a very important part of install to get square. A team gathered to make sure we were good on the first bridge install at August Mtn. trail.Following Forest Service trail bridge designs, TKO volunteers helped prep materials and construct each part of the 30-foot bridges.August Mtn bridge sat right on top of an old road grade, making it fairly easy to get to and a good place to stretch our skills in bridge building.
Volunteer leader Tom Brauner assembles the skyline on a tripod to shuttle 30-foot bridge beams.
So TKO Executive Director Steve Kruger enlisted Tom Brauner, a newly minted volunteer TKO crew leader and retired mechanical engineer, to lead the bridge project. The initial challenge was simply finding the first bridge site: with so much brush—salmonberry brambles 8 feet tall—“we couldn’t even tell if there was a creek in there,” Tom said. He custom-welded a tripod to move materials around with a highline. At least the first bridge was accessible by vehicles. “We weren’t so lucky on the second one,” he said: it was deep in a ravine, so stringers and even gravel had to be lowered by cable. Despite those challenges, Tom said, “The second one went a lot faster because we already had a trained crew.” Both bridges began with construction of gabions—wire-enclosed containers of rock—for the approaches at either end. In addition to bridge work, TKO volunteers removed fallen trees, brushed trails, installed drainage features, built new trail and recontoured eroding tread at more than two dozen trail parties, led in part by Tom, Nelson, and Art Mills, another Salem-area TKO crew leader. They even took on the significant task of rebuilding the trailhead parking area.
On May 17, 2024, three and a half years after the fire, Shellburg Falls reopened to the public. By then TKO volunteers had put in 875 hours to make the site ready for recreation—not including hundreds more hours Tom, Nelson, and Art have volunteered (and continue to volunteer) on their own.
If you remember Shellburg Falls from before the fire, you’ll find some things changed. There is no longer a campground. Hikers are no longer allowed to walk behind Shellburg Falls. Access has also changed; the route to the trailhead now follows a longer, rougher road. See details on TKO’s OregonHikers.org Field Guide page.
Trails have amazing potential to bring people of all backgrounds and abilities into the outdoors, yet gaps in information prevent many from doing so. That’s where TKO Trail Ambassadors come in! These volunteers help to create a welcoming environment on Oregon’s trails by offering a friendly presence to answer questions, providing maps and other information, and recommending local businesses and attractions. Looking back on the 2024 season, it’s easy to see the positive impact their passion and dedication had on Oregon’s trails and trail users.
TKO Central Coast Stewardship Coordinator Noelle Windesheim, First central coast trail ambassador intro hike at Sweet Creek Falls, Siuslaw National Forest.
It’s no question that Oregon is fortunate to have countless spectacular natural spaces – and from the Pacific ocean to the Alvord Desert, it’s trails that get us there. These trails come with all sorts of quirks and challenges, and the responsibility to know the ins and outs of a recreation destination often falls to the trail user. But it’s a tall task to get to know every trail AND all the associated passes and permits, and not everyone has a friend or family member to show them the ropes. The Trail Ambassador program is working to close this gap and empower trail users to adventure safely and confidently by hosting trailhead stations and hiking Wilderness trails at some of the most popular and scenic recreation sites in the state. As more and more people have been venturing outside since 2020, the demand for Trail Ambassadors has grown immensely.
In our 2024 season alone, Trail Ambassadors helped 11,234 (and counting!) trail users enjoy their adventures while respecting our natural spaces – if you were to do that solo, you would need to talk with 31 people a day every single day for a YEAR. To achieve our goals of reaching more trail users and further protecting our natural areas in 2025, we need the support of our entire community!
Trailhead Ambassador Jennifer welcomes visitors at one of the Columbia River Gorges’ busiest trails – Latourell Falls.
Trailhead Ambassadors, the volunteers who host trailhead welcome tables, are often the only real-time resource for trail users, and are key to helping folks start their adventures off on the right foot (then left, then right, then left…) Often lovers of the area, they boost local economies by recommending small businesses for visitors to check out, and share fun facts about the native flora and fauna. One Trailhead Ambassador volunteer, Jennifer, recalls her start in the program: “Soon, I was proudly representing TKO at the trailheads at Wahclella and Latourell Falls; two of my favorites…from imparting information about the trail, to sharing my passion for the area, it is a day well spent. [One] person to whom I lent trekking poles thanked me profusely and handed me an envelope fashioned from a slip of paper which contained a cash donation to TKO. The thanks and appreciation I receive from hikers mirrors my admiration for the trailkeepers who are doing the trail work. As a Trail Ambassador, I found my way of giving back to the trails I love.”
Their counterparts, Wilderness Ambassadors, delve into the world of backcountry recreation. These adventurous folks head out on some of the most beloved Wilderness trails on Mount Hood, in the Columbia River Gorge, and in the Drift Creek Wilderness on the central coast. Throughout 2024, Wilderness Ambassadors volunteered 371 hours to engaging with trail users, improving trail conditions by removing trash and rehabbing inappropriate campsites and fire rings, and collecting trail data critical to informing future trail projects.
Ann and Wayne stand with fellow Wilderness Ambassador, Kevin, in front of Burnt Lake.
With these efforts, they help maintain the health and beauty of natural areas and support trail users while doing what they love – getting out on Oregon’s trails. Wilderness Ambassador duo Ann and Wayne D. were spurred to give back as Ambassadors after noticing growing amounts of trash in natural areas while hiking and camping: “We started picking [trash] up. Seeing trees, waterfalls, mountains, birds, insects, plants, and animals is exciting to us. While on the trails, we are guests in their home. Connecting and sharing with others the principles of Leave No Trace is important for protecting outdoor spaces. As Wilderness Ambassadors, we get to hike on some awesome trails, view some great scenery, meet like-minded people, and share with others the value of keeping natural areas as pristine as possible. We are proud to be part of the Trailkeepers of Oregon organization.”
Through protecting our precious natural spaces at the trails where the majority of people access them and promoting a more welcoming, respectful hiking experience, Trail Ambassadors are serving the interests of ALL of us who live, work, and play in Oregon. Knowing this, we have ambitious goals to continue to support Oregon’s trails and trail users in the 2025 season and beyond, and we need your help! You can support TKO’s Trail Ambassador program by contributing to our Legacy Builders community fundraising campaign between now and December 31st. Every penny donated and every effort to spread the word makes a difference. Thank you for being a Trailkeeper. Together we’re building a legacy of resilience, joy, and sustainability for Oregon’s trails!
I hope this letter finds you well, with some time recently spent outside, soaking in the beauty of Oregon’s scenic landscapes. As fall settles in, I find myself reflecting on the past year—both personally and in the context of our work at Trailkeepers of Oregon. For me, it has been a year of profound change and challenge.
Earlier this year, I lost my father to lung cancer, just three months after his diagnosis. As you can imagine, it was a shock and a difficult time for my family and me. Along with my mom and three older sisters, my 81-year old dad influenced so much of my life, instilling in me core values that have shaped the man I am today—values that guide me in my work with TKO.
Goodness, service to others, and quality craftsmanship are things that my dad always got excited about when it came to TKO. A Navy veteran and a fine woodworker in his retirement, he always appreciated how community members stepped up and, in particular, loved seeing photos from our more technical projects. One project in particular that I shared about came to completion during his illness: TKO’s efforts, over the last year, to help reopen Shellburg Falls.
TKO is still piecing together our capacity in the Willamette Valley region, and yours truly had to dust off my ranger boots to support. Amazing TKO crew leaders in the region had the expertise, but not all the time and energy to work through land manager approvals and recruit community members to join them. I don’t get to put on a hard hat and join a trail party as often as I like, but it was necessary for the bridge-building trail parties at Shellburg Falls, a beloved natural area near Salem that was impacted by the historic 2020 Labor Day fires. But as nature begins to heal, we step in to help rebuild. I’ll never forget watching a team of volunteers carefully rig a 30-foot glulam stringer across Shellburg Creek, restoring hikers’ connection to the waterfall, a natural and scenic site in the Santiam Canyon. The park reopened in May after a nearly four-year closure. The restorative power at work in these woods and compassionate volunteers were doing their part in me, as I came to grips with losing my dad.
While the speed of my dad’s departure was too quick, I was fortunate in having time to say goodbye. I was able to make a number of trips over the spring and almost daily video calls in his final days. The day before his passing, I gave him a call. My mom tried to wake him, and while it seemed he was too sleepy, he heard my voice, grabbed the phone, and said, “Hi honey, how are you?” nearly as clear as ever. I did most of the talking, rambling on about life, my 8-year-old son’s endeavors, and things happening at TKO. I remember specifically sharing about a successful proposal I had just made at the State Forests Trust of Oregon to work on a trail extension of the Wilson River Trail. “Good show!” my dad said, sounding like his old self. That familiar phrase was his way of letting me know that he was proud of me and that he wanted me to keep it up. Along with a goodbye and “I love you,” those were the last words I heard from my dad. He passed away the next morning.
He has always been proud of our accomplishments since I joined TKO as its first paid staff member in 2017. Now, just over seven years later, we continue to increase our statewide presence. The Krugers from Wisconsin are annual donors to TKO. They have seen the impact of wildfires on the landscapes we aim to protect. Yet, with resilience, thoughtful planning, and the commitment of people like them and you, we’re managing to build new trails, reopen lost and damaged trails, and keep people like you engaged in caring for their public lands while growing new skills and creating community.
As we move into 2025, we face new challenges and new opportunities. The Forest Service’s budget crisis has placed increasing pressure on organizations like ours to step in and fill critical gaps. We’re committed to doing our part, but this requires strategic planning and scalable growth.
In total, the volunteer hours donated to our efforts over the past year represent more than $800,000 of in-kind service—a testament to the dedication of our volunteers and the power of community support. Your contribution, no matter the size, directly supports these volunteers and the essential work they do to keep Oregon’s trails open and safe. As my dad, Jerry Ray Kruger, would say, “Good show!”
Whether through your time or financial support, you are a crucial part of our community, and we couldn’t do this work without you. Let’s keep on keeping Oregon’s trails. Thank you for your ongoing generosity and support. Together, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient Oregon.
Every spring, Trailkeepers of Oregon Trail Ambassadors head out onto some of Oregon’s most well-loved trails to welcome visitors and share important information about the trail, hiking safety, Leave No Trace, local flora and fauna, and more. We’ve added more locations to our repertoire for this season and we need your help to meet the growing demand on our trails!
The Trail Ambassador program is critical to TKO’s mission of advocating for Oregon’s trails and improving the Oregon hiking experience through outreach and education. Having a welcoming Ambassador on the trails able to answer questions and offer resources makes a big difference in an individual’s experience and supports the long-term health of the trail and environment.
TKO Trailhead Ambassador sets up at Tom McCall Preserve.
Your volunteer experience as a Trail Ambassador is as unique as you; with two Ambassador styles, trails across Oregon, and flexible shifts, you’re certain to find options that suit your personality and schedule! Folks looking for a more accessible, front-country experience, should check out our Trailhead Ambassador events, where volunteers greet and offer information to visitors just beginning their adventure via a table at the trailhead. Those interested in a more active, back-country experience, may be drawn to Wilderness Ambassador events instead. These volunteers hike onto Wilderness trails and engage with folks already on their journey while gathering trail and environmental data for our partners at the U.S. Forest Service.
TKO Wilderness Ambassadors set out on the Timberline Trail.
Trail Ambassadors will be hitting the trails beginning on April 20th, and we’d love for you to join us! Learn more about the Trail Ambassador program and get started on your journey by checking out our Trail Ambassador webpage here. If you have any questions or would like help creating your ideal volunteer experience, reach out to TKO Engagement Coordinator, Loren, at loren.payne@trailkeepersoforegon.org. We hope to see you on the trails soon!
The 2023 TKO Legacy Builders end-of-year campaign is coming to a close on December 31st. We are so proud that this campaign is fueled by a grassroots donor base that builds a kick start of support for a new year. Our approach continues to be that everyone in their own way is a Trailkeeper – giving time, giving passion, or giving dollars. Each of these contributions amount to more protection and enhancement of Oregon’s hiking trails.
Just as we value hours of service to hiking trails, financial contributions are critical and we appreciate them at the smallest dollar amount. We are not beholden to a small donor group contributing a vast amount. It’s you, the Oregon hiking community, who fuels our decisions around how communities are engaged in trail systems improvements and making outdoor spaces safe and welcoming to all.
More folks are noticing what we are building, including those who want to pool their dollars together. Trailkeepers of Oregon board members and other community groups have been working hard this month to create the Legacy Keepers Matching Fund. Their efforts brought together $25 thousand dollars to match each dollar raised this week. Can you help us by contributing this week? Each dollar you send our way will be matched by our Legacy Keepers and will help us meet our stretch goal of $100,000 raised over November and December. Builders and Keepers banding together, a call to action for TKO’s quality of programming and service to trails – taking the long view in what this organization seeks to provide across Oregon.
One of our original crew leaders teaches the Good-Cheap-Fast project management concept to aspiring volunteers entering our crew leader pipeline, and it’s an idea I’ve embraced. In most cases, you can only have two of the three, and we here at TKO excel in the Good and Cheap portions of that venn diagram. From thinking strategically about the years to come, or fielding a need for rapid service within the next week, this concept is part of nearly every conversation I have with land managers. No matter your industry, or even a home improvement project, I would challenge you to uphold quality and quick reaction time without putting enough dollars to the cause.
In 2023, we’ve dedicated ourselves to prioritizing quality, recognizing that achieving it comes at a cost and may not happen at lightning speed.Our ability to respond to the needs of the trail community is directly tied to the funding and resources available. We’re actively seeking donor support to advance several key areas in 2024:
Inclusion and equity – We’re investing in human resources to recruit top-tier staff and expanding our team to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout our organization. We’ve begun the challenging work of addressing our biases, establishing structures for internal growth, and making decisions that demonstrate our commitment to creating an inclusive Oregon hiking experience for staff, volunteers, and the communities we aim to serve.
Educational experiences – We are releasing new curriculum for Trailkeepers University one workshop at a time in the coming year. We are investing in professional services to help ensure the program can be accessible to all types of learners as well as making sure our instructors have the resources to support their extensive expertise. We see that enhanced training resources will serve our growing volunteer community and also help build workforce development in a number of fields across recreation management and volunteer coordination.
Mapping and accessibility – TKO is committed to investing in assessment tools and information enhancements. We’re undergoing training to expand our capacity to analyze trail system improvements, with a focus on accessibility information for visitors seeking outdoor experiences that align with their needs.
In 2023, TKO has embraced our pursuit of quality – a core value of our nonprofit organization. To those of you who have already given this year, thank you so much! Your support will propel us forward to doing even more for trails in 2024. Those of you who haven’t given yet, as you look ahead to your upcoming adventures in Oregon’s special places, please consider a gift to continue to support TKO and the trails that connect you there.
Thank you from myself and the rest of the TKO Crew for being a Trailkeeper!
Have you caught the “saw bug” yet? Join TKO on a logout and you just might! This draw to saw work, the itch to feel the saw interact with wood as you cut, captivates many a trail crew member after just one day pulling saw. Saw work is a critical aspect of trail stewardship, and it’s this feeling that TKO has worked to inspire in emerging sawyers across Oregon.
Volunteers listen to Saw Instructors at Allingham Trail Skills College.
Thanks in large part to a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, TKO has been able to take our saw training program on the road. For the second year in a row, TKO supported sawyers-in-training at the Pacific Crest Trail Association’s Allingham Trail Skills College. This year, the chainsaw certification class was led by TKO instructors with help from USFS agency staff and volunteers. 16 students and instructors attended ATSC, making for a very successful collaborative saw learning experience for everyone involved.
In a first time collaboration in spring of 2023, TKO facilitated six chainsaw training courses and four crosscut saw training courses in the Deschutes National Forest! These trainings empowered volunteers and agency staff alike to confidently steward trails throughout the National Forest, and continue building those skills so they may continue to train other stewards and strengthen their programming.
Two volunteers after cutting a downed log in the Deschutes National Forest.
Building on that momentum, the next stop for the TKO saw program was the Malhuer National Forest. TKO Saw Program Coordinator, Vito Perrone, was contacted by the U.S. Forest Service Region 6 Saw Program Manager to help train and evaluate USFS staff. With years of sawing and instruction experience under his belt, Vito helped instruct six firefighters and recreation staff alongside two USFS saw instructors. The group successfully completed multiple days of advanced felling and bucking technique trainings, resulting in six newly trained agency staff ready to better serve the land and trails in the Malhuer National Forest!
Every time a group of volunteers or agency staff are trained in saw use, Oregon gains another pair of capable hands to care for our trails and natural places. As we grow the TKO saw program and spread the knowledge and experience held within it, our goal is to inspire and empower the next generation of sawyers. Anyone from any background can have a hand in stewarding our public lands. Now come try your hand on a saw with TKO!
Volunteers rest during a day of saw training in the Malhuer National Forest.
You can support TKO in continuing to provide free and low cost saw training to diverse groups of sawyers by contributing to the Legacy Builders fundraising campaign! Even the smallest amount makes a difference, and those who volunteer or contribute $150+ throughout the week will be entered to win an Atom Hoody from Arc’teryx (a $300 value!)
Being a Crew Leader with TKO is rewarding work and comes with a fun and supportive community that can’t wait to welcome you!
So you’ve earned your green hat, and are getting “hooked” on trail stewardship. As you get to know your crew leaders, do you find yourself wondering whether leading a crew would be something you would enjoy? Read on for some information about leading crews, and what you need to do if you would like to become a TKO crew leader!
Being a crew leader is a rewarding volunteer experience, so if you are getting the crew leader bug, go for it! Firstly, you should plan to do five more trail parties as a green hat before beginning down the leadership path. Try to volunteer for a variety of project types – brushing, logouts, new trail construction, etc. If possible, try to volunteer with a variety of crew leaders, too, so you can get an idea of different leadership styles. This will give you a holistic view of what leading trail parties with TKO can look like and you’ll gain the technical skills to be prepared to lead at a variety of projects.
Next up is to complete three introductory training sessions that will help you understand the values and inner workings of TKO. The first is the online Trail Ambassador training, which is a set of short videos you can take on your own time. These videos go over the basics of public engagement and will provide you with a variety of skills you’ll be able to use in your leadership role.
After that, you will take the first of a series of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) workshops and a TKO Leadership Lab. These trainings hone in on how to use strong leadership skills to create and lead safe, inclusive events. Often, given that all your necessary paperwork has been signed, completion of this class earns you an orange hat as an assistant crew leader (ACL)!
Assistant Crew Leaders wear orange hats and support stewardship events by leading smaller groups of volunteers on special parts of the project as well as teaming up with the Crew Leader to make TKO events as welcoming as possible.
Once you are an ACL, you will have new responsibilities on your trail parties. You’ll take the lead on welcoming volunteers for the day, and your crew leader may ask you to work with a small group of volunteers on a project such as clearing a section of trail or improving drainage. This will give you a chance to practice your own leadership skills and establish your style.
ACL status will also give you access to some fun social and communication opportunities! Slack, a messaging app, allows you to communicate easily with other TKO crew leaders, volunteers, and the TKO staff. You’ll also be able to join us at our monthly Crew Brew meetings (complete with a free beer from TKO when held in person)! These resources will give you the chance to familiarize yourself with the resources available to you, stay up to date on the day-to-day projects within TKO and are great opportunities to connect with your fellow volunteers.
You should plan to participate in at least two trail parties as an Assistant Crew Leader before taking the leap to full crew leadership. During that time, you can indicate your interest in becoming a Yellow Hat to TKO staff. They will point you in the right direction for next steps. If you regularly work with one or more crew leaders, you can let them know of your interest and ask them to let you take on some of the leadership roles such as the safety talk, tool talk, etc.
Be able to guide new volunteers through the basics of tread, brushing and drainage is a core part of every Crew Leaders skills set.
Similar to the process for becoming an ACL, there is a series of trainings to complete before getting your yellow hat. These include the remaining two DEI workshops, labs for communications, Eventbrite, and incident reports, archaeology, First Aid/CPR certification, and Crew Leader School. This may sound daunting, but the trainings are designed to be digestible and time efficient and the timeline in which you take them is flexible. TKO staff are always available to help you access a training and answer any questions.
Your work as Crew Leader will be different from your role as a green hat volunteer or even as an ACL. You are responsible for your crew; you will do the safety briefing, explain the tools that will be used and the work that will be done, keep track of the time for breaks, lunch, end of work day, etc. Believe it or not, you won’t work directly on the project most days. You’re more likely to spend your time walking between work sites, guiding volunteers in proper technique, encouraging folks to rest and hydrate, and take the time to chat with your participants to get to know them better. Your role is to make sure that event participants stay safe, have a positive experience and are able to contribute to the project in a way that works for them.
The majority of trail parties that TKO hosts are led by volunteers. These are regular folks just like you who step up to be a champion for trails and to support the people who love maintaining them. It is rewarding work and comes with a fun and supportive community that can’t wait to welcome you! Find a TKO event near you and start your path to being a crew leader today.
Want to add trail volunteer to your many talents, but curious to know what you’re getting yourself into before you sign up? You’ve come to the right place! Read on for some helpful info on what to expect during your first trail party, as well as some tips from fellow first-time Trailkeepers.
1. Get Ready: Sign up, sign your waiver, and get packed
Tip: all Trail Party descriptions include details about hike distance, elevation gain, and difficulty of both the hike and the trail work, so you can pick something right for you.
Read your confirmation email carefully and look for a link to complete your waiver in advance; take note of the directions to the trailhead.
Pack the essentials in a daypack or easy-to-carry bag (you’ll need at least one hand free to carry a tool); don’t forget lunch and snacks, plenty of water, and work gloves if you have them.
Get dressed in hiking boots or shoes sturdy enough to protect your toes from sharp tools, work gloves (we have loaners if you need them), long-sleeved shirts and pants, and rain gear if it’s wet out.
First-time Trailkeeper Chelsea recommends dressing in layers,“You get pretty hot when working hard, but cool off quickly during downtime.”
2. Get Set: You’re at the trailhead, now what?
Look for a green sign with the TKO logo or a bunch of folks hanging around with hardhats and tools
Once you’re parked, find someone with a yellow or orange hard hat—these folks will be your leaders for the day and can get you set up with a loaner hard hat, gloves and eye protection if you need them
As other volunteers trickle in, mix and mingle until your Crew Leader calls everyone into a circle for some opening words. TKO volunteers are a friendly bunch, so introduce yourself!
Listen up for the safety talk where your Crew Leaders speak to how the number one goal for the day, safety, will help us achieve our other goals, fun and service; you’ll also learn more about the day’s project and the tools you’ll be using.
Advice from first-time Trailkeeper Betts:“Don’t worry if you feel like you have no idea what you’re doing, because there will be more explanation and time to ask questions.”
3. Get Dirty: It’s time for some Trailkeeping!
Grab a tool or two (which you learned to carry safely in the safety talk) and join the rest of the crew on the trail.
Follow your Crew Leader to the worksite where they’ll explain the work in more detail and provide demonstrations for anyone who’s new to the day’s tasks
Start working on the task you’ve been assigned; you will likely be paired up with a more experienced volunteer. If not, one of your Crew Leaders will be close by to check in on how you’re doing and answer questions
Tip: Tired of the task you started on or ready to use some different muscles? Ask for a new task or to try a new tool!
Wait patiently for 10 am. Why? It’s chocolate break time! First-time trailkeeper Steph says, “Emphasize the chocolate break!”
Need a break? Take a break! Chat up your Crew Leader or fellow volunteers, stretch, have a snack, drink some water, re-apply sunscreen—do what you need to take care of your body and your mind to have an enjoyable time.
Tip: most worksites don’t have bathrooms so plan to use the “facili-trees” and pack out any toilet paper if you use it.
There will be a full group break for lunch around noon.
After lunch, you will focus on wrapping up your project for the day before hiking back out to the cars for some light snacks and refreshing beverages.
4. Come on back to see us again!
As soon as you’re back in cell service, go directly to the Volunteer Calendar and sign up for your next Trail Party 😊
You can share feedback about your first Trail Party experience in the follow-up survey you’ll receive from your Crew Leader via email.
We hope this list has answered some of your questions and that you feel ready to sign-up. We want you to feel prepared so you’ll wrap up day one with the same sentiment as recent first-time Trailkeeper Emily shared, “I’d like to do more trail partying in the future!”.
What if even after all this, you decide that trail parties aren’t your jam? That’s totally ok! While we always find a place for everyone to help on a trail crew, if that’s not your style, then you can still help trails in one of these many ways:
