South Coast Chainsaw Felling and Rigging Training

Crew Leaders: Vito P. – Josh D.

Max Size of Crew: 8

Hike Distance: < 2 miles

Hike Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Work Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Work Type: Chainsaw Felling, Bucking, and Rigging Instruction (Not a certification)

Land Manager: South Slough Estuary – South Coast

This will be taking place at the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve in Charleston, OR just outside of Coos Bay, OR.

Event Overview:

Certified TKO sawyers will be felling a couple of hazard trees within the South Slough and we are inviting you to be a part of that process. We will also have some opportunities to learn some basic rigging setups to move logs or to keep logs from moving when we don’t want them to. You must be certified to operate chainsaws or crosscut saws. You can still attend this event and sign up as a “Swamper” if you are not certified. “Swampers” are essential in helping to move branches, logs, and debris from the work area after the sawyer finishes cutting.

A current First Aid and CPR certification is required for a saw certification to be valid. TKO staff and volunteers cannot use crosscut saws or chainsaws unless they hold a recognized and valid sawyer certification, First Aid, and CPR card.

Hiking information:

We will meet at the SSNERR and have a discussion about the work we will doing and a TKO safety talk. We will then walk the trail a short distance with rigging gear and tools to where the hazard trees are located.

What to expect:

**You will be asked to electronically sign the e-waiver for this event, provide proof of vaccination or recent negative COVID-19 test result, and perform a self-assessment health screening within the 24 hours preceding the event.** The crew leader for this event will verify that you have completed these requirements at the trailhead safety talk before the trail party begins. The registration confirmation and pre-event emails will contain further details and links.

You should expect to participate in this work party for its entirety. For safety reasons, please do not arrive late or expect to be able to leave early.

Potential cancellation: We will not work in the field if the weather is not safe for our team.

What to bring:

• Lunch
• Plenty of water
• Snacks
• Gloves, safety glasses, hard hat
• Chainsaw chaps(Only if operating a chainsaw)
• Hearing Protection

What to wear:

• Boots (Please wear something sturdy that will protect your toes from sharp tools. Tennis shoes are not recommended and may not be allowed.)
• Work gloves
• Long sleeved shirts and pants.
• Rain gear, insulating layers, sun protection, etc. as appropriate for the weather
• PPE

Directions:

South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve in Charleston, OR just outside of Coos Bay, OR.

Questions?

Please contact Vito Perrone at vito.perrone@trailkeepersoforegon.org.

COVID-19 Procedures **Please follow all civil authority restrictions for your community. **

In accordance with civil authority restrictions and land manager requirements for safety considerations, the following policies are currently in place:

• All volunteers will watch in the TKO COVID-19 Safety Lab, a broad safety orientation of TKO Safety Policy & Procedures for a COVID-19 Environment. Link will be provided in your registration confirmation.

• All volunteers must administer a health self-evaluation prior to attending in-person volunteer events (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html).

• All volunteers will read and sign the TKO Volunteer Waiver updated for COVID-19 for release and indemnity of TKO and the land manager partner. Link will be provided in your registration confirmation.

• Volunteers must bring their own gloves, cloth masks, hand sanitizer, and hardhat.

• Tools will be sanitized prior to the event, and will not be shared throughout the day.

• No carpools will be arranged by TKO for the time being.

For a complete list of Covid specific safety measures, see our safety manual, available here.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: TKO recognizes that the trails we work on travel through the traditional lands of many Indigenous tribes. In every corner of what we now call Oregon, these people were forced to cede their land, their home, to the US government at various times from 1853 – 1871. We are privileged to be here today & express gratitude to the descendants of these tribes for being the original stewards of this land.

EQUITY & INCLUSION: TKO seeks to make Oregon’s trails a place where people can go to connect with nature & one another. Not everyone feels safe & welcome in the outdoors due to racism, bias & hate. We commit to being part of the solution to change that. Conduct, speech, or expressions that target individuals or groups will not be tolerated by TKO, regardless of whether they are based on age, citizenship, disability, ethnicity, gender identity/expression, geographic origin, language, marital status, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status.

PERSONAL SAFETY: Your physical & emotional safety is our number one priority. If a person’s actions or comments make you feel uncomfortable/unsafe – interrupt directly, tell a crew leader &/or complete the post-event survey.