TKU Saw School: Chainsaw Training Course (3 Days) – Mt Hood

Saw Instructors: Vito P. – Nathan F. – Ed W. – Sam G.

Max Size of Crew: 8

Hike Distance: < 3 miles

Elevation Gain: (in ft) < 500 ft.

Hike Intensity: Low to Moderate

Work Intensity: Low to Moderate

Work Type: Sawyer Certification

First Day: 6-8 hrs of classroom and 1-2 hrs hands-on instruction

Second Day: 2 hrs review and 4-6 hrs field evaluation

Third Day: 6-8 hrs field evaluations and review of results

Land Manager: Mt Hood National Forest

District: Zigzag and Clackamas

This TKO Saw School training event is for volunteers, professionals, and agency staff who are looking to receive an initial chainsaw certification or recertification. TKO encourages students with little to no experience, to begin with an initial crosscut saw certification class before moving to the chainsaw. Special thanks to US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management for helping fund these events.

* **The ticket price for volunteers is optional. For those with the means to pay the volunteer ticket price, you’ll be paying forward other volunteers access to training sessions such as these. ***

Initial Chainsaw Bucking Certification (3 days): You must be at least 18 years old to attend. Every saw operator must be certified to ensure safe and quality work. This session is for those who do not have a USFS saw certification card or those who are pursuing advancement in their current certification. The course will cover key safety procedures and best practices for clearing trails effectively in challenging and potentially hazardous situations. Day one is a 7-8 hr classroom (PowerPoint and video instruction) with possible field instruction depending on the weather conditions. Day two is a 1-2 hr review followed by 4-6 hrs of field practice. Day three will be 6-8 hrs of field evaluations. Candidates typically receive an “A” level certification. Candidates who demonstrate extensive skill and leadership with considerable hands-on saw experience may receive “B” level certification. We will be utilizing the new USFS Saw Training curriculum “The Thinking Sawyer”.

**A current First Aid and CPR certification is required to attend the field portions of this event and for saw certifications to be valid.** TKO staff, volunteers, professionals, and USFS staff cannot use crosscut saws or chainsaws unless they hold a recognized and valid sawyer certification, First Aid, and CPR card. You can enter your current or expired First Aid/CPR certification by clicking on this link. First Aid/CPR Record.

Note: Please bring work gloves, safety glasses, hard hats, hearing protection, and chainsaw chaps. Some of these PPE items can be provided by TKO staff if needed.

TKO does have chainsaws that can be used by students if you do not own a saw.

Please contact vito.perrone@trailkeepersoforegon.org if you have any questions.

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

Directions: Directions will be provided to participants as we get closer to the scheduled event dates.

What to bring:

• Food for all three days of the event.
• Plenty of water for all three days of the event.
• Snacks
• Gloves, Safety Glasses, Hard Hat, Hearing Protection, Chainsaw Chaps, Saw Fuel, Bar Oil, etc.
• Hand Sanitizer

What to wear:

• Boots (Please wear something sturdy that will protect your toes from sharp tools. Boots must cover your ankles. No tennis shoes allowed.)
• Work gloves
• A long-sleeved shirt is a requirement
• Long pants are required
• Hearing protection is a requirement
• Chainsaw chaps are required
• Face Mask (optional for indoor class, optional for outdoors)
• Rain gear as appropriate for the weather

Questions?

Please contact Vito Perrone at vito.perrone@trailkeepersoforegon.org. Send me an email if you want to join our waitlist for this workshop.

Additional Information:

Check out the TK-U Saw School page for more info.

Free online crosscut course from the University of Montana.

Saws That Sing. A guide to using crosscut saw.

One moving part: The Forest Service Ax Manual

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

ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS: TKO seeks to make our events inclusive of people of all backgrounds and abilities. If you would like to discuss potential accommodations to allow for your participation in this event, please click here to complete a short Google survey. TKO staff will then contact you to discuss options. Please note: available accommodations will vary by event and typically need to be requested a minimum of two weeks in advance. If you have any questions, please contact TKO Stewardship Manager Lindsay McIntosh-Tolle at lindsay.mcintosh@trailkeepersoforegon.org.

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 or welcome in the outdoors due to issues like racism, bias, and hate. We commit to being part of the solution to this problem and to enact change. Conduct, speech, or expressions that target any individual or group 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, socioeconomic status.

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

While TKO no longer requires masking/vaccination for its events, we do support those who feel masking is necessary for their own safety. We ask participants to respect the health of folks who wear masks by distancing or wearing a mask while in close proximity.