Volunteer Vacation - Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge, Kansas Trail Maintenance

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Recruiting Organization: American Hiking Society

Join American Hiking Society for a week of building & maintaining trails in exciting locations across the country. Volunteer Vacations foster public land stewardship and provide volunteers the opportunity to give back to the trails they love, meet new people, and have a great time doing it! Crews consist of 6-15 volunteers accompanied by a crew leader. Volunteer Vacations involve backpacking or day hiking and accommodations vary from primitive campsites to bunkhouses or cabins. Tools and supervision are provided by the host agency or organization. Experience nature up close. Travel to new destinations. Meet other outdoor enthusiasts. Take a vacation that nourishes your body & your spirit. Get Out. Give Back.

Project Specifics: Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge is one in a system of over 550 refuges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and dedicated to the preservation and conservation of wildlife. The Refuge is named after the Marais des Cygnes River which runs through the middle of the refuge and is the dominant natural feature of the region. The name, Marais des Cygnes, comes from the French language and means Marsh of the Swans. It is presumed that trumpeter swans, which were historically common in the Midwest, used the wetlands adjacent to the Marais des Cygnes River during spring and fall migration.

The Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge contains 5 trails that are available for public use. The Mosaic Trail resides within the south-eastern portion of the refuge and was originally designed as a loop trail (1.2 miles). Previous management efforts had been made to re-design it; however, this effort was not completed, and the trail has been neglected for several years. In the scope of this project, the crew will work on rehabilitating the trail and re-constructing trail pathway boundaries and bridges. This work may include, but is not limited to; limbing, string trimming, leveling, hauling and distribution of gravel, and hammering/drilling. Nearby resides a fishing access area that has suffered extreme erosion and damage. In this access area, there is a metal staircase that has fallen onto the shoreline and the access route has now become hazardous for visitors and staff. In the scope of this project, the crew will work to remove these hazardous structures and will reconstruct the trail and a new staircase to allow access to the Marais des Cygnes River for recreational shoreline fishing.

AHS acknowledges with gratitude that this project takes place on the traditional lands of the ?????? ???? ???? ??^??^(Osage), Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo) and Kaskaskia peoples past and present. We honor the land itself, the Indigenous communities who have stewarded this land for generations, and those who continue to steward these lands today. AHS invites all volunteers to join us in our commitment to support and amplify the work of Indigenous communities as they work to dismantle the systems of oppression that these communities continue to face today.

Accommodations: The Volunteer Vacation crew will camp in the yard of our station's bunkhouse. Although it is not possible for the crew to utilize the bunkhouse overnight due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be a shower, toilets, microwaves, a stove, and an oven to utilize as social distancing allows. Volunteers need to supply their own tent and personal camping gear including sleeping bag, towels, and personal cup/bowl/mug/eating utensils. Please contact volunteer@americanhiking.org for assistance with gear needs.

Trip Cost: $350 per person

Volunteer Experience: While trips do not require prior trail maintenance experience, all of our projects require participants to be in good physical condition and will involve 30-40 hours of physical labor during the week.

Find More Information & Register Here: https://americanhiking.org/volunteer-vacation-trip/marais-des-cygnes-national-wildlife-refuge-volunteer-vacations-2022/

Stipend ProvidedFalse

Training ProvidedFalse

Housing AvailableFalse

Language/Cultral Support AvailableFalse

Wheelchair AccessibleFalse

Fee Required

Fee Amount: 350.00

This opportunity is recurringFalse