Dear Editor,
In an article published in the Sept. 22 edition of the 51°µÍø I pointed out that organized volunteer groups can be part of the solution, I’d like to expand on this idea. Volunteer groups do not take away jobs. They simply assist Parks Canada. Here’s some background and explanation about why the partnership between the Jasper Trail Alliance (JTA) and Jasper National Park (JNP) has been successful.
It starts with The Friends of Jasper, which have worked with trail volunteers for decades. Huge trail projects such as Pyramid Island, Cavell Meadows, and most recently Whistlers Mountain and Parkers Ridge never would have happened if volunteers weren’t part of the solution.
The JTA is a trail group under the umbrella of The Friends, who organize, motivate us, and keep us on a healthy track. Volunteer work (approved in a work plan) in JNP includes trail maintenance such as, tread realignment to improve drainage, solve erosion problems, build reroutes to improve a trail’s flow, maintain wildland trails, cut deadfall off trails, open up the trail corridor (sightline clearing), assist JNP with signage, compile trail comments from users and visitors and help with park messages. The JTA is currently only allowed to work in the valley bottom.
Volunteer crew leaders, no matter where, are required to demonstrate a variety of skills and have various certifications such as basic first aid, chainsaw and brush saw certifications and have taken trail building workshops. They must also have proven leadership skills and enjoy playing in the dirt.
Front country trail volunteers include, park visitors, locals and school groups from around the province that contribute with many helping hands, have a keen interest in preserving our national parks and are appreciated. On the flip side, there are plenty of capable volunteers in the mountain national parks that are highly skilled, often grizzled outdoor characters who are motivated, fit, can work in physically demanding and inhospitable conditions and can be rallied by street side chatter. Often times these are people hanging around the bike or climbing shop, can pack, ride, build, climb, brush and grub and desperately want to work on neglected trails in our mountain parks.
Until Parks Canada earmarks more money for trails, and shows a willingness to change, there are two solutions which might compliment Parks Canada’s trail crews; contract out projects to skilled workers and allow organized volunteer groups to do work outside the valley bottom. Both solutions are realistic if Parks Canada truly wants to resurrect trails from the choking willows, the dreaded spruce, snaggles of deadfall and rotten structures.
Loni Klettl
Jasper Trail Alliance
