Interagency Regional Wilderness Stewardship Training

Gatlinburg, TN

November 14 - 17, 2011

Draft Agenda8/08/11

Day 1: Monday, Nov 14, 2011: (Facilitator, Karen Lindsey, Carhart)

Sessions highlighted in gray are pending.

Objectives

1. Learn the expectations, issues, and needs that may be held in common with other participants.

2. Discover the values and historical background behind the Wilderness Act.

3. Review the Wilderness Act of 1964.

4. Learn about accessibility issues and solutions in wilderness.

12:00 – 1:00 pmregistration – Arrive, sign in and get your notebook and nametag

1:00 – 1:30Welcome, Introductions, and the Week Ahead

Karen Lindsey, FWS Representative, Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center

1:30 – 2:15WelcomeAddress

Dale Ditmanson, GRSM NP Superintendent

2:15 – 3:15Wild by Law (video)

3:15 – 3:30Break

3:30 – 4:00Wilderness Act of 1964 (Pre-work Summary)

Karen Lindsey

4:00– 5:00Accessibility in Wilderness

Janet Zeller, National Accessibility Program Manager, USFS

5:00Adjourn

Day 2: Tuesday, Nov 15, 2011: (Mark Kinzer, NPS)

Objectives
  1. Learn the four basic duties in stewardship of wilderness areas that differentiate our management of these areas from other lands we manage.
  2. Describe trail and campsite design, management, and monitoring techniques.
  3. Review the Minimum Requirements Analysis pre-work and identify common mistakes in writing Minimum Requirements Analyses. Apply the Minimum Requirement Decision Guide to real life case studies.
  4. Discuss current issues particularly affecting your agency.

8:00 – 8:10 amHousekeeping

8:10 – 9:30Four Cornerstones for Wilderness Managers

Ken Straley, USFS Representative, Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center

9:30 – 9:45Break

9:45 – 11:15Visitor Use: Trail Design, Monitoring, and Management

Jeremy Wimpey, PhD., Applied Trails Research

11:15 – 11:45Minimum Requirements DecisionsProcess (Pre-work Summary)

Ken Straley

11:45 – 1:00 pmLunch

1:00 – 2:30Minimum Requirements Decisions: Case Studies and Discussion

Mark Fincher, Wilderness Specialist, Yosemite NP

2:30 – 2:45Break

2:45 – 3:45Visitor Use: Campsite Design, Monitoring, and Management

Jeremy Wimpey, PhD., Applied Trails Research

3:45 – 5:00Developing Partnerships: The "Dos and Don'ts" and Roles for Partners

Bill Hodge, Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards

5:00Adjourn

7:00 – 8:00Evening Session - Agency Breakouts(Optional session & time slot)

Steering committee

Day 3: Wednesday, Nov 16, 2011: (Melissa Cobern, NPS)

Objectives

1. Examine various issues related to possible impacts to wilderness which originate outside the wilderness boundary.

2. Explore the week’s sessions in real, on-the-ground situations.

3.Describe the views of other voices valuing wilderness.

8:00Field Trip Day

Discussion topics on trips may include:

Gatlinburg, TN RWST (FY11) Draft Agenda 8/08/11: Page 1 of 4

Politics – wilderness additions

Partners

Staff and Visitor Safety

Climbing issues

Visitor Use [Day and Overnight, Permit Systems, High Use Areas, Visitor Transportation Systems, User Conflicts (i.e. hiker/horse), Accessibility]

Invasive species

Leave No Trace

Human Waste

Trail Construction and Maintenance

Research in Wilderness: plot marking, instruments, installations

Management Actions – short term impacts/long term gains

Wildlife Management

Fire Management

Facilities

Signage

Teachable moments along the way

Gatlinburg, TN RWST (FY11) Draft Agenda 8/08/11: Page 1 of 4

5:00Adjourn

7:00 – 8:00Evening session - American Values, American Wilderness (video)(Optional)

Day 4: Thursday, Nov 17, 2011: (Ken Straley, Carhart)

Objectives

  1. Learn a process to evaluate scientific activity proposals in wilderness.
  2. Describe ways to increase the ecological resilience of your wilderness to climate change.
  3. Explore an internettool to obtain current climate change projections and science.
  4. Apply climate change response strategy to management issues (case study).
  5. Prepare for the job ahead.

8:00 – 8:30 amHousekeeping & Field Trip Discussion

8:30 – 10:00Evaluating Scientific Activity Proposals

Mark Fincher

10:00 – 10:15Break

10:15– 11:45Increasing Ecological Resilience to Climate Change Webinar Session

Connie Millar, USFS, Pacific Southwest Research Station

11:45 –1:00 pmLunch

1:00 – 2:30TACCIMO - Template for Assessing Climate Change Impacts and Management

Emrys Treasure, USFS, Southern Research Station

2:30 – 2:45Break

2:45 – 3:30Climate Change Case Study – Climate Change and Wilderness Management Adaptation – Cape Romain Wilderness

Raye Nilius, USFWS, Cape Romain NWR

3:30– 4:30Keynote Speaker

Brent Martin, The Wilderness Society

4:30Week in Review and Certificate Presentation

Karen Lindsey, Ken Straley and Steering Committee

Gatlinburg, TN RWST (FY11) Draft Agenda 8/08/11: Page 1 of 4