Last August, the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act passed, protecting over 275,000 acres of wilderness in three units. Now that the policy work is done, it’s time for ICL to dig in and get dirty! We are thrilled to announce our new wilderness stewardship program.

Last December, ICL sat down with representatives from the U.S. Forest Service and drafted up a plan for a wilderness stewardship program for the Sawtooth Wilderness as well as the newly designated Hemingway-Boulders, Jim McClure-Jerry Peak, and White Clouds wildernesses. With help from the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance and their $1,500 Boots on the Ground grant, we are getting this program off to a great start. We will have 10 volunteer stewards for the 2016 summer, stewards who  will serve as on-the-ground guardians of our wild places.

The Boots on the Ground grant will help get our volunteers out into these wild places where they can work on stewardship projects such as plant restoration, invasive plant removal, fire rehabilitation, debris removal and signage. As summer gets closer, we are looking forward to starting this program.

If you love these wild places, love being out in them, and have any interest in becoming a wilderness steward, call our Ketchum office at 208.726.7485.