NEWS RELEASE: Idaho Conservation League seeks volunteers for 10th anniversary Wilderness Stewards Program
For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 2, 2026
Contact:
Lexi Black-Spalding, Community Engagement Associate, 206.345.6933 x 302
Idaho Conservation League seeks volunteers for 10th anniversary Wilderness Stewards Program
The volunteer program offers public lands enthusiasts an opportunity to give back to public lands and recreate with purpose in iconic areas of Central Idaho.
CENTRAL IDAHO – The Idaho Conservation League (ICL) is now accepting applications for the tenth anniversary season of its Wilderness Stewards Program, inviting volunteers to play a hands-on role in protecting some of Idaho’s most iconic wild places.
Since its founding in 2016, volunteers in the program have expanded the reach of the U.S. Forest Service by serving as the “boots on the ground” in remote Wilderness areas—acting as extra sets of hands, eyes, and ears for rangers otherwise spread thin.
Based in Central Idaho, Wilderness Stewards engage directly with fellow trail users, sharing knowledge about Wilderness regulations and Leave No Trace Ethics across the Hemingway-Boulders, Cecil D. Andus-White Clouds, Sawtooth, Jim McClure-Jerry Peak, and Craters of the Moon Wilderness areas, as well as recommended Wilderness within the Salmon-Challis National Forest. Volunteers also help care for these landscapes by packing out trash, re-naturalizing campsites, and collecting valuable field data for the U.S. Forest Service.
The Wilderness Steward Program began in 2016 in response to the designation of the Hemingway-Boulders, Cecil D. Andrus-White Clouds, and Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness Areas in 2015. In its first year, just 20 volunteers conducted 111 patrols—removing nearly 60 illegal fire rings, addressing 12 human waste issues, packing out 30 pounds of litter, and interacting with over 1,400 other trail users.
A decade later, the program has grown into a powerful force for conservation. In 2025, total volunteers surged to 95 participants. Over the last nine years, stewards have contributed more than 13,500 hours of service, engaged with nearly 20,000 trail users, addressed 170 human waste issues, naturalized over 700 illegal fire rings, and packed out nearly 200 pounds of trash.
“This program unites Idahoans in service of the places they love, creating visible, meaningful change on the trails throughout the summer,” said Lexi Black-Spalding, community engagement associate for ICL. “But it goes beyond stewardship—it builds a community of people who care deeply about Idaho’s wild places. Every year, new volunteers join because they’ve seen stewards out in the field and felt inspired to get involved. Small actions can create powerful ripple effects.”
To become a Wilderness Steward, please fill out this application form by May 1st, 2026. If you have any questions about the program, email stewards@idahoconservation.org. The 2026 cohort of volunteers in the 2026 cohort will join a powerful legacy of public service and help shape the next chapter of stewardship in some of Idaho’s most beloved, wild landscapes.
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ICL’s mission is to create a conservation community and pragmatic, enduring solutions that protect and restore the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the land and wildlife you love.
