Land Stewardship Report for 2010-2011

The following Land Stewardship volunteer events were planned every third Saturday of the month from September 2010 to May 2011.

Restoration work consists of closing and camouflaging unpaved roads. Dead vegetation is used as vertical and horizontal mulch material, and light soil de-compaction work is done on very hard surfaces to encourage the natural re-vegetation process. 

Monitoring work consists of walking the perimeter of the property and documenting any changes by comparing the conditions with the baseline documentation. The Land Stewards who went through the training in September of 2010 were assigned a parcel by the Land Stewardship Coordinator and travelled into the national park with other trained volunteer(s), or friends and family. The monitoring Land Stewards are asked to photo document the current conditions of assigned parcel as well.

September 18, 2010: Land Stewardship Volunteer Monitoring Ranger Training
Total of 20 volunteers participated in a training course which consisted of map reading skills, GPS navigation, field safety, and monitoring protocols.
(140 volunteer hours)

October 16, 2010: Nolina Peak Mapping Event
Total of 9 trained volunteers participated in the mapping of illegal Off Highway Vehicle routes in the Nolina Peak area within Joshua Tree National Park (JTNP).
(54 volunteer hours)

November 13, 2010: Nolina Peak Restoration Event
Total of 20 volunteers participated in the restoration, fencing, and signing of 4 sites along the north and east boundaries of Nolina Peak within JTNP. This event was coordinated in partnership with JTNP; 7 National Park Service (NPS) staff were present during this event.
(140 volunteer hours / 639 acres restored)

December 11, 2010: Quail Mountain Restoration and Sign Installation Event
Total of 17 volunteers participated in the restoration of 4 roads and installation of 3 signs in the Quail Mountain Project Area.
(119 volunteer hours / 320 acres restored)

January 29, 2011: Nolina Peak Restoration Event
Total of 14 volunteers participated in the re-restoration of 2 newly created detour roads along the north and east boundaries of Nolina Peak within JTNP. This event was coordinated in partnership with JTNP; 3 NPS staff were present during this event.
(70 volunteer hours)

February 26 & 27, 2011: Lanfair Restoration Event
Event cancelled due to bad weather.

March 19, 2011: Quail Mountain Monitoring Event
Total of 4 volunteers participated in the monitoring of the Quail Mountain Project Area.
(20 volunteer hours)

April 16, 2011: Quail Mountain Restoration and Education Event
Total of 41 volunteers participated in the restoration of 5 roads, which was followed by an education program on desert tortoise and desert plants. This event was coordinated in partnership with the National Park Conservation Association, California Wilderness Coalition, and Nature Valley.
(205 volunteer hours / 320 acres restored)

May 21 & 22, 2011: Lanfair Restoration Event
Total of 4 volunteers participated in the restoration of a road in Mojave National Preserve. The volunteers also participated in a Petroglyphs Interpretive Ranger Program.
(40 volunteer hours / 40 acres restored)

Land Stewardship Volunteer Monitoring Ranger Program Season 2010-2011:
Total of 53 volunteer hours were spent on monitoring 8 donated properties in Joshua Tree National Park.
(999 acres monitored)

TOTAL
Volunteer hours: 841 hours
Acres restored: 1,319 acres
Properties monitored: 8 parcels
Acres monitored: 999 acres