Description
Start Date-End Date: 05/05/2022-05/08/2022
Land Manager Office: USFS - Rio Grande National Forest
Land Manager Contact: Chris Kuennen
Funding Partner:
Programmatic Partner: USFS - Rio Grande National Forest
Summary: Upgrade your outdoor stewardship skills at this exciting 3 day workshop! One virtual classroom day and 2 in- person field days. Please note, Friday May 6th will not be a training day, it can be used as a travel day to commute to the San Luis Valley for the field portion on May 7-8.
Description: Priority registration will be given to VOC volunteers or those interested in participating in VOC's chainsaw projects. The planned location for this training is on the Rio Grande National Forest in the San Luis Valley. More to come on the exact location of the cutting site.
Important:A current basic First Aid and CPR certification or higher is required to validate all saw certifications. You MUST have this certification PRIOR to taking this class. We have 2 free classes in the SLV this spring and 2 in Denver with a small fee. All are listed on the VOC training calendar for sign up but you can also contact katie@voc.org for more information.
Trainees must register for all 3 days of the training
Whether they're used for thinning fuel loads in forests, removing invasive species, clearing blow downs or much more, chainsaws are an indispensable tool in many different natural resource and trail management applications.
The focus of this 3-day workshop will be on saw safety; bucking, limbing, and felling principles and techniques; overview of the tools of the trade as well as tool care and maintenance; hazard analysis and situational awareness; and did we mention safety (lots on sawing safety!).
Using the Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) Curriculum, trainees will be recommended for certification up to a "B" Sawyer skill level for Felling and Bucking.Please note that certification level is at the discretion of the workshop evaluator based on demonstrated field proficiency and is not guaranteed.
For more Information, contact katie@voc.org
About Outdoor Stewardship Institute (OSI)
Originally created in collaboration with other organizations, OSI offers affordable, in-depth training courses for volunteers and employees from any organization to learn or improve their stewardship skills and prepare for a variety of leadership roles. Approximately 300 people each year receive OSI training in topics such as volunteer crew leadership; trail design, construction, and maintenance; ecological, habitat, and fire restoration; crosscut saw skills and more. OSI is a program of Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC), the state's oldest, largest, and leading outdoor stewardship nonprofit organization. For more information, visit www.voc.org/osi or call 303-715-1010.
Latitude/Longitude:
Additional Information: Important: A current basic First Aid and CPR certification or higher is required to validate all saw certifications. You MUST have this certification PRIOR to taking this class.
Required Equipment
Heavy-duty, cut-resistant or leather, waterproof or water-repellent, 8-inch-high laced boots with nonskid soles
Long sleeves
Pants (no fraying on the boot overlap)
First Aid Kit
Hearing protection for 85 decibels or higher (available to participants in limited quantities)
Leather gloves (available to participants in limited quantities)
6pt hard hat (available to participants in limited quantities)
Eye protection (available to participants in limited quantities)
You're welcome to bring a saw or chaps if you own them. However, VOC is planning to provide these to trainees as part of the training.
Camping Available: Yes
Physical Difficulty:
High Altitude Project:
Desired Number of Volunteers: 15
Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 44
Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 0
Total Volunteer Days: 43
Total Unique Volunteers: 15
Total Volunteer Hours: 416
Staff Hours: 45
Stipend Hours: 0
Project Summary: 8 Bs- mix of felling and bucking only.
5 As
Successes and Challenges: We had 17 registered under direction from the USFS fire crew who would be instructing, many of them got pulled to work fire right before the training which left us short on instructors. Ultimately, we were able to come up with 4 but I would limit the class to 10-12 in the future.
Winds in the SLV in the spring are not ideal for felling but we made it work.
Lessons Learned: Doing the classroom portion as a Zoom call was not ideal, didn't leave as much time for hands on maintenance during the field portion.
Special Notes:
Stewardship Education:
Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers:
Description of Accidents/Incidents: One near miss, cut chaps but no injury.
Description of Work Completed:
Details
| 18 and older |
