Memorial Day is barely in the rearview mirror, and Friends of the Inyo’s merry band of Trail Ambassadors have already made a big impact on the Forest Service public lands of the Eastern Sierra.
Partnering with Forest Service staff across two Forests (the Inyo and Humboldt-Toiyabe), and five Ranger Districts (from south to north, the Mt Whitney, White Mountain, Mammoth, Mono Basin, and Bridgeport), the Trail Ambassadors partner with the agency to bolster the on the ground presence through trail maintenance, visitor education and general information, leading volunteer groups and events, and sharing interpretive hikes and content. Working alongside FS recreation staff (as seen in the above photo of TA lead Lindsay Butcher with White Mountain RD staff working on trails above Lake Sabrina) as well as on their own, the TAs ensure that our trails are in tip-top shape, that folks stay safe and recreate responsibly, and pick up trash and other refuse.
We are excited to have a Trail Ambassador devoted to each Ranger District, and I am bullish that this close-knit relationship between TAs and FS staff will lead to some amazing results on the ground.