News from the Trail

To the south of the jutting Cascade Headland and nestled against the Salmon River, Camp Westwind makes up part of the 102,110 acre Cascade Head Biosphere Reserve. Originally dedicated in 1976 by the United Nations (UNESCO), such reserves serve to attain quality education for all, mobilize knowledge for sustainable development, and build an inclusive knowledge society. It is the only biosphere reserve in Oregon and includes the majestic basalt headland, the entire Salmon River watershed and estuary, and a marine reserve with three surrounding marine protected areas. In service to the conservation value of this important ecosystem, the Westwind property provides a unique and defining opportunity for watershed education. Summer brings more than 1,200 campers to Westwind to experience the outdoors–close to twenty percent attend free or at a reduced cost. The spring and fall bring 1,500 students from districts around the state for multi-day outdoor school programs. →

The rainy spring has led to a slower start to the outdoor season, but our Trail Ambassadors have been getting out and representing at trails through it all! Thank you to all our volunteers who helped make a difference on the coast, throughout the Columbia River Gorge, and on Mount Hood this month. We couldn’t do it without you!

In an effort to continually improve the TKO volunteer experience, we have added to and updated a few aspects of the Trail Ambassador program, and we are excited to share them with you!

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By Mark Wattier, TKO Crew Leader

The Wilson River Trail goes for 24 miles through the Coast Range, sometimes following its namesake river, and sometimes diverging into the mountains. There has been talk for years about an extension to the trail, but the Oregon Department of Forestry doesn’t have much of a budget for things like new trails. This is where TKO has been able to step in and help. →

Welcome back!

To all of our volunteers, whether this is your first season or you’ve been with us for years, welcome to the 2022 Trail Ambassador season! We are very fortunate to have such passionate and dedicated volunteers, and we are so excited to be back on the trails with you.

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By Cheryl Hill – TKO Trail Ambassador and author of Fire Lookouts of Oregon

You may know that you can volunteer with TKO to build and maintain trails, but did you know that you can also volunteer as a Trail Ambassador?

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Portland, Ore. – March 3, 2022 – This spring, Trailkeepers of Oregon, the US Forest Service, Oregon State Parks  and the Mt. Hood – Columbia River Gorge Regional Tourism Alliance are kicking off another season of the Trail Ambassador Program to equip visitors with the information they need for a safe, informed, and positive experience when hiking and visiting the region. The Trail Ambassador 2022 season will kick-off on Earth Day weekend, April 23rd, and Trailkeepers of Oregon is currently seeking volunteers.

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