USFS staff has come back with some great proposals about restructuring our Volunteer Agreement for trail maintenance work in the Pisgah Ranger District. They’re moving us to what’s known as a “Sponsored” agreement, meaning individuals will no longer be required to sign USFS paperwork or meet with the FS in order to volunteer. We are also going to increase the number of Crew Leaders and the days we can work!

PAS is responsible for creating a roster of folks who wish to volunteer for work days, and for the list of Crew Leaders. INDIVIDUALS MUST BE ON THIS LIST IN ORDER TO VOLUNTEER ON THE PISGAH RANGER DISTRICT TRAILS, and all work will be completed as part of scheduled work days, with Crew Leaders present. In other words, in order to cover all the safety issues, etc., you must be pre-identified as a potential volunteer - but really, that’s all there is to it.

The first draft of the new Volunteer Agreement will be discussed at Club and Trail Crew meetings on August 9th and 13th, and will be available for comment via the PAS web site soon. In the meantime, we invite everyone who is interested in volunteering through the end of 2012 and throughout 2013 to submit their name for the volunteer roster. By signing on, you are simply indicating a willingness and desire to work on PRD trails, and are not under any obligation to meet a certain number of hours or work days.

We will make additions and adjustments to the roster in the coming year, but our first list is due by the week of August 13. We’d like your name to be on it, so sign up now!

We will notify you when you can start to do trail work, because you can’t do trail work until the Volunteer agreement is signed. The official signing will take place on Monday, September 10, at REI-Asheville. All are invited to attend.

PS. We also have a couple of Crew Leader positions available as well. Please contact PAS to discuss what it takes to be a Crew Leader!