By Ned Lundquist www.yourverynextstep.com

“Naturam expelles furca, tamen usque recurret”

- Quintus Horatius Flaccus (Horace) (Epistulae, I, x, 24)

(You can drive nature out with a pitchfork, but she will soon find a way back.)

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu

“Your Very Next Step” newsletter, published by Ned Lundquist, is a cooperative community, and everyone is invited, no…encouraged, no…urged to participate. Share your adventures with the network today! Send to lundquist989@cs.com.

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You may note that our website (www.yourverynextstep.com) has received a make-over. Bear with Ned as he learns how to use it.

*** In this issue:

*** Ned s upcoming travel schedule: *** Can I touch your hair? *** The Polar Bear Question

Travel news

*** 17th annual Winter Trails Day is on January 7, 2012 *** Airline to let flyers choose who they sit next to *** Reindeer Wrangling *** It’s summer down under: *** Altitude Effects Sierra Nevada (Spain) *** Airports court fliers with rewards programs *** What Did Snakey Eat? *** Bikini Travel Insurance

Trail / Outdoor / Conservation volunteer opportunities:

1.) Vernon Greenways Volunteers, Vernon Parks and Recreation, Vernon, CT 2.) Volunteer Opportunities, Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, Morris County Park Commission, County of Morris, Morristown, NJ 3.) Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, Boulder, CO 4.) Information Center Host, Ranger District Office, U. S. Forestry Service, Boulder, Colorado 5.) Adopt-A-Trail Program, Friends of White Clay Creek State Park, Newark, DE 6.) Adopt a Trail, Parks and Recreation, City of Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana 7.) Adopt-a-Trail Program, Morris County Park Commission, County of Morris, Morristown, NJ 8.) Volunteers, Montana Wilderness Association, Helena, MT

*** National Rail-Trail of the month:

Trail of the Month: January 2012 Houston’s Columbia Tap Rail-Trail

*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:

1.) President and CEO, Friends of Acadia, Bar Harbor, Maine 2.) Volunteer in Conservation in Ecuador, Cosmic Volunteers, Puerto Lopez and other rural areas throughout Ecuador 3.) Newspaper Journalism Internships, Cosmic Volunteers, Quito, Ecuador 4.) Director of Development, Hole in the Wall, Jordan River Village Camp New York, NY 5.) Global Marketing Services Coordinator, Oregon Tourism Commission, Salem, OR 6.) Program Head of Sports & Games, Camp Beech Cliff, Mount Desert, ME 7.) Visual Information and Interpretation Assistant (Media), Zion National Park, National Park Service, Department of the Interior, Springdale, UT 8.) Executive Director, Oregon Recreation and Park Association (ORPA), ORPA office may be home-based or in a shared park and recreation agency located within a three(3) hour drive of Portland 9.) Maine Trail Crew Camp Coordinator, Maine Appalachian Trail Club, Garland, ME

…and much more…and it’s all FREE!!!

*** Do you have a travel adventure to share?

Send me your stories and I’ll post in the “Your Very Next Step” and on the YVNS website (http://www.yourverynextstep.com/).

*** Ned s upcoming travel schedule:

18-22 Jan 12 Pisa/La Spezia/Lerici, Italy 21-26 Jan 12 Paris, France 6-13 Feb 12 San Jose/Arenal/Tamarindo/San Jose, Costa Rica

*** The Lundquist’s Beach/Jungle/Mountain/Volcano adventure:

*** Ned talks with Lisa Cederberg, Travel Consultant with Costa Rican Luxury Vacations (http://www.vacationscostarica.com/, about the upcoming Lundquist family vacation:

Ned: How long does it take to get from the San Jose airport to Arenal?

Lisa: About 2-1/2 to 3 hours if you stop along the way to eat or take pictures, etc.

Ned: What will we see along the way? What are the roads like?

Lisa: You’ll see coffee fields, sprawling green mountains and valleys. You’ll drive through a few small towns along the way. The roads will be mountainous, mostly, with amazing views.

Ned: How many different hotels are there in the Arenal area? Numerous. I don’t know how many there are all together.

Ned: What about the dining and shopping opportunities in the Arenal area?

Lisa: La Fortuna (the little town of Arenal) has a number of good restaurants and bars, as well as banks, grocery stores, pharmacies, numerous gift shops and more. You can get local cuisine for about $5 a plate, or a more upscale meal if you like.

Ned: How about the drive to Tamarindo? How long is that, and what will we see?

Lisa: Driving time from Arenal to Tamarindo can take between 4-5 hours. You’ll enjoy beautiful scenery along the way. As you get closer to Guanacaste/Liberia, you will notice less rain forest and more dry forest. You’ll see small towns along the way, Any drive in Costa Rica is beautiful (except downtown San Jose!).

Lisa Cederberg Travel Consultant Costa Rican Luxury Vacations “Local Knowledge – Global Service” U.S. Toll Free 800-606-1860 x 1243 – I’m available with very flexible hours. Please call at your convenience! In Costa Rica: 506-2296-7715 * Email: lisacederberg@goduesouth.com (http://www.vacationscostarica.com/):

*** Arenal Advice:

When you go to the hot springs in Arenal make sure you go at night. It’s too hot during the day and the different pools are lit up.

Lisa A Kilday

*** Costa Rica comment:

If you have not seen it Arenal is awesome in the true sense of the word – also stayed at Tamarindo – absolutely beautiful and went snorkeling – amazing sights! Enjoy!

Karlyn Messinger

*** Can I touch your hair?

Ned asked Heather Murphy to share some travel adventures. Like Heather, Ned’s wife Laura is a redhead. In some parts of the world that can be pretty exotic. Hence the “Can I touch your hair.”

“Can I touch your hair?” And other really odd moments in travel

Every trip I’ve taken has resulted in “The Experience” — some odd, bizarre and bordering-on-barely-believable situation like ‘Carl-but-that’s-not-my-real-name-in-Chinese.’

The Carl Story took place in late June 2010.

I was headed to Norfolk, VA to celebrate my paternal grandmother’s 90th birthday. A year earlier, my mother’s father celebrated his 90th. To have grandparents at my age is remarkable. Taking time to celebrate these milestones in their lives was an easy decision, even if travel logistics from Phoenix proved challenging.

Back to the Carl story. The World Cup was underway and the field was wide open. Soccer is interesting but I’m not a major fan. The rivalries and cultural insights have always interested me more than the game itself.

On a long layover at Baltimore Washington International, I ordered a beer at a place that was airing World Cup soccer. The game provided opportunities for conversation. To my left was an American who had studied in Argentina. To the left of her was a man from Bosnia.

Carl, the aforementioned Chinese man, was also watching the match. He was immediately to my right. He introduced himself as “Nice to meet you. I’m Carl…but-that’s-not-my-real-name-in-Chinese.”

Having not fallen off a turnip truck recently, I pretty much figured that out.

Carl, I learned, was his rival in soccer…or so he said. When it came time to pick a name in English, he chose Carl. Or so he said. Oh, and he works for the Department of Defense. Or so he said.

During a commercial break, he complimented my red hair and then asked: “Can I touch your hair?”

Huh?

Uh. Ummmm.

Okay, YVNS or JOTW fans: What IS the proper way to handle that?

Given my profession, I’m rarely at a loss for words.

I finished my beer, paid my tab and hurried off to wait at my gate.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t handle it properly.

*** More from Heather:

In my last installment for YVNS, I shared some excerpts from my trip to Iceland. Ned encouraged me to continue.

The Polar Bear Question

In the first installment, I referenced how the Glacier Hike guides came equipped with the Emergency Stupid Tourist Kit for the woman who was ill-prepared for the day’s activities. Well, after she was loaned the appropriate footwear and rain gear, the trek began.

Age, experience and fitness levels of my fellow trekkers meant that the guides would take periodic rest breaks and make small talk. The Ill-Prepared-Woman (sounds much better than Stupid Tourist) asked “Do you have polar bears here in Iceland?”

Now I confess, a few people asked me that same question before I left. I had researched this. The biggest mammals on the land in Iceland are the horses. In the water, there are whales. But polar bears will not find the land habitable and, despite the country’s name, it’s really not cold enough.

Our guides were very polite and had names like Thor, Hilmar, Bjarnar and Galdur. Or something like that.

“Nay. We don’t have polar bears,” one of them said. “Unless they come by mistake on an ice floe.”

Ill-Prepared-Woman says: “Then what do you do? Capture and fly them back?”

Hilmar: “We shoot them.”

Awkward pause.

Ill-Prepared-Woman (in shock): “Why don’t you tranquilize them and transport them back?”

Hilmar: “Much too costly. And it was probably an outcast or one who wandered away.”

Now the Icelandic are, at their core, eminently practical people. They’re also hardy souls who live on a beautiful if unforgiving island of volcanoes and glaciers. I didn’t get the idea that killing a wayward polar bear was something locals would look forward to – but it was practical. Wayward polar bears would seek food and there are sheep, horses, children and adults to protect.

While Ill-Prepared-Tourist was still processing this, I made a wisecrack to the two American ladies who trekked alongside me.

“Bullet: 39 cents. Tranq, crate, handler, flight: $4,000. Cost-benefit analysis? Done.”

We all had a very good laugh over the comedic timing of my MasterCard-ad-rip-off quip.

In the spirit of full disclosure, one of my dream photography trips is to see polar bears in their natural habitat. I’m not suggesting the Icelandic are brutal in any way. They’re practical, charming and wonderfully welcoming. But a polar bear relocation team would be hard to come by at the exact moment that one wandered ashore, weak and hungry from days at sea. The best approach is to ensure habitable conditions on their native turf.

Questions, feedback or your ideas for future trips are welcome!

Heather

Questions or feedback for Heather can be addressed here in YVNS by sending an email to Ned at lundquist989@cs.com. Heather through

Next month: “These People will Eat ANYTHING.”

*** Here’s the YVNS Travel News for January:

*** 17th annual Winter Trails Day is on January 7, 2012

Winter Trails Day offers children and adults new to snow sports the chance to try snowshoeing and cross country skiing for free, and to discover the great fitness and social benefits with these easy-to-learn winter sports.

The 17th annual Winter Trails Day is on January 7, 2012 and involves almost 100 resorts and Nordic Centers nationwide, and gets 11,000 kids and adults on the snow each year.

Winter Trails programs and activities vary in size and scope, as each venue chooses a program that will introduce these sports to their communities. Select the state or area to see the locations that are participating. Each Winter Trails event is run by a local organization or business. If you have questions about the location nearest you or if you have a group you wish to bring, please contact the venue directly for details.

The sport offering at each location varies, so please check the specific venue listing for details. Most Winter Trails events are located at Nordic centers or on public lands operated by the U.S. Forest Service or the National Parks Service. Many locations offer education programs and trail tours. Equipment and trail fees are free.

For information about Winter Trails, please contact Reese Brown (rbrown@snowsports.org) 802-236-3021.

*** Don’t sit next to the creepy guy:

Airline to let flyers choose who they sit next to Dutch airline KLM is set to offer passengers the choice of not only where they sit, but who they sit next to, the Irish Independent reports. The carrier hopes to introduce the technology next year, although plans remain in their infancy.

To be known as “meet and seat,” the online service will give passengers access to the profiles of their fellow fliers’ Facebook and LinkedIn pages, from where they may choose – using guidelines such as looks, interests and career fields – which passengers they’d most like to sit next to.

The airline has thus-far refused to say if the new “matchmaking” service will involve a fee, but many airlines currently charge passengers to decide seat preferences – via widely available seat maps – in advance.

The Independent reports the new service could have many beneficial aspects, from the ability to avoid the “traveler from hell,” to finding business connections, to stumbling upon a love interest. Though this service would be a firm step outside the box, airlines are now heavily involved in social networking, with British Airways boasting more than 136,000 Twitter followers and regularly running competitions on Facebook.

A recent poll by a flight comparison website found that of 1,000 flyers surveyed, some 45 percent admitted flirting whilst airborne. One third of those polled said the chance meeting lead to further contact once the plane reached its destination, with eight percent claiming it led to a relationship, the Independent reports.

http://www.irishemigrant.com/ie/go.asp?p=story&storyID=10692

*** Reindeer Wrangling

Director Eva Weber Braves the Arctic to Capture the Majesty of Santa’s Sleigh Pullers http://www.nowness.com/day/2011/12/23/1784/reindeer-wrangling

*** It’s summer down under:

Kiwis and Visitors Urged to ‘Be AdventureSmart’ this Summer

Every year thousands of people enjoy New Zealand’s outdoors and for the vast majority it’s an enjoyable and safe experience. However, sometimes unfortunate incidents do occur and often they involve people who underestimate the planning, preparation and sometimes the skills required for the outdoors activity they are undertaking.

In a joint initiative, leading outdoor organisations and government agencies have created and expanded the AdventureSmart.org.nz website. The aim of AdventureSmart is to provide both residents and visitors to New Zealand with one online location for safety information and planning support, prior to engaging in land, snow, water, boating and air activities.

Duncan Ferner, from the NZ Search & Rescue Council, says: “AdventureSmart has good advice for everyone, regardless of ability or experience. “Access to this information means that those taking part in recreational activities on offer in New Zealand will be better prepared and make better decisions which will in turn hopefully reduce incidents.”

AdventureSmart is also the home of New Zealand’s Outdoor, Boating and Water Safety Codes. The message is make sure you ‘know before you go’ by reading and following the 4 or 5 simple and easy to remember rules.

The rules are especially useful for overseas visitors who may have little knowledge of New Zealand but equally applicable to Kiwis, especially those who may be trying a new activity or visiting a different part of the country.

Examples of the simple rules include: • Tell someone your plans and leave a time and date for when to raise the alarm if you haven’t returned. (Outdoor Safety Code). • Watch out for yourself and others – always watch children around water. Swim with others and in lifeguard zones. (Water Safety Code). • Skipper Responsibility – keep everyone safe – stay within the limits

of your vessel and your experience. (Boating Safety Code).

Other features of AdventureSmart include; more than a thousand links to safety information from appropriate organisations, detailed information including videos on avalanche awareness and the outdoor safety code, plus links to where people can upskill and learn more about their chosen activity, for instance Coastguard’s boating education programme. www.adventuresmart.org.nz

*** What to Wear for Snow Sports (from www.snowlink.com)

Wearing clothing designed specifically to keep you warm and dry in one’s comfort level when playing outdoors can make a big difference. Versatile, functional winter apparel is worth the investment. Here is basic information about dressing for winter:

Layering

The best way to dress for winter is to wear multiple layers of clothing. This system gives participants the flexibility to add or remove layers depending on the weather and activities. Most commonly, winter sports participants wear three layers: wicking, insulating and weather protection.

Wicking layer:

 This is the layer worn next to the skin, usually, thermal underwear.  Look for thermal underwear made of a synthetic — usually polyester — fiber that has “wicking” power. As participants perspire, the fibers will wick (move) moisture away from the skin and pass it through the fabric so it can evaporate. This keeps skiers warm, dry and comfortable. Silk is also a good, natural fabric that has wicking abilities.  Even though it’s cold, snow sports will make participants sweat — especially if they are cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. This is why the wicking layer is very important.

Insulating layer:

 This middle layer includes sweaters, sweatshirts, vests and pullovers. The purpose of this layer is to keep heat in and cold out, which is accomplished by trapping air between the fibers.  Popular insulation materials include fleece, a synthetic material which maintains its insulating ability even when wet and spreads the moisture out so it dries quickly, and wool, which naturally wicks away moisture.

Protection Layer:

 The exterior layer serves as the guard against the elements of winter. It should repel moisture from snow, sleet or rain; block the wind, and let perspiration escape to the outside to evaporate. Specially engineered fabric is used in snow sports jackets and pants to accomplish this moisture blockage and transport. The common industry term for this fabric is “waterproof/breathable.” It is this fabric that makes snow sports jackets and pants so effective in keeping participants warm, dry and comfortable.  Most genuine winter shells, parkas and pants are made waterproof/breathable by using tightly woven fabrics teamed with a coating or laminate. This keeps moisture on the outside but allows perspiration to escape.  Look for functional hoods, cuffs, pockets and zippers — details that truly make garments comfortable in a snowstorm.  Some jackets and pants are shells (no insulation), some include built-in insulation, and others have zip-in insulation layers. Choose your protection layer based on temperatures and snow conditions in your area or where you like to vacation.  Although less baggy than in previous years, most snowboard clothing is still designed to fit looser than alpine skiwear, giving snowboarders freedom of movement. In addition, many snowboard pants are reinforced in the seat and knees for extra protection when kneeling or sitting on the snow.

Headwear

Up to 60 percent of the body’s heat can escape from an uncovered head. This is why wearing a hat, headband or helmet is essential when it’s cold. There are thousands of styles of hats and headbands, usually made from fleece or wool. Many wool hats have non-itch liners. Helmets are becoming very popular. Not only do they protect the head during falls, but they also provide warmth. A fleece neck gaiter (like a collar) or facemask is a must on very cold days.

Sunglasses and goggles

Snow, because it is a reflective surface, makes ultraviolet (UV) rays stronger. On sunny days, sunglasses are essential to protect the eyes. On flat-light days or when it’s snowing, goggles are vital. Special lens colors increase the contrast in order to properly discern terrain features.

Gloves and mittens

Look for gloves and mittens that use waterproof/breathable fabrics. Mittens, in general, are warmer than gloves, but offer less dexterity. Consider the type of activity when choosing between gloves and mittens. Snowboarding gloves and mittens often have a reinforced palm because of extra wear from adjusting bindings and balancing on the snow. Some snowboarding gloves and mittens also have built-in wrist guards, which are excellent for novice snowboarders. Gloves for cross-country skiing tend to be lighter-weight to allow for extra movement and a higher degree of perspiration.

Socks

One pair of lightweight or medium weight socks works best for skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing. Socks are made from a variety of materials, including polyester, silk and wool. Socks designed specifically for snow sports have wicking properties similar to thermal underwear, meaning your feet will stay drier and more comfortable.

http://www.snowlink.com/WinterTrailsHomePage/CrossCountry/WhattoWear.aspx

*** Altitude Effects Sierra Nevada (Spain)

Extracts here are taken from the handbook “TRAVEL AT HIGH ALTITUDE” published free by MEDEX. This handbook is highly recommended reading for anybody going above 2500 metres. Copies of the handbook can be downloaded free of charge at www.medex.org.uk

What is High Altitude?

“Altitude starts to have an effect around 1500-2000m. The body starts to behave slightly differently as it tries to make up for the change in oxygen levels. Go up too fast above 2500m and altitude illnesses are common. If you go slowly you should stay healthy.”

Acclimatisation

“When the body slowly adapts to lower oxygen levels the process in called acclimatisation. Different people acclimatise at different speeds, so no rule works for everyone, but there are good guidelines. Over 3000m go up slowly, sleeping no more than 300m higher at the end of each day. Going higher during the day is OK as long as you go down to sleep.”

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)

The common symptoms for AMS are: headache; nausea (feeling sick); vomiting (being sick); fatigue; poor appetite; dizziness; sleep disturbance.” A simple scorecard is shown below. Keep check on your score.

Before you go: Learn about the symptoms of AMS

At altitude: If you have a headache and a total of 3 or more for the others, do not go higher.

If you have a headache, and a total of 3 or more for the others, have got no better or worse – go down

Observed effects in the Sierra Nevada during the last 6 years We have, in reality, had very few instances where AMS has resulted in having to bring a client down to a lower level. When that has been the case, the client has recovered immediately on getting to lower ground and has had no further problems.

These mountains have much high ground over 3000m, but provided that the advice above is followed, ie go slow, then the altitude effects are lessened considerably. On countless occasions we have parked the car at 2500m (having driven up in 1hr from 650m!) and someone has gone off too quick. It is very tempting! Our guides take it very easy, a snails pace, especially for the first 30 minutes after leaving the car. We find that in that time our body adjusts better and we can then continue a little more rapidly. However, we live and train here in these mountains. Clients coming straight in from sea level will find it harder.

The suggestion for clients therefore is to follow behind your guides. Forget records and competitive instincts. Go their pace. They know the speed at which you should be going. They have the experience.

http://www.spanishhighs.co.uk/altitude-sickness-sierra-nevada.html

*** Airports court fliers with rewards programs By Nancy Trejos, USA TODAY http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/story/2011-12-26/Airports-court-fliers-wi th-rewards-programs/52233586/1

*** What Did Snakey Eat?

By National Wildlife Federation

Open iTunes to buy and download apps.

In this delightfully silly game, preschoolers develop thinking skills by matching 
the shape in Snakey’s belly to one of the three suggested objects. Did Snakey swallow an umbrella? A rhinoceros? Or even a school bus? The giggles never stop when preschoolers see the crazy things that Snakey has eaten. Choose the correct object 
and Snakey will spit it back out, then swallow something even funnier

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/what-did-snakey-eat/id483259852?ls=1&mt=8

*** Bikini Travel Insurance

Bikini Travel Insurance is designed to meet the needs of female travellers – but not forgetting partners & kids. It covers the things you’d expect like medical & repatriation, cancellation & curtailment. Added to that, the personal belongings cover is tailored to reflect the kind of things women travel with. http://www.bikinisure.com/home.aspx

(And here I thought it covered what might happen if your bikini didn’t cover what it’s supposed to.)

*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:

1.) Vernon Greenways Volunteers, Vernon Parks and Recreation, Vernon, CT

The Vernon Greenways Volunteers are individuals who assist the Vernon Parks and Recreation Department through the maintenance, enhancement and proper use of the 30+ miles of trails in Vernon, CT. Sponsors adopt a section of Vernon’s trail system or finance a trail project through an annual tax deductible donation to supply the funds to support our work.

We are individuals who have chosen to give back to the community and make their own experience more satisfying by participating in the maintenance, enhancement and proper use of the trail system.

Maintenance – We assist the Vernon Parks and Recreation staff on trail projects. We execute our own trail projects. We keep trails clear of trash and debris. An assigned Trail Manager takes ownership of a trail segment. We have periodic clean-up sessions. To see trail accomplishments, click here.

Enhancements – We provide free biodegradable dog litter bags at pet stations, a receptacle for deposit of the full bags and we service both at selected high dog traffic locations. We provide free tri-fold trail specific maps at selected locations. A “Pick Up after your Pets (PUP) Project” was executed in the spring of 2007 to educate pet owners as to why they should pick up after their pets on the trail. In May 2009 the Vernon Parks and Recreation Department introduced a No Smoking Policy in parks, trails and ball fields to reduce the cigarette butt litter per our request.

Proper Use – All volunteers must participate in sound trail practices: follow posted restrictions, comply with town ordinances, “carry out what you carry in”, periodically pick up trash while using the trail, etc.

How will I be expected to participate?

All volunteers must agree to follow the “Proper Use” policies shown above. Participation in maintenance projects is not mandatory as we realize time and physical restrictions may not allow all members to participate at this level; we value your head and heart as well as your hands. However, some of the greatest enjoyment in this program is through the interaction with fellow volunteers and seeing the results of your labor on a completed project. Send ideas and suggestions to our e-mail address. Attend meetings, usually twice a year, and the annual picnic.

What is a Trail Manager?

All members are Vernon Greenways Volunteers. You may also elect to be a Trail Manager who takes ownership of a trail segment (most segments are 0.8 to 1.9 miles) which has not already been assigned. A Trail Manager’s duties may include but are not limited to: removing sticks, rocks and other debris; pruning small limbs; cutting back encroaching vegetation to maintain a trail corridor; servicing any of the enhancements listed above; replace missing signage; reporting vandalism and maintenance needs that are beyond our capabilities to the Vernon Parks and Recreation Department. Heavy duty trash bags and a trash picker will be supplied if requested.

Why should I join?

It is a way for those who use the Vernon trail system to participate in their community while improving this resource and experiencing the fun of interacting with like minded people. You will be kept abreast of trail happenings and events through periodic e-mails. Vernon Greenways Volunteers T-Shirts and baseball caps are issued to members.

How can I learn more or become a member?

Contact us via our e-mail address at BellinghamDL@att.net with questions. If you would like to join include your name, address, phone number and e-mail address. Virtually all contact is via e-mail.

http://www.vernongreenways.org/

2.) Volunteer Opportunities, Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, Morris County Park Commission, County of Morris, Morristown, NJ

Enjoy being outdoors? Have a love for Mother Nature and the beauty of the Park Commission’s diverse gardens? Join our volunteer team.

Pyramid Mountain is a natural historic area that includes three mountains and two stream valleys. It has over 1,500 acres of beautiful terrain and 20 miles of nature trails in Montville, Boonton Township, and Kinnelon with scenic views and several prominent geological formations. The Visitors Center is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 10am to 4:30pm. http://www.morrisparks.net/volunteer.asp#gs

3.) Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, Boulder, CO http://www.wlrv.org/

4.) Information Center Host, Ranger District Office, U. S. Forestry Service, Boulder, Colorado http://www.1-800-volunteer.org/1800Vol/volunteerconnection/LoadOpportunityRe view.do?opportunityId=13362

5.) Adopt-A-Trail Program, Friends of White Clay Creek State Park, Newark, DE http://www.whiteclayfriends.org/adopt_a_trail.php

6.) Adopt a Trail, Parks and Recreation, City of Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana http://bloomington.in.gov/documents/viewDocument.php?document_id=529

7.) Adopt-a-Trail Program, Morris County Park Commission, County of Morris, Morristown, NJ

The Adopt-A-Trail Program is a great way to give back to our outstanding trails system. We have the largest trail system in New Jersey. Volunteers are needed to help with light maintenance and keeping us informed about trail needs. •An orientation session provides training in pruning skills, blazing, and more. •Our volunteers independently work their adopted trail. We ask for trail reports three times per year. •A 2 year commitment is required. •This is a great way to stay fit!

For more information, contact: Janet McMillan Trails Coordinator Phone (973) 326-7604 http://www.morrisparks.net/volunteer.asp

8.) Volunteers, Montana Wilderness Association, Helena, MT Montana Wilderness Association exists because of strong volunteer activism. Our members engage in a range of activities, from participating on the State Council to leading Wilderness Walks. We will help you focus your energy on an activity that best fits your talents and desires to contribute.

Volunteers who are interested in spreading a pro-wilderness message in their community can now participate in a program developed by the MWA State Council. The Council has produced a professional quality PowerPoint presentation, with script, about the positive values of wilderness. The show is suitable for a wide variety of audiences including service clubs, chambers of commerce, sportsmen’s groups, schools, churches etc. Training is available to coach volunteers through the presentation process, although the show is designed to be easy to use. Support materials include FAQs. Contact Doug Ferrell or call 827-4341.

http://www.wildmontana.org/takeaction/volunteer.php *** National Rail-Trail of the month:

Trail of the Month: January 2012 Houston’s Columbia Tap Rail-Trail If there wasn’t already a Motor City in America, Houston would surely vie for the title. Cars and trucks play such a central role in this sprawling metropolis that, until recently, cyclists and pedestrians here were viewed as strange or foolish—or both.

But a combination of enlightened leadership and government investment is starting to change that. As an article in the Houston Chronicle in 2010 noted, “This city ruled by the combustion engine is beginning, tentatively, to recognize that walking and biking are legitimate forms of transportation, and beginning to give them a little infrastructure of their own.”

Exhibit A in that attitude shift is a new, four-mile path, the Columbia Tap Rail-Trail. This trail not only serves as a safe transportation and recreation venue for residents of Houston’s Third Ward, but it provides a vital link to other trails and on-street bike lanes in the city—and a magnet for cycling advocates.

“It’s a really great thing,” says Veon McReynolds, head of the local nonprofit cycling group Tour de Hood, who lives just a few blocks from the trail. “Right here in the neighborhood, you see a lot of people using it for walking and cycling.”

The roots of the Columbia Tap go back more than 150 years, when Houston was a small but growing center of commerce in the newly minted Lone Star state. The underlying rail line—known back then as the Houston Tap and Brazoria Railway—opened in 1856 and served as an important route for moving crops and people into the heart of the city from plantations and ports to the south. It eventually became part of Union Pacific Railroad’s network before falling into disuse.

With federal and local funding, a four-mile section of the corridor from Dixie Drive to Dowling Street was later converted into a rail-trail and opened to the public in March 2009. Today, the 10-foot-wide concrete trail cuts a scenic line through Houston’s Third Ward, the historic heart of the city’s African-American community. Along the way, it passes through neighborhoods of small homes and apartment buildings, dotted with churches, schools and playgrounds.

Among the noteworthy sights along the Columbia Tap is Hermann Park, a 445-acre green space just two blocks from the southern trailhead. With its wide lawns, large ponds and meandering paths, this city park offers a peaceful respite from the bustle of the city. It also offers public parking, something currently in short supply along the rail-trail. The park and its surrounding neighborhood provide a wealth of educational diversions, including Rice University, the Houston Zoo, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Children’s Museum of Houston and the fascinating Buffalo Soldier National Museum and Heritage Center.

The multi-use Brays Bayou Trail (which follows one of several west-to-east flowing waterways that give Houston its nickname of the Bayou City) skirts the southern edge of Hermann Park and connects with the Columbia Tap. Less than a mile north of this trail access, the Columbia Tap slices through a 150-acre expanse of red-brick buildings, grassy fields and walkways criss-crossed by book-toting students. This is the campus of Texas Southern University (TSU), one of the country’s largest historically black colleges and home of a nationally ranked football team, the Tigers.

Four blocks west of here is the home of McReynolds, a former TSU professor and administrator who is widely known as ‘Dr. V.’ McReynolds has a long history as both a competitive cyclist and community activist, and about eight years ago he began taking friends and family on informal rides through neighborhoods in the downtown area, and nicknamed the rides “Tour de Hood.’

The rides grew in popularity and turned into weekly events, and McReynolds began supplying bicycles and helmets to youngsters who couldn’t afford their own equipment. The new rail-trail has provided another venue for his outings, especially those with young riders. “That’s one of the things the trails provide is a safe haven for a lot of the little kids to ride up and down.”

Equally important, the rail-trail is encouraging people in the neighborhood to get out of their cars and be more active, which improves their health, McReynolds says. “Obesity is a preventable disease and it comes from us being overly dependent on our cars and our technology.”

McReynolds’ is not the only group along the Columbia Tap looking to improve the lives of underprivileged residents. A few blocks north of the TSU campus and adjacent to the trail is the Third Ward Bike Shop, a project of Workshop Houston. This nonprofit provides area children with job-skills training, resources and academic tutoring.

At the bike shop, local students learn how to build and repair bicycles—and, by working there, can earn credits to obtain their own bikes. The bike shop moved to this location a few years ago because the group’s founders wanted to be next to the new rail-trail. Now, it’s not unusual to see youngsters testing bikes or riding to the workshop on the Columbia Tap.

North from the Third Ward Bike Shop, the trail runs through a hardscrabble section of the neighborhood, under a busy highway and into a warehouse district. From here, it curves northwest and spills onto downtown streets near the George Brown convention center and Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball; the stadium actually incorporates part of the city’s historical Union Station.

Work is under way on a new soccer stadium only two blocks from the downtown trailhead—”the first time the city has built a sports arena where cycling is part of the planning,” says Dan Raine, Houston’s bikeway program coordinator. From the northern trailhead of the Columbia Tap, it’s just a short ride on city streets to two other rail-trails—the Harrisburg and Sunset, and the MKT/SP (Heights)—and one that’s still under construction, the Heritage Corridor.

These trails take riders to neighborhoods east and northwest of downtown. And together with the Columbia Tap and other multi-use paths, they form a ‘critical mass’ that is encouraging Houstonians to get out of their cars.

“People who once said, “I won’t bike to work, ever,” now are,” says Raine. “They are also out recreating on the trails, and there’s a lot of pedestrian activity. I get a great deal of satisfaction from seeing a variety of folks out there using these trails. The Houston bikeway program is really on a roll these days.” http://www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringFeatures/trailMonth/index.html

*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:

1.) President and CEO, Friends of Acadia, Bar Harbor, Maine http://www.execsearches.com/non-profit-jobs/jobDetail.asp?job_id=23258

2.) Volunteer in Conservation in Ecuador, Cosmic Volunteers, Puerto Lopez and other rural areas throughout Ecuador http://www.cosmicvolunteers.org/ecuador_parks.html

3.) Newspaper Journalism Internships, Cosmic Volunteers, Quito, Ecuador http://www.cosmicvolunteers.org/ecuador_media.html

4.) Director of Development, Hole in the Wall, Jordan River Village Camp New York, NY http://www.execsearches.com/non-profit-jobs/jobDetail.asp?job_id=23299

5.) Global Marketing Services Coordinator, Oregon Tourism Commission, Salem, OR http://www.prichardcommunications.com/macs-list/Oregon-Tourism-Commission/Gl obal-Marketing-Services-Coordinator/p5LmYZkdQ08W#top

6.) Program Head of Sports & Games, Camp Beech Cliff, Mount Desert, ME

Join us on stunning Mt Desert Island (Bar Harbor)! Bordering Acadia Nat’l Park, newly renovated day camp with 50 acres on Echo Lake. Head of Sports & Games plans creative activities to help every camper enjoy/participate; adheres to the health/safety laws of Maine/ACA.

Job Requirements

Min. req: 19 years old, year exp leading activities, enjoys working with kids of all backgrounds, passionate about outdoors & engaging campers ages 6 – 14, ability to plan wide range of activities. Pref’d Qual: BA Deg and 2 yrs exp leading sports & games. If no degree, equiv work exp. Salary DOE ($400 – $500 / wk) w/ poss. housing. www.campbeechcliff.org, contact sylvie@campbeechcliff.org.

http://www.varietymediacareers.com/c/job.cfm?site_id=7307&jb=9314042

7.) Visual Information and Interpretation Assistant (Media), Zion National Park, National Park Service, Department of the Interior, Springdale, UT

This position will assist the lead visual information specialist and other personnel with work that communicates information through visual and digital means. Work will include managing, developing, and/or expanding several media databases, multimedia products, and creating visual materials such as images, diagrams, and charts for use in publications, exhibits, multimedia products, and park website resources. The incumbent will assist in managing and maintaining park websites, intranet sites, social media sites, and other digital resources. The work requires knowledge of and ability to apply the principles of visual design; knowledge of the technical characteristics associated with various methods of visual display; skill and ability to use required software and equipment, and the skill and ability to present information in a way that will appropriately convey the message to, or have the desired effect on, the intended audience.

Full Time – Term NTE 13 months

With guidance from the lead visual information specialist, the incumbent will develop a variety of publications and other printed material. These resources may include site bulletins, newsletters, and articles for newspapers and periodicals. The incumbent performs other duties including writing and editing text for publications, exhibits, and park websites.

The position will serve as a front-line representative of the agency. The incumbent may work in visitor centers, museums, and other visitor contact stations. As a front-line representative, the incumbent is responsible for providing answers to recurring visitor questions concerning the specific park area, explaining the area’s recreational opportunities, distributing maps, brochures, and other printed material, providing directions and routes of travel through the park, informing visitors of potential safety hazards, and conducting informal interpretation when appropriate. The incumbent may also independently research, design, and present interpretive programs varying in formats about park resources that employ appropriate interpretive techniques geared to the characteristics and interests of particular audiences.

Duties may be performed on or off-site at locations designated by the park. The incumbent may operate a variety of audiovisual and other equipment used in connection with interpretive material, such as computers, projectors, and audio equipment.

The incumbent will perform various administrative duties, such as scheduling, coordinating tasks, gathering routine information for reports, compiling statistical data, and other related activities.

The incumbent must be knowledgeable about a variety of resource-oriented topics, emerging technologies, and related software, and will continue to keep this knowledge current by pursuing training and other professional development opportunities.

The incumbent will be responsible for completing other assigned tasks and projects that support division operations.

The incumbent must be able to operate a motor vehicle.

Physical Demands The work requires some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing or recurring lifting of moderately heavy items. This is typical of work involving personal production or installation of exhibits, illustration work “on location”, or on-site inspection or supervision of one or more phases of the production of a visual product. Much of the work may require sitting for long periods of time and performing repetitive motions.

Incumbent must be able to hike several miles over uneven terrain in extreme weather conditions (e.g., heat). Assignments include extended periods of standing at information desks, hiking outdoors in hot weather, speaking for long periods of times, climbing and descending stairs, lifting, bending, sitting and working at a computer work station. Incumbent is generally assigned daytime schedules but will also work some evening and late night shifts.

Work Environment Work may be performed indoors and outdoors. The work is typically performed in an adequately lighted, climate controlled office and requires no special safety precautions.

Work is occasionally performed in settings in which there is regular and recurring exposure to moderate discomforts and unpleasantness. Work may result in exposure to high or low temperatures, confined spaces, or adverse weather conditions.

Area Information Zion National Park is located in southwest Utah, where the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert provinces meet. Ranging in elevation from 3,666 ft. to 8,726 ft., the park’s 232 square miles encompass a startlingly diversity of plant and animal life. It is characterized by high plateaus, a maze of narrow, deep sandstone canyons, and striking rock towers and mesas. The climate is generally hot with daytime high temperatures averaging 100°F in the summer and 50°F in the winter. Nighttime lows range from 80°F in the summer to 20°F in the winter. Minimal shopping is available in Springdale, Utah located two miles from Park Headquarters. A full range of shopping, medical, dental, religious, and recreational facilities are available in Hurricane (25 miles), St. George (45 miles), and in Cedar City, Utah (63 miles). An elementary school (grades K-6) is available in Springdale (closest town to the park), with bus service provided. Junior high and high school facilities are available in Hurricane, with bus service provided. Dixie State College is located in St. George and Southern Utah University is located in Cedar City.

This is a Term position. Initial appointment is 13 months with possible extensions up to 4 years. This position is also seasonal in nature and does not provide employment on a year-round basis. You may work a minimum of 26 weeks but it is expected that the candidate will work at least 48 weeks a year. Actual work schedule and period of furlough is contingent upon funding and operational needs.

http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/305768400

8.) Executive Director, Oregon Recreation and Park Association (ORPA), ORPA office may be home-based or in a shared park and recreation agency located within a three(3) hour drive of Portland http://www.prichardcommunications.com/macs-list/Oregon-Recreation-and-Park-A ssociation/Executive-Director/ph1NNtdP9p63#top

9.) Maine Trail Crew Camp Coordinator, Maine Appalachian Trail Club, Garland, ME http://www.jobmonkeyjobs.com/career/40435/Maine-Trail-Crew-Camp-Coordinator- Maine-Garland

*** Send your job opportunities to share with the YVNS network to lundquist989@cs.com.

*** Your Very Next Step is a service of the Job of the Week Network LLC © 2012 The Job of the Week Network LLC Edward Lundquist, ABC – Editor and Publisher Your Very Next Step 7813 Richfield Road Springfield, VA 22153 Home office phone: (703) 455-7661 lundquist989@cs.com www.nedsjotw.com

By Ned Lundquist

www.yourverynextstep.com

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”

- Maria Robinson

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

- Lao Tzu

“Your Very Next Step” newsletter, published by Ned Lundquist, is a cooperative community, and everyone is invited, no…encouraged, no…urged to participate. Share your adventures with the network today! Send to lundquist989@cs.com.

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Contact Ned at lundquist989@cs.com.

*** In this issue:

*** Ned s upcoming travel schedule:

*** Glaciers in the Himalyas

*** Christmas goodies from Italy

*** The Lundquist’s Beach/Jungle/Mountain/Volcano adventure:

*** Ned talks with Lisa Cederberg, Travel Consultant with Costa Rican Luxury Vacations *** Can I touch your hair – Heather Murphy visits Iceland

Travel news

*** The moving walkway…is ending…

*** JetBlue, WestJet win airport slots at LaGuardia and Reagan National

***Top 10 Things Airlines Don't Tell You

*** 10 Survival Tips for Holiday Travel

*** Ten Ways to Do Theme Parks on a Budget

*** World's Best Cities for Bargain Shopping

Trail / Outdoor / Conservation volunteer opportunities:

1.) High Cascades Forest Volunteers, Willamette, Deschutes, Umpqua, Siuslaw and Ochoco National Forests,

2.) Third Saturday Work Parties, Forest Park Conservancy, Portland, OR

3.) VOLUNTEER Opportunities, Mayan Hope, Nebaj, Quiché, GUATEMALA

- Special Education Teacher’s Aides

- Eco-Tour Guides

- Agricultural Production and Marketing positions

- Maintenance Person

- Mayan Hope Restaurant and Hostel Workers

4.) Pemigewasset Wilderness, White Mountain National Forest, NH

6.) Billy Goat Trail Steward Volunteers, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

7.) Camp Host, Dungeness and Salt Creek County Parks, Clallam County Parks, Fair and Facilities Department, Port Angeles, WA

8.) Adopt-a-Trail, Santa Clara County Parks, San Jose, CA

9.) Volunteer Roles, New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

10.) Adopt-A-Trail Volunteers, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

11.) Continental Divide Trail, Gila National Forest, NM

*** National Rail-Trail of the month:

Trail of the Month: December 2011

New Orleans Levee-Top Trail

*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:

1.) SCUBA Instructor, Seacamp Association, Inc., Key West, Florida

2.) Outdoor Adventure Instructors, Absolute Adventure, Dibba, Musandam, Oman

3.) EVENT AND MEMBERSHIP MANAGER (Park/Recreation Specialist I), Park Authority, Fairfax County, Laurel Hill Golf Club, Lorton, Virginia

4.) California State Director, American Conservation Experience, Santa Cruz, CA

5.) Mountain Trail Outdoor School, Kanuga Conferences Inc., Hendersonville, NC

6.) Ice Rink Zamboni Driver, Vail Resorts, Keystone, CO

…and much more…and it’s all FREE!!!

*** Do you have a travel adventure to share?

Send me your stories and I’ll post in the “Your Very Next Step” and on the YVNS website (http://www.yourverynextstep.com/).

*** Ned s upcoming travel schedule:

8-10 Dec 11 Beltramie County/Bemidji/Northome, Minn.

21-27 Jan 12 Paris, France

6-13 Feb 12 San Jose/Arenal/Tamarindo/San Jose, Costa Rica

(The low tomorrow for Northome is 0 degrees F.)

*** From Bill Ryerson:

From Population Matters.

The climb to Everest base camp is a journey into a monochrome world, a landscape reduced to rock, ice and grey sky. The only spots of colour are the bright, domed tents of the few climbing teams willing to attempt the summit in the off-season. There are no birds, no trees, just the occasional chunks of glacier splashing into pools of pale green meltwater like ice cubes in some giant exotic drink. The stillness suggests nothing has changed for decades, but Tshering Tenzing Sherpa, who has been in charge of rubbish collection at base camp for the past few years, remains uneasy. “Everything is changing with the glaciers. All these crevasses have appeared in the ice. Before, base camp was flat, and it was easy to walk,” he said.

Climbers had reported that they barely needed crampons for the climb, there was so much bare rock, Tenzing said. That's not how it was in Edmund Hillary's day. Tenzing pointed towards the Khumbu ice fall – the start of the climb, and part of a 16km stretch of ice that forms the largest glacier in Nepal. “Before, when you looked out, it was totally blue ice, and now it is black rock on top,” he said. He's convinced the changes have occurred in months – not years, or even decades, but during the brief interval of the summer monsoon. “This year it's totally changed,” he said.

This much is known: climate change exists, it is man-made, and it is causing many glaciers to melt across the Himalayas. Beyond that, however, much is unclear or downright confusing. For that, scientists blame a blunder in a United Nations report that was presented as the final word on climate change. The 2007 report – which included the false claim that the Himalayan glaciers would disappear by 2035 – probably did more to set back science, and delay government action on climate change, than any other event. The scandal, known as Glaciergate or Himalayagate, was a gift to climate-change deniers when it came to light early last year, and a deep embarrassment to glaciologists. Now they are desperately trying to recover.

Mention melting and Himalayas to almost any glacier expert working in the region, and they will instantly plead for caution: please do not repeat the mistake of thinking all the ice will be gone in the next few decades. “It was just nonsense,” said Alton Byers, the scientific director of the Mountain Institute. “It's absolutely staggering when you look at some of those high mountains. They are frozen solid, at minus 15 or 20 degrees, and they are going to remain that way.”

At lower elevations, it's a different scenario, Byers acknowledged. Low-lying glaciers are melting, and far more rapidly in the past 10 or 15 years than in previous decades, scouring out new landscapes and creating a whole new realm of natural disasters for countries that are some of the poorest on Earth.

More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/25/climate-change-himalayas-glaciers-melting

More on climate change: http://populationmatters.org/issues/environment/climate-change-2/

*** Buon Natale!

Christmas for the Lundquist’s this year is all wrapped up in some airline tickets and hotel reservations to Central America. Read below. But we will not forgo our annual tradition of buying several panetone from Italy. We came to know these bready cakes when we lived in Sicily. Our favorites are the crème filled versions covered with dark chocolate, or the tiramisu, with coffee cream inside and dusted with a mocha covering. We actually bought four different ones this year, because we know we’ll have some relaxing holiday mornings together.

We buy them from.Gran Caffé Vuotto here in the U.S.

http://www.grancaffevuotto.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=139_142

We also have found they carry Condorelli torroncini. This is Sicilian nougat candy with pistachios and other goodies—called torrone– covered with chocolate or other delights.

http://www.grancaffevuotto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=86&products_id=554

I first tasted them during my first week living in Italy high up the mountain in the town of Belpasso. I used to go up there often when we lived in Contrada Cuba in Misterbianco, not far from the big city of Catania. The official company name is Industria Dolciaria Belpasso S.p.Ae. We would buy torroncini at the factory outlet store. It was years since I could find them until Café Vuotto came through for us.

http://www.condorelli.it/

*** The Lundquist’s Beach/Jungle/Mountain/Volcano adventure:

It's hard to put together a family vacation that everyone wants. My daughter Barbara wants an all-inclusive resort where she can lie on the beach and drink lava flows all day. I'd kind of like to see some ancient culture, like Mayan ruins, or some natural wonders and exotic wildlife. Laura wants a great room and good food. Tom was pretty amenable, as long as he didn’t have to get on a horse.

We've been to Europe, and there is desire to go back. But we can't agree on where. And you might not find beaches with lava flows during February.

We've been to Hawaii, and want to go back. Maui appeals to us, but there just aren't good vacancies in February.

Mexico has beaches, quality hotels and all-inclusive resorts. And ruins. But, well, Mexico has had some bad press with a certain criminal element there..

We have looked at Costa Rica before, and gave it a fresh look once agin. No ruins, but lots of culture, history, diversity, nature. You've got mountains, volcanoes, jungles, beaches. We looked at packages that offer both the mountains and rain forests as well as the beaches. Some all-include resorts are by the person per night, instead of by the room or suite. Your one daily fee covers just about every activity, even if you never avail yourself of it. Bottom line, we're talking a minimum of $1,000 per night for the resort (although some tours and activities that we would like would be included). With the four of us–technically all adults–we need two rooms or a suite, so maybe it was more to the point to find a place that charges by the room. Barbara says wants the beach option, but doesn't want to pack up and move to another hotel. We see one package with two hotels in very different locations, and I think we could see a lot of the country and what it has to offer in a week. She could get her beach. I could get my nature.

So we hit the “inquire” button on the “Costa Rican Luxury Vacations” website to see what good deal we can get, and what kind of availability when we want to go (in February).. Within a few hours–on a Sunday night–we get a call from Lisa Cedarburg with Costa Rican Luxury Vacations, who is excited to be working with us. We have a long chat about our ideal vacation, which is to say our four different ideal vacations, and want to see how much we can do to satisfy everyone and still have a relaxing time as our hotel hosts pamper us.

By the next day she has a sample itinerary for us, including two very nice hotels, as well as a selection of tours and activities that sounds really fun and interesting without running us ragged–remember, this is supposed to be relaxing. We will fly into San Jose, the capitol. We then are driven several hours into the mountains to our first hotel, located near Lake Arenal, which reflects the simmering plume of the Arenal volcano. We will have two rooms at the Arenal Manoa Hotel (http://www.arenalmanoa.com/index.html).

Here we'll have two rooms. We have some fun tours (see below), and great food. Then we relocate to Tamurindo on the Guanacaste region on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, for four nights at the (http://www.calaluna.com/). Yes they have a beach, and yes they serve lava flows. Here we have a villa to ourselves, with a Jacuzzi on the balcony. Again we have some fun activities, like snorkeling, but not so much as we would push ourselves to exhaustion. On the last day we fly on “Nature Air” in a small plane from Tamarindo to San Jose. The total cost is less than $6,000 for seven nights, with round trip air to and from San Jose as a separate cost. Lisa said that rooms were going fast so we would need to confirm. February is a busy time there, and these boutique hotels are not huge. I told Julie we would book the trip as long as we could get the air reservations.

I thought the package was a good deal, but was concerned the air fare (which we needed to book separately) would be high. Surprise! The air fare on Continental from Reagan National to San Jose via Houston was $393 per person plus taxes and other fees. The total cost to me for the four of us was $1,700 for an eight hour (each way) international journey. We booked the air, and then told Julie to book the package. Our flight from Tamarindo to San Jose on Nature Air (which claims to be the world’s first carbon neutral airline) (http://www.natureair.com/), is included in the package, and would normally cost $100 per person for the one way trip), got us into San Jose with a couple of hours to spare. But, as a United Premier Executive/Star Alliance Gold traveler, I'm entitled to use the Red Carpet Club or equivalent Star Alliance lounge on international travel, and this includes my family when travelling with me. Sweet!

To fly to New York and back from Reagan costs more than it does to fly to Costa Rica. Go figure. In fact, round-trip from Houston to SJO costs more than double what it costs to do the much longer trip from DCA on those very same flights. Go figure.

Then I called United to see if I could upgrade. I never have success doing this. Never. But guess what? I was able to upgrade my entire family on all for segments to first and international business class. I always felt that all those miles I’ve accumulated should be able to do something nice for my family, and here I hit the jackpot. It cost me 200,000 miles. And I'm okay with that (I've used miles for domestic flights which cost me 60,000 miles for a lousy round trip to Spokane, a flight which would have cost me $900). There's a co-pay, but as a Premier Executive the fee is waived.

Sold separately, the trip costs much more than the full itinerary. The Washington to Houston (round trip)by itself is $497. Houston to San Jose, Costa Rica (round trip) is $706. But when I booked, my flights were $336 plus taxes and fees, for a total of $429.65 per person.

Arenal Manoa Hotel (http://www.arenalmanoa.com/index.html)

Arenal Volcano Hike & The Springs Resort Hot Springs (Aventuras Arenal), (http://www.aventurasarenal.com/)

Canopy Ecoglide Tour (Aventuras Arenal), (http://www.aventurasarenal.com/)

Cala Luna Hotel Boutique & Villas (http://www.calaluna.com/)

Snorkel Tour (Pacific Coast Divers),

Tamarindo – San Jose (Nature Air),

*** Ned talks with Lisa Cederberg, Travel Consultant with Costa Rican Luxury Vacations (http://www.vacationscostarica.com/):

Ned: How is Costa Rica different from other vacation destinations in the region?

Lisa: I think the fact that there is no military is a big difference. It's a more diplomatic country than other Central American countries with less corruption than other neighboring countries.

The energy/vibe is very different. Costa Ricans are very peaceful, gentle people for the most part. They believe in working, but don't let work or their jobs run their lives. They take time for their families, friends, and to just sit around and do nothing. Because the people are rushing around everywhere all the time to get here and there, the energy of the entire country is just much calmer. You feel really relaxed and not pressured to do anything you don't really want to do.

Most of the country is middle class. There is not a huge abundance of poverty stricken inhabitants, nor over-the-top wealthy inhabitants. They do exist, but for the most part everyone is about equal.

Education is key–literacy rate is above 90%. People live longer than in other countries because of the non-processed foods, lots of walking, fresh air, and less stress than other countries.

Ned: How far does your money go in Costa Rica?

Lisa: It's all relative, just like anywhere else. Here, you can live a much simpler life, however, the average wage here is much lower (around $600-800 per month).

Your basic bills are much cheaper here. In Los Angeles, my total monthly expenses were outrageous–around $5,500. Here, my monthly bills (rent and utilities) are about $70 My electr0–and that's for a 2 bedroom 1,100 sq ft home with a piece of land. My household expenses are far lower in comparison. My electric bill each month is about $20. My water bill is basically nothing. My cell phone bill is $8, my cable bill is $25, my internet and home phone line together is $30. Car insurance $60 per month.

Gasoline, electronics (TVs, phones, appliances, etc) and cars are more expensive.

If you want to spend more money on things, you can go to the most expensive grocery stores where they sell all the import items. We also have Pricesmart (Costco) and Walmart. However, if you just shop at your local grocery stores, everything is pretty inexpensive.

Labor is much cheaper here–if you need a window fixed, a car repaired, a house painted, etc., it's a mere fraction of the cost in the States. Produce is very cheap. Rent is cheap compared to the States.

Ned: What’s the national food of Costa Rica? What’s your favorite dish?

Lisa: I guess it would be Gallo Pinto (rice and beans, but not just ANY rice and beans). They also have a traditional dish called a “casado” that's a little of everything on one big plate (rice, beans, salad, plantains, vegetables, and either chicken, fish, or other meat.

They also have a salsa that is used everywhere, Salsa Lizano. It's a vegetable-based salsa that can be used on just about everything.

Since I'm a vegetarian, I don't have as many options, but I guess my favorite dish is a vegetarian casado–instead of the meat portion, they'll substitute it with cheese or eggs for me (no, I'm not vegan–just vegetarian).

Ned: Do you put Salsa Lizano on everything, too? Like vegetarian casada?

Lisa: Yes, I put it on a lot of my food! Especially my vege casada. It's really good!! It's especially on gallo pinto with natilla (sour cream, pretty much). It's delicious!

Ned: What’s your favorite place to visit in Costa Rica?

Lisa: Honestly, everywhere. I've lived here for 3-1/2 years, and I find new and amazing places here all the time. Exploring just never gets old. I do love the Arenal area and Manuel Antonio areas. I also love Tortugero. There are so many small little gems that are off the beaten track that I couldn't even name them all (Rio Celeste, Savegre/San Gerardo de dota, Villa Blanca Cloud Forest, etc., etc.). I also love the secluded beach areas in Nicoya like Santa Teresa and Mal Pais. The beach towns of Tamarindo and Montezuma are always fun for a couple of nights.

Ned: Does that mean that after a couple of nights they wear thin?

Lisa: No, not at all. I'm just the kind of person who likes to move around a lot, so I never usually spend more than a few nights in any one place. However, many people love to spend a week or more just relaxing in one location without moving around. There's plenty to see and do in both Manuel Antonio and Tamarindo for more than a few days! That's part of why I moved here–so I can go back for a few days whenever I feel like it!

Ned: Do your dogs speak Spanish?

Lisa: Funny…. I have 2 dogs that I rescued from the street here that were in bad shape. I brought the other 4 with me from the States. When I first rescued the street dogs from here, they wouldn't listen when I'd tell them to come inside, etc. I realized that it was because they didn't speak English!! I said the commands in Spanish instead and they listened right away! Now all 6 of them are bilingual–they'll come, sit, stay whether I say it in English or Spanish.

Ned: What prompted you to move to Costa Rica?

I wanted to experience another way of life. I wanted to live in a Latin American country and absorb myself in the culture. I wanted to get away from the pretentious people in LA who only cared about what car they drove, what brand purse they carried, who their plastic surgeon was, what screenplay they were writing, etc., etc. I wanted to live a simpler life. From my very first trip here, I felt different. I felt calm, peaceful, alive. I didn't feel hurried or stressed or worried about anything. I fell in love with the people here. They are some of the kindest, most generous, warm people you will ever meet. They're all very smart with great senses of humor and quick wit. I wanted to take a leap of faith and change my life while I had the chance, and I knew Costa Rica was where I was meant to be. It is definitely home now. I actually feel weird when I go back to the States–almost like I don't really belong any more. The things that used to seem so important before (money, stuff, etc.) just aren't as relevant any more. My happiness, peace of mind, ability to get a good night's sleep every night, and waking up to beautiful, unpolluted skies is what drives me now. I just feel like I understand life better now.

But I do miss Target!!! lol

Contact Lisa (book a trip with her, and tell her you read about it in YVNS, and I get a bottle of Salsa Lizano.)

Lisa Cederberg

Travel Consultant

Costa Rican Luxury Vacations

“Local Knowledge – Global Service”

U.S. Toll Free 800-606-1860 x 1243 – I'm available with very flexible hours. Please call at your convenience!

In Costa Rica: 506-2296-7715 * Email: lisacederberg@goduesouth.com

(http://www.vacationscostarica.com/):

*** Can I touch your hair – Heather Murphy visits Iceland

Ned asked Heather Murphy to share some travel adventures. Like Heather, Ned’s wife Laura is a redhead. In some parts of the world that can be pretty exotic. Hence the “Can I touch your hair.” Here’s one of Heather’s adventures:

YVNS was in its infancy when I wrote about a journey that Ned titled “Adventures to Newfoundland or How to Land on the TSA Watch List for Life” (http://www.yourverynextstep.com/blog/_archives/2007/11/22/3584241.html). I am happy to report that recent travel has been hassle free so maybe I’m off the TSA Watch List.

The trip that landed me on the TSA list was planned as a more affordable alternative to Iceland. At the time, travel to Iceland was cost-prohibitive. The unfortunate crumbling of Iceland’s economy has made travel more affordable. Early in 2011, a popular travel website promoted air and hotel packages in celebration of IcelandAir’s plans to fly out of Washington/Dulles.

The specials were especially great for off-prime travel. My photographer friend and I took advantage of a package trip in September, complete with airfare, hotel and a glacier hike.

Iceland is otherworldly. Dinosaurs never roamed Iceland. The island did not exist when dinosaurs roamed Earth. It is entirely volcanic and glacial. Trees are sparse outside of Reykjavik. If you think it must be bleak, you would be mistaken. Colorful mossy plants grow atop the lava rock. There are areas that look like peat bogs…moist pastures with rolling clumps of green grassy, mossy ground cover. Sheep and Icelandic Horses, a breed unique to the nation, dot the pastures.

The “Over-Sharing, Detail-Driven Rental Guy”

When you arrive at the airport, rental car reps bring the car to you…it took a few minutes of guessing to figure that out. The contact with one of our names on his placard had keys to the Toyota Yaris we would use. He proceeded to detail everything from how to drive in Iceland and road conditions to driving on gravel, road signs and so forth. Too much detail.

And if you drive the countryside, you should be “afraid of the sheep.”

“They’ll just ‘yooomp’ right out at you!’”

With his exuberant hand gestures, our rental car guy made us very afraid that aggressive jumping (yooomping!) sheep were everywhere!

Forced march or moderate hike? The Glacier Walk.

A Glacier Hike was included in our air-hotel-tour package. Before departure, we were advised to bring: a) sturdy hiking boots to which crampons could be attached. b) ski pants or properly insulated and weatherproof clothing.

I’ll do my best not to disparage the majority who disregarded or ignored the orientation message. The lady in mary-jane style shoes, well, she took the prize for most ill-prepared. The guides must be used to this because they had an Emergency Stupid Tourist Kit with loaner boots and gear. The glacier walk was a fantastic experience to march up the side of a glacier, get close miles-deep crevasses and come back down alive.

Waterfalls, Rainbows, Lagoons and Shepherds

Glaciers cover more than 11 percent of Iceland’s land mass so waterfalls are not uncommon and the ones we saw were breathtaking. The fall rains and mists also bring lots of rainbows. By far, the falls I enjoyed most were Gullfoss with its thundering water and multiple tiers and Skógarfoss, a tall and wide fall that plunges to black sand.

We took two long drives from Reykjavik and my favorite was our journey to Jökulsárlón. Imagine a deflated balloon. The lagoon itself is the round part of the balloon. At the top is a glacier that calves giant chunks of ice into the lagoon. They become trapped in the lagoon because there is just a small, shallow path out to sea – the neck of the balloon. It was well worth the all day, round-trip drive. Had we more time, there are several worthwhile stops along the way for puffin colonies, black sand beaches and dramatic seascapes.

It was on the return from this day trip that we happened upon a group of shepherds herding their charges down from the mountains to lowland pastures. Traffic ground to a halt as men on horseback and 4-wheelers kept the sheep moving.

Questions, feedback or your ideas for future trips are welcome!

Heather

Questions or feedback for Heather can be addressed here in YVNS by sending an email to Ned at lundquist989@cs.com. Heather through

Next month: “The Polar Bear Question” and “These People will Eat ANYTHING.”

*** Here’s the YVNS Travel News for December:

*** The moving walkway…is ending…

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7388156n

*** JetBlue, WestJet win airport slots at LaGuardia and Reagan National

http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/JetBlue-and-WestJet-win-airport-slots-at-LaGuardia-and-Reagan-National/

***Top 10 Things Airlines Don't Tell You

http://away.com/top-ten-travel/away.com/features/travel-ta-top-ten-secrets-of-airline-travel-from-the-pilots-themselves-sidwcmdev_154874.html

*** 10 Survival Tips for Holiday Travel

Whether you're jetting off on a beach vacation or heading home for the holidays, use these 10 foolproof strategies to battle the crowds and make your flight more bearable.

By Tracy Stewart

Airfarewatchdog.com

Read more: http://www.frommers.com/articles/7522.html#ixzz1eiH74Wye

*** Ten Ways to Do Theme Parks on a Budget

A theme-park vacation can be pricey. It can cost hundreds of dollars a day just to get in the gate! Though the coasters are thrilling, the racing heart and sweaty palms shouldn't continue once you're homebound and cash-counting. Here are ten ways we've found to do theme parks on the cheap

http://away.com/travel-advice/travel-ta-family-theme-parks-on-a-budget-sidwcmdev_156366.html

*** World's Best Cities for Bargain Shopping

http://www.frommers.com/slideshow/?group=351%20

*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:

1.) High Cascades Forest Volunteers, Willamette, Deschutes, Umpqua, Siuslaw and Ochoco National Forests,

Volunteers are needed for a wide range of activities and there are plenty of opportunities to match everyone’s interest and skill. Tools and equipment will be provided. Horses or llamas will help carry equipment for some of the organized summer projects. Here’s a sampling of projects:

To be a forest volunteer we ask that you attend one of two training weekends. There is no charge for either weekend and free camping is available. The first weekend is scheduled for May 13th through 15th at the Westridge School near Oakridge, OR. The second weekend is scheduled for Friday June 3th through 5th at the Allingham Guard Station located west of Sisters, OR near Camp Sherman. We suggest you consider a donation of at least 16 hours of your time over the year volunteering on the many projects offered by the High Cascades Forest Volunteers and the Pacific Crest Trails Association. If you wish to be a volunteer click on Volunteer Application

Classes may include trail maintenance, trail crew leadership, First Aid/CPR certification, cross-cut and chain saw re-certification, wilderness stewardship, adopt a trail/lake programs, map/compass, identify/remove noxious weeds, monitoring historic sites, survival tips and more.

Who can volunteer:

Anyone over the age of 18 may apply to volunteer. If you are under the age of 18 you may still participate by working with your family, group, club, or responsible adult(s).

Benefits of volunteering:

Besides the great benefits of helping your National Forests, you will:

Gain a sense of self satisfaction and accomplishment in performing a much needed service.

Learn new skills, which you can share with others.

Make a positive contribution to the forest areas you have enjoyed using.

Meet new people and make new friends.

http://www.highcascadesvolunteers.com/

2.) Third Saturday Work Parties, Forest Park Conservancy, Portland, OR

http://www.forestparkconservancy.org/park-programs/volunteer.html

3.) VOLUNTEER Opportunities, Mayan Hope, Nebaj, Quiché, GUATEMALA

- Special Education Teacher’s Aides

- Eco-Tour Guides

- Agricultural Production and Marketing positions

- Maintenance Person

- Mayan Hope Restaurant and Hostel Workers

http://www.mayanhope.org/volunteering.htm

4.) Pemigewasset Wilderness, White Mountain National Forest, NH

Jun 10th – Jun 16th 2012

One of the most extensive roadless areas in the eastern United States, the Pemigewasset is New Hampshire's largest Wilderness Area at 45,000 acres. A wild mixed forest of hardwood and conifer, the “Pemi” is centered on the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River and bordered by treeless granite peaks including the alpine tundra summits of Franconia Ridge. The area is known for its ecological recovery from extensive logging in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Its inclusion in the White Mountain National Forest and later designation by congress as a Wilderness Area has resulted in a dramatic rebound in the forest ecosystem. This is New England backpacking at its very best!

2012 will be our fifth year in the White Mountains, following previous greatly successful projects. In late August 2011, Hurricane Irene hit the entire area with devastating rainfall and floods, wiping out many access roads and trails. Pending an ongoing assessment of the damage and recovery plan, participants must remain flexible as our tentative project may be adjusted to help the White Mountain NF managers with their highest priority needs in response to the damage. Be assured that our volunteerism will be greatly needed and appreciated.

Our tentative project piggybacks on past year's work. It involves a backpack of three relatively flat miles to set up a comfortable basecamp. From here, our service project will involve trail maintenance and improvement such as removing downed trees, repairing and building waterbars, building check dams, steps etc. On our day off, participants can climb one of the nearby peaks, tag a section of the Appalachian Trail, or relax and take a dip in the beautiful wilderness river.

This project is suitable for well-conditioned beginners to backpacking and service work. It is rated as strenuous, including occasionally long hikes to worksites, bending, lifting, and work with hand tools such as Pulaskis, shovels, McLeods, rakes and loppers.

Contact Wilderness Volunteers, Flagstaff, AZ

http://www.wildernessvolunteers.org/php/project/Pemigewasset+Wilderness%2C+White+Mountain+National+Forest/bef90937301f701a5c39280d255e9e86.html

(Ned notes: The Pemi is probably one of my most favorite places on Earth. I suggest you take a week or two and get lost in there. The Wilderness Trail follows an old logging railroad right of way. It’s wide and level as it follows the river. Be careful to avoid tripping on the old rail ties. Although the area was extensively logged and there have been some big fires in this area it is still thickly forested and the many trails that come off of the Wilderness trail lead to some steep peaks, rocky slides, alpine lakes and old growth trees. I’ve found old logging camps with barrel hoops placed around trees as saplings that are now fully grown. I’ve seen trees tied in knots by bored loggers. And firepits where I’ve dug out horseshoes that were once used for the draft animals that pulled trees out of the forest. This is still a vast and wild place, surrounded by really challenging mountains. If you don’t thing some of New Hampshire’s 4,000 and 5,000 footers are challenging, just try hiking them with a pack, and watch the weather closely because it’s the worst weather in the world. Trust me on that, too.)

http://www.hike-nh.com/trips/readers/owlshead.shtml

6.) Billy Goat Trail Steward Volunteers, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

We're looking for volunteer trail stewards willing to hike parts of the trail, or educate visitors at the trailheads, to protect the incredible natural resources of Bear Island, which this rugged trail traverses.

Stewards have been active now for several years, educating hikers about Leave No Trace principles, helping to ensure they are prepared for the strenuous hike, sharing stories about the sensitive vegetation, and reducing trampling of the Bear Island's many rare plants. Active trail stewards can go out any day of the week, can hike the whole trail or just part of it, or can stay near the trailhead and connect with hikers before they begin. Trail stewards wear park volunteer identification, carry park radios for emergency communication, and can benefit from basic first aid training to help with minor injuries. They are the eyes and ears for the National Park Service, and The Nature Conservancy, who co-own this biologically diverse island, and help us protect the rare habitats from the estimated 50,000 hikers on the Billy Goat Trail on Bear Island, known as “section A”. Stewards have also been instrumental in reporting emergencies back to park staff for a more rapid response.

http://www.nps.gov/choh/supportyourpark/billygoattrailstewardvolunteers.htm

(Ned notes: There can be a lot of people scrambling over the rocks along the Maryland side of the Potmac near Great falls. As close as it is to Washington, DC, the river here is wild and untamed, and the trail is, too. Not for people with bad knees and bad shoes. Walking along the adjacent C&O Canal towpath is an equally pleasant walk, and much easier.)

7.) Camp Host, Dungeness and Salt Creek County Parks, Clallam County Parks, Fair and Facilities Department, Port Angeles, WA

http://www.clallam.net/CountyParks/html/parks_volunteer.htm

8.) Adopt-a-Trail, Santa Clara County Parks, San Jose, CA

Do you have a trail you use that you would like to help maintain? Do you have a group that is looking for some good, physical service work in a beautiful outdoor setting? If so, we’d like you to adopt–a-trail. Adopt-a-Trail volunteers, after completing Department training, will take care of a trail, or section of trail, within a County Park. Adopt-a-Trail volunteers conduct trail brushing/pruning, litter/debris removal, routine trail tread/drainage clearing, and major trail problem reporting. Participants who agree to participate for one-year will receive in-park signage acknowledging their commitment.

Please email us at volunteer@prk.sccgov.org or call (408) 355-2254 if you are interested in volunteer opportunities.

http://www.sccgov.org/

http://www.sccgov.org/portal/site/parks/parksarticle?path=%2Fv7%2FParks%20and%20Recreation%2C%20Department%20of%20(DEP)%2FVolunteer%20and%20Job%20Opportunities&contentId=b6b698ba77784010VgnVCM10000048dc4a92____

9.) Volunteer Roles, New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

Volunteers build and maintain our hiking trails, as well as provide off-trail support. Here are the types of work done by our volunteers:

On-Trail roles include trail building, trail maintenance and land monitoring.

Off-Trail roles in areas such as administration, publishing, conservation and fund-raising

http://www.nynjtc.org/volunteer

10.) Adopt-A-Trail Volunteers, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Individuals or groups may adopt a trail or segment of a trail by volunteering their time to help keep the trail clean and safe. It may be a state trail or a trail within a state park, forest or recreation area. Adopt-A-Trail sponsors collect litter and perform minor trail maintenance, assist with the control of invasive species and the planting of native species, record and report to the property manager any major or hazardous trail obstructions, and gather and return any “lost and found” items to the property office. If you are interested in adopting a trail, complete the Adopt-A-Trail Application and Permit [PDF] or contact the park, forest or trail manager.

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/voljobs/#adoptatrail

11.) Continental Divide Trail, Gila National Forest, NM

Jul 8th – Jul 14th 2012

Contact Wilderness Volunteers, Flagstaff, AZ

http://www.wildernessvolunteers.org/php/project/Continental+Divide+Trail%2C+Gila+National+Forest/205ded2984e1daf6e3b9373767e8bf6e.html

*** National Rail-Trail of the month:

Trail of the Month: December 2011

New Orleans Levee-Top Trail

The Mississippi River gave birth to New Orleans, depositing the silt on which the city was built, and carrying the ships that made it into a thriving port. But the Crescent City is now separated from its mother: Tall earthen levees, erected to protect residents from floods and improve river navigation, cut people off from the winding river.

Luckily, the New Orleans Levee-Top Trail (more commonly known as the Mississippi levee trail) helps bridge the divide between land and water. “There's this huge mile-wide river next to us, that over the decades we've protected ourselves from—so any opportunity to get to the river is very important,” says Jennifer Ruley, a pedestrian and bicycle engineer who works as an advisor to the city of New Orleans. “It really helps us to connect to the geography and history of the city.”

The levee-top trail—running 25 miles along the east bank of the Mississippi—provides New Orleanians with a place to get back to their roots. Equally important, it offers residents and visitors a safe recreation and commuting venue removed from the city's busy streetscape. And it forms an important link in the 3,000-mile-long Mississippi River Trail—an ongoing venture to establish bike and pedestrian pathways along the entire length of America's most storied waterway.

As with many other pathways around the nation, the levee-top trail was made possible by seed money provided by the federal Transportation Enhancements program. The local parish (county) governments raised additional money and teamed up with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (which built and maintains the levee system along the Mississippi) to turn existing gravel paths on top of the levees and a short section of former railroad track into a paved trail. The first trail segment opened in the mid-1990s, and the pathway has subsequently expanded in sections as additional funding has become available.

Today the trail stretches from Audubon Park—a former plantation in the city's Uptown neighborhood that is now home to the city's zoo—upriver to the community of Destrehan in St. Charles Parish. Along the way, it passes through residential areas; past busy commercial wharves; alongside hospitals, shopping centers, parks and golf courses; near chemical plants and oil depots; within a few blocks of the city's busy airport; through suburban neighborhoods; and past 224-year-old Destrehan Plantation, the oldest documented plantation home on the lower Mississippi and a portal to the region's antebellum era. “The diversity of places you can go on this trail is incredible,” says Ruley.

There's also the unique diversity created by the levee itself. On the protected side of the berm, much of the land has been built over or plowed under, and few signs of its natural beginnings are evident. On the other side, between the levee and the river, you'll see stands of cypress, willow and oak; swamps and marshes; and perhaps glimpse the herons, ibis, egrets and other wildlife that frequent these areas. “You can get a glimpse of what the area looked like before it was developed,” says Ruley.

All of these qualities, and the trail's strategic location near homes, businesses and two major universities (Tulane and Loyola) make it extremely popular with residents. The college crowd favors the trail as a scenic hangout and meeting place. Serious cyclists use it for early morning training rides, and bicycle commuters appreciate the car-free pathway to work. The trail is also a magnet for people who stroll, inline skate or walk dogs. And it is an important part of a network of bicycle lanes and paths in New Orleans that has quadrupled in the past six years to 44 miles, with another 15 miles in development—including the three-mile Lafitte Corridor, a planned linear park and greenway.

“The public has bought into the trail and really supports it, which is evident in the continual expansion of the trail over the years,” says Dan Jatres, director of pedestrian and bicycle programs for the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission. “Residents and elected officials view this as a major asset to the community from a quality-of-life perspective and transportation perspective.”

The levee-top trail is also a regionally important piece of the Mississippi River Trail. This ambitious project seeks to create a mix of on- and off-street pathways (including unused rail lines) paralleling the river from its source in Lake Itasca, Minn., to its mouth about 100 miles downriver from New Orleans. In Louisiana and other states, river trail advocates are hoping to turn hundreds of miles of levee tops into continuous sections of off-street paths, and the New Orleans trail segment provides a successful model for working with the local and federal agencies responsible for these flood-control structures.

“Some of the lessons learned here in New Orleans regarding working with levee districts and the Army Corps to build trails on levees can help other communities,” says Jatres, who also serves on the board of directors of Mississippi River Trail, Inc., the nonprofit group promoting and coordinating work on the multi-state trail. “They can point to the New Orleans area and say, 'It's been done there, it's working, it's not creating issues for the maintenance and operations of levees—in fact the trails have benefits for levee operations.'”

Current plans in Louisiana are to build out the levee-top trail between New Orleans and the state capital of Baton Rouge, about 130 miles upriver, and work is already under way on about a dozen miles of that stretch. “When the whole New Orleans-Baton Rouge section is done, you really have an opportunity for bicycle tourism,” says Jatres. “With an influx of people along the trail, it could be a huge boon for some of the small towns along the river.”

Downriver towns are also clamoring to extend the trail through their communities, Jatres says. “There's an appeal to riding your bike to the end of the Mississippi River and seeing what it's like, which is a pretty spectacular natural wonder.” Ruley notes that New Orleans is working to ensure that its expanding system of on-street bikeways will allow users to connect from the levee trail, through the city center, to downriver parishes.

So the New Orleans Levee-Top Trail is not only helping connect residents of the Crescent City to their history and geography, but it's beginning to link the colorful communities along the length of the great river. Could a two-wheeled version of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn or Life on the Mississippi be far behind?

http://www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringFeatures/trailMonth/index.html

*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:

1.) SCUBA Instructor, Seacamp Association, Inc., Key West, Florida

http://www.oapn.net/jobdetail.php?id=1625&ref=Date

2.) Outdoor Adventure Instructors, Absolute Adventure, Dibba, Musandam, Oman

Absolute Adventure is an adventure outfitter based in the Musandam Peninsula of Oman; about 2 hours drive from Dubai. We are in an area of outstanding natural beauty within a minutes walk of the beach and at the foot of 2000m high mountains. We are seeking qualified, motivated, and culturally adaptable outdoor adventure instructors to lead half and full day adventure activities for international schools and tourist groups. The successful candidates will be provided with the following benefits: * Direct round-trip flight from a major airport in your home country to Dubai, UAE. You must provide your own transportation to the airport. We will arrange to have you picked up at the airport in Dubai. * Furnished housing while in Oman (near the beach). * Paid utility bills. * Free wireless internet use. * Company cellular phone with monthly credit. * All meals while on school programs. * Monthly salary of US$ 1000 tax free (paid in local currency). * One month paid leave and two months unpaid leave per year (June-August). * Annual leave ticket. * Oman residence visa and work permit. Qualifications required: * REC, WFR or WFA * Recognized certificates in the following fields: Mountain Leadership, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Abseiling, Sea Kayaking, Low Ropes. * Clean driving license. * 2+ years experience instructing * High level of fitness. * D of E award assessor will be an advantage.

Application Info: Email: Managing Director aadibba@gmail.com or info@adventure.ae.

http://www.oapn.net/jobdetail.php?id=1607&ref=Date

3.) EVENT AND MEMBERSHIP MANAGER (Park/Recreation Specialist I), Park Authority, Fairfax County, Laurel Hill Golf Club, Lorton, Virginia

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/jobs/listing/detail.asp?job=11-2663

4.) California State Director, American Conservation Experience, Santa Cruz, CA

American Conservation Experience, a Non-Profit conservation corps with growing nationwide operations, is seeking a Director for our California state branch located in Santa Cruz.

Summary:

ACE is a dynamic organization with the reputation for providing crews to safely and economically accomplish technically complex and physically demanding conservation and restoration projects for the National Park Service, US Forest Service, BLM, USFWS, and numerous state and local land management partners. Recognizing ever increasing agency need for skilled labor crews combined with growing federal and state mandates for youth engagement, ACE’s Board of Directors supports a policy of programmatic expansion in California. ACE’s leadership team is seeking a State Director with the ability to sustain our current excellence of operations while embracing a strategy of systematic growth, including the development of a second base of operations in CA.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will possess a unique combination of attributes, including substantial management background in either the non-profit or for-profit sector, experience overseeing fiscal policy and budgeting for a large scale organization, a track record of developing successful partnerships, experience working with young adult staff and volunteers, proven ability to generate and sustain a culture of programmatic pride, confidence to bring new ideas to the table and to convincingly express them verbally and in writing, and a history of working cooperatively as a member of a broader management team.

In order to maintain ACE’s reputation for quality work, and to avoid diluting our skill base in favor of programmatic expansion, we wish to recruit a State Director who also possesses a strong foundation of field skills in some combination of trail work, habitat restoration, and/or fuels reduction. While the position is not field-based, ACE strongly believes that staff at all levels of management should be capable of guiding field activities, conducting site visits from a knowledgeable perspective, and imparting high standards to ACE’s field staff.

Specific job duties include:

1) Outreach to local, state, and federal land management agencies and other conservation-minded organizations. Confidence and ability to solicit project opportunities by introducing ACE’s offerings to numerous new prospective partners statewide.

2) Preparing and delivering powerpoint presentations.

3) Grant and proposal writing.

4) Overseeing the effecting implementation of ACE’s AmeriCorps grant through California Volunteers.

5) Supervising/or hiring managerial staff, including ACE California’s Director of Operations, Operations Manager, AmeriCorps Program Manager, Skills Trainers, Volunteer Coordinator, Recruitment Coordinator and future positions as they are generated through expansion.

6) Development of a marketing and outreach campaign for ACE CA, including writing a quarterly newsletter managing web content, and creating a strategy to enhance alumni relations.

7) Preparing accomplishment and data collection reports.

Drug users, including recreational smokers of marijuana, should not consider applying as ACE reserves the right to require drug testing and detests the presence of drug users or proponents of any unhealthy lifestyle in our youth development program. Applicants must have a clean driving record and be willing to submit to background checks.

Start Date: First quarter of 2012 with some flexibility for exact timing.

Length of Commitment: This is considered a career opportunity with a minimum anticipated commitment of 3 – 5 years.

Salary: $48,000 – $60,000 base salary DOE, with potential for performance-based end of year bonuses of up to 20 percent of annual salary. Full benefits start after six months, including health insurance, dental insurance, two weeks paid annual vacation, and sick leave.

Hours: Flexible. ACE Directors set their own schedules in accordance with their management objectives.

Application Deadline: December 1, 2011. Please note that ACE will schedule interviews and may make a selection prior to the application deadline, so please submit your materials as you prepare them.

Application Process: There is no official application form, but please submit the following by email:

1) a detailed resume including three professional references.

2) an introduction letter expressing how a career position as ACE’s California State Director would align with your perspectives and experiences in conservation and youth development.

3) a secondary writing sample such as a previous grant proposal, a position statement/white paper, a newsletter, an excerpt from an academic thesis, etc.

As expressions of interest are received, ACE’s Executive Director will review each packet and schedule an initial round of interviews in Santa Cruz. The leading candidates after the first round of interviews will be invited to Flagstaff, AZ to meet with ACE’s Board of Directors before a final selection is made.

To Apply: Please email your application materials to Chris Baker: cbaker@usaconservation.org with “California State Director” in the subject line.

http://www.usaconservation.org/Home/positions.html

5.) Mountain Trail Outdoor School, Kanuga Conferences Inc., Hendersonville, NC

http://www.kanuga.org/outdoored/employment.asp

*** From Mark Sofman:

6.) Ice Rink Zamboni Driver, Vail Resorts, Keystone, CO

http://bit.ly/vCY7BG

*** Send your job opportunities to share with the YVNS network to lundquist989@cs.com.

*** Your Very Next Step is a service of the Job of the Week Network LLC

© 2011 The Job of the Week Network LLC

Edward Lundquist, ABC -

Editor and Publisher

Your Very Next Step

7813 Richfield Road

Springfield, VA 22153

Home office phone: (703) 455-7661

lundquist989@cs.com

www.nedsjotw.com

By Ned Lundquist

www.yourverynextstep.com

“A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.”

- Oscar Wilde

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

- Lao Tzu

“Your Very Next Step” newsletter, published by Ned Lundquist, is a cooperative community, and everyone is invited, no…encouraged, no…urged to participate.

Subscribe for free. Send a blank email to:

yourverynextstep-subscribe@topica.com.

Send us your comments, questions, and contributions to lundquist989@cs.com.

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Contact Ned at lundquist989@cs.com.

*** In this issue:

*** Connie Mayse in Switzerland

*** Pat Valdata has our rapt attention:

*** Travel news

*** Japan may give away 10,000 flights

*** Two Airlines Battle Mileage-Tracking Websites

*** Delta Cements LaGuardia Grip With Trade of Flight Slots

*** That's Ridiculous! Low-cost Airlines that Cost More

*** Scariest waves?

*** Greening Your Personal Life

*** Best Burgers in the U.S.? What do you think?

*** A Look Inside Oregon State's Bicycling and Driving Simulator Laboratory

*** Texas Master Naturalist Program

*** America's Coolest Coffeehouses

*** Trail / Outdoor / Conservation volunteer opportunities:

1.) Nature Area Volunteer Stewardship Days, Chicago Park District, Chicago, IL

2.) Volunteer Opportunity, Journey to Freedom, Karen Elephant Sanctuary Baan Mae Storb, Mae Jeam district, Chiang Mai, Thailand

3.) Volunteer, Upper Valley Trails Alliance, Norwich, VT

*** National Rail-Trail of the month:

Trail of the Month: November 2011

Florida's Seminole-Wekiva Trail

*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:

1.) Manager, Marketing, Yakima Products, Inc., Beaverton, OR

2.) Event Services Manager, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Missoula, Montana

3.) Outdoor School – Market Outreach Specialist, REI, Various locations

4.) VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS, The Atlantic City Alliance, Atlantic City, NJ

5.) Graphic Designer, AmericanRec, Boulder, Colorado

6.) Instructor Positions, Ocala Outdoor Adventure Camp, Silver Springs, FL

7.) Director, Institute at the Golden Gate, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Sausalito, California

8.) n Counselor, Camp Vega, Echo Lake, Fayette, Maine

9.) California State Director, American Conservation Experience, Santa Cruz, CA

10.) Archery Promotions Coordinator, Easton Technical Products, Salt Lake City, Utah

11.) Program Officer, Western Pacific Coastal and Marine Conservation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Los Altos, California

…and much more…and it’s all FREE!!!

*** Do you have a travel adventure to share?

Send me your stories and I’ll post in the “Your Very Next Step” and on the YVNS website (http://www.yourverynextstep.com/).

*** From Connie Mayse:

Hi, Ned! . I went to Basel, Switzerland (the point at which France, Germany and Switzerland meet) on business, recording interviews and video content for an executive production. Spent a lot of time in the old town shooting B-roll.

I enjoyed Basel, walking many miles and becoming adept at trains and trams. Had great Turkish, French, Italian food (though not all at once) and some yummy Swiss chocolate and cheese (again, not all at once). My 31st wedding anniversary occurred during the trip, so I brought hubby along. It was he who pointed out that Coke and beer are the same price in Basel, and beer is often the better value!

The parts of the city in which I spent most of my time exuded a certain old-world charm and could have been located in any of a number of European cities. But there was one building in particular, the rathaus – city hall – on the Marktplatz. There could be no doubt that you're in Switzerland when you see the rathaus (photos enclosed).

One day our videographer set off down a street in the old town that literally teemed with people to capture a few shots of the bustling nature of the street, while I headed into a nearby Starbucks to get him a cuppa joe. When I came back, he was gone and we didn't see him again for nearly an hour. We finally tracked him down, gave him the lukewarm coffee, and he told us that he got wrapped up in “the next shot” – one after another, an interesting angle here, the play of light and shadow there – and must have been off in another world.

Basel charmed us our first night in town. The desk staff at the Hilton recommended a restaurant, Goldenen Sternen, on St Alban-Tan on the Rhine. To get there, we took a tram to the stop just before the river, then walked winding and hilly streets for several blocks. We passed courtyards that reminded us of New Orleans and entryways reminiscent of London.

Finally we found Goldenen Sternen. A group was having a dinner party in the little park out front. Inside, the restaurant was empty of patrons. The maitre d' led us through the house to a delightful courtyard, where we found everyone. The furnishings were upscale patio style, with an elaborate umbrella and awning system that covered almost every table. Large art installations decorated the walls of the building, with ivy growing into the exhibits.

The food was simply incredible. I enjoyed a carrot and ginger soup with crusty bread, followed by pumpkin ravioli, a large portion I could not finish, and I felt guilty about leaving it on my plate! Simply one of the best meals I have had ever, and decidedly among the most expensive. C'est la vie.

Basel is an interesting study in contrasts – old coexisting with new, young with old, old-world charm against a backdrop of American chain restaurants and local adaptations of “American” food – but one contrast really struck me as odd. The city is closely regulated and pretty darn clean, but graffiti is everywhere. Five tram routes run through the central train station, Banhof SBB, and all the cars are sparkling clean but one. Its exterior is painted flat white, and it's completely covered with tags – mostly amateurs, though. The true graffiti artists have prominently tagged the city. Either the city leaders have given up fightign it, or they now honor graffiti as art (and art is everywhere in Basel).

Basel is home to over 40 museums, including the pharmaceutical museum, the doll museum, the cartoon museum, the antique museum – you get the picture. I enjoyed the Historisches Museum Basel and the Kuntsmuseum (art museum), which had a terrific collection of masters – Monet, Cezanne, Picasso – and a surrealism exhibit – Dali, Miro.

I love to take pictures of interesting doors, and tracked one down in the street outside the Munster – a thousand plus year-old church. I looked at the date on the building – 1809, I think it was – and exclaimed “So this is a new building!” My colleagues were kind enough to laugh.

I hope I have the chance to return to Basel. There's so much more I'd like to see. Thanks for listening, my friend. Auf wiedersehen.

Connie Mayse

(See photos at www.yourverynextstep.com.)

*** Pat Valdata has our rapt attention:

Ned, thanks for running a story about hawk watches in YVNS. I coordinate volunteers at the Turkey Point Hawk Watch in Elk Neck State Park here in Maryland. We’re about two hours north of D.C. and about 12 miles south of Exit 100 from I-95. It’s an easy 0.8 mile hike out to the site with a spectacular view of the upper Chesapeake at the two ends of the trail. Turkey Point is on a high bluff overlooking the confluence of the Elk, Northeast and Susquehanna Rivers, which merge to form the head of the Bay. We have hawk watch observers there every morning from Labor Day through Thanksgiving weekend. Our observers are happy to point out what’s overhead and to talk about the migration. We don’t get huge numbers as they do at Hawk Mountain or Cape May, but we get close-up views that those watches rarely see. We have especially good looks at Red-shouldered Hawks from October into November, and see 16 types of raptors, including Golden Eagles and Northern Goshawks. There is more information at http://www.cecilbirds.org/hawkwatch.html.

Elk Neck State Park is a great site for camping and hiking, and the nearby town of North East has good restaurants and shops that feature local crafts. Just a few miles east is the Fair Hill Nature Center, which has 80 miles of hiking trails. There’s also a large equestrian center there.

Cheers,

Pat

Patricia Valdata

www.cloudstreetcomm.com

*** Here’s the YVNS Travel News for October:

*** Now, Even the Cheap Seats on Airplanes Come With a Fee

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204621904577013914231157508.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

*** Japan may give away 10,000 flights

The Yomiuri Shimbun reports (according to a translation):

The objective is to have the 10,000 tourists discuss their experiences online, and allow word-of-mouth reports to propagate about safe and hassle-free travel in Japan. Visitors will also fill out a questionnaire about how they feel about visiting Japan after the earthquake and any proposals they might have to renew interest in tourism. The Ministry will request $150 million in funding for this program.

http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/13/8306125-japan-may-give-away-10000-flights

Amtrak: more popular – and more at risk – than ever

http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/07/8207263-amtrak-more-popular-and-more-at-risk-than-ever

*** From Bernie Wagenblast’s TCN News:

Two Airlines Battle Mileage-Tracking Websites

Ruckus Over Online Companies That Display Frequent-Flier Miles, Hotel and Rental Car Points in One Place

Who owns your miles, anyway?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204774604576627142338884936.html

http://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/

(The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe (for free) or unsubscribe, please contact me at bernie@bwcommunications.net.

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications )

*** Delta Cements LaGuardia Grip With Trade of Flight Slots

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/10/12/bloomberg_articlesLSYKYM6JIJVA.DTL#ixzz1aiAtfrNp

*** That's Ridiculous! Low-cost Airlines that Cost More

http://www.frommers.com/articles/7472.html

*** Scariest waves?

Raging Seas – Terrifying Surf, Storm Surge and Rogue Waves!

http://wj.la/ph9cFI

*** Greening Your Personal Life

An easy-to-use, economical and understandable four-step approach for individuals to reduce their carbon footprint. Learn to make a greener difference!

(You will need to register for this recorded webinar by supplying your email address.)

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/308153313

*** Best Burgers in the U.S.? What do you think?

http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/best-burgers-in-the-us

*** A Look Inside Oregon State's Bicycling and Driving Simulator Laboratory

Link to blog on BikePortland.org

http://bikeportland.org/2011/10/19/a-look-inside-oregon-states-bicycling-simulator-laboratory-60778

*** Texas Master Naturalist Program (http://txmn.org/)

What is a Master Naturalist ? Someone who's NOT afraid of digging in the dirt and slogging through the mud while giving back to the community.

Introduction

The natural Texas is home to all of us, no matter where in the state we live. The natural Texas, the real Texas, is still to be found all across out state – from the wilds of rural areas to the squirrels in a city park to a wildflower in our backyard.

But as Texas grows more urban, we hurry to keep up with the hectic pace of urban and even suburban life. And we don't take the time to notice, to enjoy, and ultimately conserve the natural resources around us.

Become a Certified Master Naturalist!

Through the Texas Master Naturalist volunteer program, you can help children and adults in your community learn about Texas's natural resources, inspire them to a new appreciation of their environment, and ensure that others will be able to enjoy the natural Texas for years to come.

In the Texas Master Naturalist program, you will enhance your love of nature with research-based, scientific knowledge. You will receive in-depth training in wildlife and natural resource management taught by recognized experts in the field and customized to focus on the native ecosystems of your home. You will also have the opportunity for advanced training in special subjects that interest you.

In return, you will provide your community with volunteer service in the form of educational activities, projects, or demonstrations. You might serve on a speakers bureau to make presentations to community organizations, or you might introduce children to local plants, insects, and animals through an after-school project. You might serve as a guide at a local nature center, or you might build trails or exhibits at a local park. The possibilities are endless, limited only by your imagination!

As a Texas Master Naturalist, you will be helping people appreciate the natural environment around their homes, while you enhance your own knowledge and skills. And, perhaps most satisfying of all, you will have a chance to build friendships and work with others who share your love of the natural Texas.

Dedicated to providing instruction and volunteer opportunities for adults who wish to educate their community and demonstrate beneficial management of natural resources in Texas.

There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot. …Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them. Now we face the question whether a still higher 'standard of living' is worth its cost in things natural, wild, and free. For us of the minority, the opportunity to see geese is more important than television, and the chance to find a pasque-flower is a right as inalienable as free speech.” – Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac

•Become a Certified Texas Master Naturalist

•Contact: Michelle Haggerty, 830-896-2504

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/land/programs/txmasnat/

http://txmn.org/

*** America's Coolest Coffeehouses

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-coolest-coffeehouses

*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:

1.) Nature Area Volunteer Stewardship Days, Chicago Park District, Chicago, IL

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/volunteer.detail/object_id/d212ab71-dd4f-40e6-a1fe-98f25ed204d3.cfm

2.) Volunteer Opportunity, Journey to Freedom, Karen Elephant Sanctuary Baan Mae Storb, Mae Jeam district, Chiang Mai, Thailand

A special project created in a rural setting to allow the tribal keepers of elephants to remain in their villages and preserve their environment. One week option.

Operates Oct-Apr

http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/volunteer/journeytofreedom/index.htm

3.) Volunteer, Upper Valley Trails Alliance, Norwich, VT

There are many ways you can help! From helping out at one of the Upper Valley Trails Alliance’s annual events to collecting trail data, UVTA offers a variety of opportunities to match your talents and interests.

Collect Trail Data

Build and Maintain Trails

Lake Morey Skate-A-Thon Event

Other Opportunities

Do you have other talents or skills that you’d like to volunteer? Let us know! If you have experience or interest in a particular area, UVTA could use your help with other activities that support the organization, such as:

Grant Writing

Graphic Design

Data Entry

Website/Technology Support

Photography

Envelope Labeling & Stuffing

Tabling at Community Events

http://www.uvtrails.org/page/volunteer-opportunities

*** National Rail-Trail of the month:

Trail of the Month: November 2011

Florida's Seminole-Wekiva Trail

When most people think of Orlando, they picture the Magic Kingdom. Disney World may be the magnet for most visitors to this central Florida metropolis, but if you're a trail enthusiast—or if you need an escape from Mickey and the gang—you'll find a wealth of rail-trails in the area worth exploring.

One of the most popular is the Seminole-Wekiva Trail, a 14-mile rail-trail north of town that not only offers a pleasant recreational outlet but provides a safe commuting route and a boost for the local economy—all while linking scenic areas and tracing part of the region's history.

A century before Disney World opened in 1971, central Florida was experiencing its first boom—as an important agricultural area. The removal of the state's Seminole Indian inhabitants and the end of the Civil War brought a wave of settlers to the area, drawn by its rich soil and warm climate. Citrus soon became the king of crops here, and growers needed fast, efficient means to move their harvests to markets.

In the 1880s, a Russian immigrant named Peter Demens took over a struggling, nascent railroad—the Orange Belt Railway—and laid tracks from Lake Monroe (north of Orlando) to the Gulf of Mexico. At the western end of the line, he helped establish a new seaport and named it after the city of his birth: St. Petersburg.

The 114-mile line was, at the time, one of the longest narrow-gauge railways in the world. Ownership of the railway changed hands several times during its early years, and subsequent owners converted the tracks to standard gauge. Trains continued to haul produce and passengers along these tracks until the 1970s, when the line finally succumbed to the rise of trucks and cars as the preferred means of shipping produce and tourists.

Thanks to the foresight and work of local citizens and government officials, sections of the former Orange Belt Railway have been turned into rail-trails during the past two decades. In the Orlando area, both the West Orange Trail and the Seminole-Wekiva lie on these historical tracks. These two rail-trails, together with the newer (and as yet incomplete) Cross Seminole Trail, form the backbone of the greater Orlando area's growing and increasingly interconnected multi-use pathways—a world-class resource often overshadowed by the region's heavily marketed theme parks.

The Seminole-Wekiva Trail—the name of which derives from both the native inhabitants and the nearby Wekiva River—travels through rural, residential and commercial areas as it passes through the communities of Altamonte Springs, Longwood, Lake Mary and Sanford. It also bisects a hi-tech corridor in Heathrow, with its office buildings, restaurants and hotels. By stitching together these living and working areas, the Seminole-Wekiva serves as an important transportation corridor for local residents, who take a majority of the 400,000 trips on this trail each year.

Despite its route through some heavily developed areas and its location in a sub-tropical climate, the trail manages to keep its cool, says Seminole County Greenways and Natural Lands Manager Bryan Nipe. “The majority of it is shaded with a canopy of trees, so in summer you can get out there when it's 100 degrees elsewhere. It provides a respite for people to get out and ride for health purposes or social or recreational purposes.”

The trail's proximity to the Wekiva River, a federally designated 'Wild and Scenic River,' also provides opportunities for viewing wildlife. “You'll see a pretty good variety of animals—deer, hawks, turkeys, eagles,” says Nipe. “I had a call the other day about a mother bear and her cubs crossing the trail—we've got a big population of black bears in the area, but they're pretty docile.”

In addition to this important aesthetic benefit, the trail provides a significant boost to the local economy, Nipe points out. As is nearly always the case with rail-trails, the Seminole-Wekiva has increased the value of existing properties adjacent to the trail. “We've also found that hotels tend to locate on or near the trail—because it allows their visitors to get out and exercise or walk to local restaurants or meeting spaces,” says Nipe.

It also has proven to be a lure for college teams that travel from northern states to hold soccer, softball, tennis and lacrosse tournaments in Florida, Nipe says. “One of the reasons we can outcompete neighboring counties and cities is that we have the trails,” he says. “It's a big draw—the folks visiting have the opportunity to get from parks located on trails back to their hotels without a vehicle.” These sports tournaments provide an annual $20 million boost to the local economy.

The Seminole-Wekiva has also helped pave the way for the development of other trails in the area, says Jorge Borrelli, a landscape architect and competitive cyclist who has lived in greater Orlando since 1987. “It was one of the first major trails in the county,” says Borrelli, whose firm helped design the path. “Now Seminole County is one of the leading counties in the state—if not the nation—in terms of trail development.”

Officials in Seminole County are working with their counterparts in other Orlando jurisdictions to link up various trails (including the Seminole-Wekiva) into a bicycle-and- pedestrian beltway of sorts: the 200-mile Central Florida Loop. “I'm excited about that and the momentum it's generated,” Borrelli says. “The main thing is to keep the funding coming and the vision of a statewide interconnected system alive.” Borrelli, an active equestrian, has a long history of partnering with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) on dozens of successful trail projects throughout the state, including such iconic trails as the Pinellas Trail and the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail.

Ironically, one of the main threats to future funding for both the Central Florida Loop and other rail-trail efforts around the country comes from this area: U.S. Representative John Mica, the congressman whose district includes Seminole County.

Rep. Mica, chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is pushing to eliminate dedicated federal investment in trails, biking and walking. As committee chair, Mica one of the most influential leaders in federal transportation policy, yet his positions are out of step with his constituents. In recent months, local officials throughout his district have passed 10 resolutions supporting federal funding for biking and walking.

“It's a shame that our one-time champion, Mr. Mica, has cast trails aside for partisan politics,” says Ken Bryan, Florida state director for RTC. “Despite this abandonment, local governments such as Seminole, Volusia and Orange counties are stepping up to the plate to make this amazing trail system happen. It will serve as an economic engine for the region and ensure as many people as possible can safely walk and bicycle around their communities.”

http://www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringFeatures/trailMonth/index.html

*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:

1.) Manager, Marketing, Yakima Products, Inc., Beaverton, OR

General Description: This position works closely with the Product Category Managers to develop and then manage the execution of critical trade and consumer go-to-market activities that support, improve and grow Yakima’s brand-reach and sell-through. This includes the creation and execution of the annual strategic marketing plan to deliver continuous improvement against key performance metrics. Areas include: PR, Social Media, advertising and media planning, strategic partnerships, consumer promotions, community building, retail training, marketing and merchandising. Other key aspects of this position contribute to achieving and sustaining the Yakima Strategic Business Plan and Initiatives, global competitive advantage, and profitable market growth strategy.

Scope & Responsibilities:

•Partner and collaborate with the Product Category Manager to create and execute the vision, strategy, and integration of critical go-to-market plans

•Develop and implement the annual marketing plan

•Develop, implement and administer the Seasonal Marketing Calendar

•Manage and grow the Yakima and Whispbar brands through the systematic application of consumer and trade marketing levers, including managing the design, development and implementations of: -Sales Support management: including trade shows, sales meetings, sell in tools -PR Strategy & Agency Management (Brand, Product, Corporate) -Social Media strategy and management: Facebook, twitter, You tube, brand blogs -Advertising and Media planning: Trade and consumer, including digital, print or other media vehicles -Strategic Partnership: strategy, relationship and planning -Community Building: non-profit sponsorships -Retail Marketing: Training, Merchandising, Support -Team Sponsorships/endorsements -Consumer promotions and collateral

•Responsible for budget administration and financial reporting

•Manage, coach and develop direct reports

Qualifications:

•College Education: BS or BA Degree from an accredited college/university in Business, Marketing or related field required

•MBA or MS/MA in a related field preferred

•Minimum five (5) years experience in brand marketing management or marketing communications managing Advertising (digital, print), Media planning, Social Media, PR, Retail marketing or merchandising, Strategic partnership and event execution

•3-5 years experience working closely with staff from Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, Product Development and Purchasing, completing and managing projects with minimal oversight and against aggressive timelines

•3-5 years experience in effectively prioritizing and managing work

•Previous knowledge and understanding of outdoor and automotive accessory industry preferred

•Written and Oral Skills: English mandatory

•Advanced knowledge of business computer applications (MS Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.) required

•Excellent leadership, management, and supervisory skills

•Ability to cooperatively interact and communicate well with inter-departmental personnel

•Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail

•Excellent verbal and written communication skills

•Demonstrate the ability to be flexible, accept new ideas and input positively, and be open to new work approaches and processes

•U.S. citizen or must possess valid INS Green Card

•Must possess a valid passport and ability to travel internationally without restrictions

•Must possess a valid U.S. driver’s license with no major violations within the last five (5) years

Physical Requirements:

•Able to sit and work at a computer keyboard for extended periods of time

•Able to perform general office and administrative duties: copying, filing, using a telephone, etc.

•Able to stoop, kneel, crouch, bend, at the waist and reach on a daily basis

•Able to safely lift and move up to 50 pounds occasionally

•Must be able to work overtime and/or weekends as required

•Travel as required: approximately 25% of time domestic and 10% international

•Must be able to travel domestically and/or internationally via commercial carrier

Compensation: DOE Comprehensive benefit package provided No paid relocation

To apply for this position please submit your resume and salary requirements to: MgrMktng@Yakima.com

http://careers.outdoorindustry.org/jobs#/detail/4547453

2.) Event Services Manager, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Missoula, Montana

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation seeks an experienced individual to coordinate all aspects of our National Convention and other divisional and localevents/meetings. Ideal candidate will possess excellent interpersonal, organizational, communication, and public relations skills. Ability to develop, administer, and achieve annual event budgets is critical. College graduate or equivalent experience preferred with a minimum of three years experience in the event planning industry required. Position located in Missoula, MT. Email cover letter and resume to jobs@rmef.org by 12/16. RMEF is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Job Summary:

The Event Services Manager is responsible for coordinating all aspects of RMEF’s non-BGB events including National, Divisional, and local events where requested. Specific examples include National Convention, Habitat Council, Board, State & Regional Chair, Field Staff meetings, and divisional fundraising receptions.

Essential Functions:

1. Responsible for overall direction, tone, and level of customer satisfaction for RMEF’s National Convention, other national and regional events, and meetings.

2. For the National Convention, this position is responsible for researching and corresponding with targeted cities to hold future events under the direction of the VP of Fundraising Services. This position is also responsible for the site selection of meetings and other events working closely with the appropriate staff members.

3. For the National Convention, work with ISE to facilitate and efficiently manage our partnership including scheduling conference calls and ensuring appropriate communication.

4. Help with booth sales, implement exhibitor seniority lists, exhibit hall floor plan, pricing strategy, exhibitor kit, and track donation credits for the National Convention and other events as necessary.

5. Develop, administer, and achieve annual budgets in coordination with the appropriate department for all events/meetings this position coordinates.

6. Work closely with each department on all logistics for events and meetings. This includes all travel arrangements, site selection, agendas, promotional materials, catering menus, room setups, equipment requirements, speaker/entertainment, cost control, and other logistics.

7. Maintain listing of RMEF events on the website when appropriate.

8. Solicit and analyze feedback from events, adjusting plans as needed.

9. Oversee registration process as appropriate including on-site registration for events.

10. Work with Marketing staff and other staff as necessary on advertising and promoting events through direct mail and media options.

11. Help plan, organize and direct the annual World Elk Calling Contest and other Elk Calling contests at events.

Supervision of Others:

This position may be responsible for supervising temporary support staff and volunteers who are assisting with an event.

Additional Responsibilities:

1. Solicit members to volunteer during the events as needed and coordinate activities.

2. Other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

College graduate (Marketing, Management, Business) or equivalent experience preferred. A minimum of 3 years experience in the event planning industry required. Experience should include scheduling and managing meetings and facilities.

Job Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

1.Knowledge of RMEF’s mission, goals, organizational structure, and activities.

2.Experience in negotiating with hotels and convention centers. Basic knowledge of contracts and legal requirements involved in contracts.

3.Strong interpersonal skills and professionalism with the ability to work constructively with a wide variety of entities.

4.Ability to effectively lead volunteers and staff providing direction and motivation.

5.Ability to establish and fulfill long-term goals, to develop and implement programs that are cohesive, progressive, and that are mission oriented.

6.Ability to develop and manage a budget. Fiscal responsibility.

7.Must have the ability to be creative and initiate positive change.

8.Strong written and verbal communication skills are necessary. Must also be well versed at public speaking.

9.Knowledge of department regulations and policies and other office procedures.

10. Excellent computer knowledge of Microsoft Office and some data base experience.

11. Ability to organize and prioritize numerous tasks and complete them under time constraints, working at a fast pace and remaining accurate. Ability to work at a high level of mental effort when performing various tasks.

12. Ability to be flexible with changing priorities and to handle stressful situations in a constructive fashion.

13.Demonstrate professionalism and a positive approach to work.

14. Ability to provide excellent customer service and constructively resolve customer complaints.

Physical Demands:

The employee must sit or stand for long periods of time; use a computer terminal; reach forward and to the side; bend from both standing and sitting position; life items weighing various pounds including some heavy lifting. This position requires substantial travel and at times for an extended period. Work will occasionally require more than the standard number of hours per week to perform essential duties of the position and require occasional irregular hours both during the week and on weekends.

The above is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for the performance of the job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities or requirements.

APPLY FOR THIS JOB

Email Address: jobs@rmef.org

http://jobs.prnewsonline.com/c/job.cfm?vnet=0&site%5Fid=1691&jb=9075690

3.) Outdoor School – Market Outreach Specialist, REI, Various locations

Job Description:

work hard to earn our reputation for quality and integrity every day. Our commitment remains the same as when we started out in 1938: to inspire, educate and outfit for a lifetime of outdoor adventure. Combine your passion with your work! Inspire, lead, and educate!

Join our Outdoor Programs & Outreach team where you will find supportive leadership, a committed staff and an engaging work culture.

THE JOB:

The primary function of the Market Outreach Specialist (MOS) is to coordinate multi-store-market educational, volunteer and event programming to ensure effective communication of these programs to customers and staff. The Market Outreach Specialists works closely with individual store Outreach Specialists and Outdoor School staff to coordinate resources, schedules and communication requirements. Specific responsibilities include:

• Align with and support the annual Outdoor Programs & Outreach Plan

• Schedule the multi-store market in-store classes and presentation calendar

• Oversee the Pinnacle spreadsheet and market Outlook calendar to track all stores classes and presentations

• Produce the market Pinnacle flier

• Input REI-led educational classes and outings into the Event Registration

• Ensure that other store level presentations or content is posted by individual stores

• Take lead in monitoring and posting on market level Facebook and Twitter accounts ensuring quality content and timely response to customer postings

• Develops and/or coordinates market speaker series or other store tours

• Send class and event information to calendar listings for local newspapers, outdoors related websites and other social media outlets.

• Support store Outreach Specialists efforts to promote Outdoor Programs and Outreach programming with templates, tools or other resources.

• Coordinate market events in partnership with store Outreach Specialists including sponsorship agreements to ensure timely completion of commitments

• Coordinate with Store Teams to schedule staff and other resources for market events

• Compile and edit Monthly Report content and communicate recaps/updates/highlights to Store Teams on a consistent basis

• Support Market Manager/DOEA as needed

• Create printed materials for Outdoor School offerings and distribute to stores

Qualifications:

THE REQUIREMENTS:

• Professional level communication skills, including excellent writing, editing and social media communication skills

• Experience working with non-profits and/or community groups

• Ability to meet multiple deadlines, set appropriate priorities and coordinate multiple projects within a team environment

• Enthusiasm and self-motivation a must; passion for retail

• Must have access to reliable transportation for on-site and off-site work

• Flexibility in schedule, includes: evening and weekend hours as well as travel to other stores and off-site events

• Mid-level PC skills: Word, Excel, Outlook, Sharepoint, Publisher

• Retail store experience, event organizing and a history with coordinating volunteer efforts a plus

THE PERKS:

At REI, we understand that benefits matter – we offer a competitive offering which includes:

• Comprehensive health and well-being programs

• A competitive bonus/ incentive program

• REI Retirement Plan

• Generous gear and merchandise discount

• Paid time off

• Professional growth and development opportunities

AND

A work environment where RESPECT, INTEGRITY, and BALANCE are just a few of our fundamental values!

REI is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

https://www.rei.apply2jobs.com/HVExt/index.cfm?fuseaction=mHvexternal.showPositionDetails&PID=107

4.) VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS, The Atlantic City Alliance, Atlantic City, NJ

The Atlantic City Alliance has an outstanding opportunity for an experienced, media-savvy professional to assume the role of Vice President, Communications. In this key position, you will work with the President and VP, Marketing to assist in developing a strategy for creating and executing a national and regional media relations program for the ACA with the goal of publicizing Atlantic City as a premiere travel destination to the international, domestic trade and lifestyle media.

Responsibilities include:

•Leading core communications activities to include brand communications, reputation management, media relations, issues management and speech writing.

•Identify, develop and communicate the Atlantic City story and the supporting initiatives, events, programs and key messages to multiple audiences

•Serve as an official spokesperson for ACA.

•Provide communications counsel to senior management, helping to enhance ACA’s success by applying proactive and reactive communications strategy, including crisis communications.

•Plan overall media relations support, including oversight of press outreach, media events, media calls, collateral, crisis communications support and press material development.

•Create PR programs that positively position the ACA and align closely with marketing campaigns, using communications tools and practices, to reinforce the ACA message.

•Initiate and maintain ongoing dialogue with the media to educate them on positive elements of Atlantic City and to garner additional interest.

•Provide executive and internal communications support, including the preparation of speeches, presentations and internal messages, as needed.

•Manage communications programs within budget objectives.

We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package to include medical, dental, vision, disability, sick and vacation leave, and a 401k plan.

ACA is an equal opportunity employer.

Requirements

Essential Qualifications:

•Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations or related field with at least 12 years field experience- ideally a mix of corporate and agency.

•Experience working with executive leadership to formulate a strategic position and to develop a supporting, integrated communications platform.

•Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to articulate clearly to multiple constituencies with diverse perspectives.

•Strong organizational skills and ability to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines, including management of support resources.

•Proven media relations skills and relationships with top tier media; ability to garner new relationships with leisure and business specific media.

•Ability to integrate PR programs to support marketing goals and programs; able to perform within an integrated team environment.

•A quick thinker, able to lead in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities

•Able to take a positive team approach to working with industry and government partners.

http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?job_did=J3G7S86KS1QR1PTXCF6

5.) Graphic Designer, AmericanRec, Boulder, Colorado

http://careers.outdoorindustry.org/jobs#/detail/4541205

6.) Instructor Positions, Ocala Outdoor Adventure Camp, Silver Springs, FL

http://www.ocalaadventurecamp.com/Download.html

7.) Director, Institute at the Golden Gate, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Sausalito, California

http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=360200020

8.) n Counselor, Camp Vega, Echo Lake, Fayette, Maine

http://campvega.com/staff/

9.) California State Director, American Conservation Experience, Santa Cruz, CA

American Conservation Experience, a Non-Profit conservation corps with growing nationwide operations, is seeking a Director for our California state branch located in Santa Cruz.

Summary:

ACE is a dynamic organization with the reputation for providing crews to safely and economically accomplish technically complex and physically demanding conservation and restoration projects for the National Park Service, US Forest Service, BLM, USFWS, and numerous state and local land management partners. Recognizing ever increasing agency need for skilled labor crews combined with growing federal and state mandates for youth engagement, ACE’s Board of Directors supports a policy of programmatic expansion in California. ACE’s leadership team is seeking a State Director with the ability to sustain our current excellence of operations while embracing a strategy of systematic growth, including the development of a second base of operations in CA.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will possess a unique combination of attributes, including substantial management background in either the non-profit or for-profit sector, experience overseeing fiscal policy and budgeting for a large scale organization, a track record of developing successful partnerships, experience working with young adult staff and volunteers, proven ability to generate and sustain a culture of programmatic pride, confidence to bring new ideas to the table and to convincingly express them verbally and in writing, and a history of working cooperatively as a member of a broader management team.

In order to maintain ACE’s reputation for quality work, and to avoid diluting our skill base in favor of programmatic expansion, we wish to recruit a State Director who also possesses a strong foundation of field skills in some combination of trail work, habitat restoration, and/or fuels reduction. While the position is not field-based, ACE strongly believes that staff at all levels of management should be capable of guiding field activities, conducting site visits from a knowledgeable perspective, and imparting high standards to ACE’s field staff.

Specific job duties include:

1) Outreach to local, state, and federal land management agencies and other conservation-minded organizations. Confidence and ability to solicit project opportunities by introducing ACE’s offerings to numerous new prospective partners statewide.

2) Preparing and delivering powerpoint presentations.

3) Grant and proposal writing.

4) Overseeing the effecting implementation of ACE’s AmeriCorps grant through California Volunteers.

5) Supervising/or hiring managerial staff, including ACE California’s Director of Operations, Operations Manager, AmeriCorps Program Manager, Skills Trainers, Volunteer Coordinator, Recruitment Coordinator and future positions as they are generated through expansion.

6) Development of a marketing and outreach campaign for ACE CA, including writing a quarterly newsletter managing web content, and creating a strategy to enhance alumni relations.

7) Preparing accomplishment and data collection reports.

Drug users, including recreational smokers of marijuana, should not consider applying as ACE reserves the right to require drug testing and detests the presence of drug users or proponents of any unhealthy lifestyle in our youth development program. Applicants must have a clean driving record and be willing to submit to background checks.

Start Date: First quarter of 2012 with some flexibility for exact timing.

Length of Commitment: This is considered a career opportunity with a minimum anticipated commitment of 3 – 5 years.

Salary: $48,000 – $60,000 base salary DOE, with potential for performance-based end of year bonuses of up to 20 percent of annual salary. Full benefits start after six months, including health insurance, dental insurance, two weeks paid annual vacation, and sick leave.

Hours: Flexible. ACE Directors set their own schedules in accordance with their management objectives.

Application Deadline: December 1, 2011. Please note that ACE will schedule interviews and may make a selection prior to the application deadline, so please submit your materials as you prepare them.

Application Process: There is no official application form, but please submit the following by email:

1) a detailed resume including three professional references.

2) an introduction letter expressing how a career position as ACE’s California State Director would align with your perspectives and experiences in conservation and youth development.

3) a secondary writing sample such as a previous grant proposal, a position statement/white paper, a newsletter, an excerpt from an academic thesis, etc.

As expressions of interest are received, ACE’s Executive Director will review each packet and schedule an initial round of interviews in Santa Cruz. The leading candidates after the first round of interviews will be invited to Flagstaff, AZ to meet with ACE’s Board of Directors before a final selection is made.

To Apply: Please email your application materials to Chris Baker: cbaker@usaconservation.org with “California State Director” in the subject line.

http://usaconservation.org/Home/positions.html

10.) Archery Promotions Coordinator, Easton Technical Products, Salt Lake City, Utah

http://careers.outdoorindustry.org/jobs#/detail/4529168

11.) Program Officer, Western Pacific Coastal and Marine Conservation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Los Altos, California

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation is seeking an exceptional individual to lead its Western Pacific subprogram. The Program Officer will manage a grant budget of $4 million and lead the design and implementation of the subprogram’s grantmaking strategy. This position will work closely with grantees to achieve strategic policy and programmatic outcomes in the Western Pacific region. In 2012, this position will also play a crucial role in developing a new, five-year strategy for the subprogram. The Program Officer will report to Dr. Walter Reid, Program Director, Conservation and Science Program, and will work closely with a Program Associate and a consultant based in or near the Western Pacific. This is an excellent opportunity for a professional with regional expertise and a desire to work at the interface of conservation, community development, and policy.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

The Program Officer – Western Pacific Coastal and Marine Conservation will perform the following and other duties as assigned:

Manage a grant budget of approximately $4 million, ensuring effective allocation of resources to grantees in the Western Pacific region.

In partnership with Foundation staff and other organizations, lead the design of the subprogram’s five-year grantmaking strategy.

Empower and enable grant recipients to achieve real impact through specific policy and programmatic objectives.

Manage two subprogram staff, providing guidance and coordination on all work products.

Clearly and consistently communicate with grant recipients and other potential partners in a transparent, timely, and respectful manner.

Review and resolve legal, financial, and technical issues raised by specific grants and grant reports.

Complete high quality docket materials, including strategy documents, dashboards, etc.

Think strategically and manage complex processes involving multiple institutions and individuals in a team arrangement.

Manage grant proposal processes and contribute to the shaping of proposals as needed.

Research and conduct analyses in areas of strategic priority.

Develop reviews and summaries for Foundation leadership and board members that address key activities, progress, and issues.

Contribute actively as a member of the Conservation and Science program team.

Represent the Foundation and the Conservation and Science program to external audiences.

Professional Qualifications

The successful candidate will have the following minimum qualifications:

5–10 years of relevant experience

A graduate level degree in a related field (or equivalent experience)

Recognition as a sustainable development and/or conservation leader

International experience including significant experience in the Western Pacific and/or Southeast Asia

Familiarity with key NGO, academic, and governmental institutions involved with coastal and marine issues in the Western Pacific region

Experience working with a variety of stakeholders, including NGOs, government agencies, and the business sector

Demonstrated success in program development, evaluation, and management

Staff management experience, with the ability to motivate and inspire team members

Intellectual agility and ability to analyze, conduct research, think critically, and understand scientific and policy studies that are directly relevant to programmatic funding areas

Exceptional written and oral communication skills

Ability and willingness to participate in and coordinate administrative duties as required

Experience with grantmaking desirable but not necessary

Fluency in Bahasa Indonesia desirable but not necessary

Personal Attributes

The following personal attributes are desired:

Approachable demeanor, and openness to input from all levels of staff and grantees

Excellent interpersonal skills, including an ability to listen to others and learn from their best ideas

Impeccable integrity and trustworthiness, sense of humor, and diplomatic approach to problem-solving

Ability to work effectively in a team setting

Willingness to work on a flexible schedule, including travel within the U.S. and abroad over weekends when necessary

Compensation and Benefits

The Packard Foundation offers an excellent benefits package and a competitive salary that is commensurate with experience. This position will be located in Los Altos, California.

Application Instructions

To be considered for this position, interested candidates must follow the link below to submit a resume, cover letter, and salary requirements. CEA Recruiting is assisting the Packard Foundation with this search. Please direct all applications and inquiries to CEA Recruiting. This position will remain open until filled.

http://www.ceaconsulting.com/what/position_details.aspx?client=CEA&jobId=173

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes a diverse candidate pool for this search. The Foundation uses an outside firm to check the accuracy of information supplied by applicants.

CEA Recruiting works with leading environmental nonprofits, foundations, and businesses to recruit top talent and design effective organizational staffing strategies. For more information, visit www.cearecruiting.com.

http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=360200021

*** Send your job opportunities to share with the YVNS network to lundquist989@cs.com.

*** Your Very Next Step is a service of the Job of the Week Network LLC

© 2011 The Job of the Week Network LLC

Edward Lundquist, ABC -

Editor and Publisher

Your Very Next Step

7813 Richfield Road

Springfield, VA 22153

Home office phone: (703) 455-7661

lundquist989@cs.com

www.nedsjotw.com

By Ned Lundquist

www.yourverynextstep.com

“Remember in your life there will be lots of circumstances that will need a kind of

courage, a kind of decision

-Magda Trocme

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

- Lao Tzu

“Your Very Next Step” newsletter, published by Ned Lundquist, is a cooperative community, and everyone is invited, no…encouraged, no…urged to participate.

Subscribe for free. Send a blank email to:

yourverynextstep-subscribe@topica.com.

Send us your comments, questions, and contributions to lundquist989@cs.com.

You are now among 655 subscribers.

Contact Ned at lundquist989@cs.com.

*** In this issue:

*** Where was YVNS?

*** Travel news

*** National Wildlife Federation’s Hike & Seek

*** Use your HHonors points to be certified by the Red Cross

*** Leaf Peeping Across America: A Coast-to-Coast Guide

*** Virginia Co-op Extension Fall Forestry & Wildlife Field Tours

*** The Wisconsin Cheese Trail is a Pretty Sharp Idea—Ha!

*** Over the hump down under: Hervey Bay, Australia

*** Mike Rowe takes a hike:

*** Leaf peeping

*** Tree Identification Using a Tree Leaf Key

*** The Colors of Cape Cod

*** Ned's favorite — or shall I say most memorable — hikes: Cilley’s Cave

*** National Scenic Byways

*** Aurora Borealis

*** A Vespa tour in Rome?

*** International Year of Forests

*** Hawk Migration Approaching Peak in September – October

*** Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail

*** The Skytrax Top 10 Airports

*** Trail / Outdoor / Conservation volunteer opportunities:

1.) Valley Forge NHP Crayfish Corps Volunteer, Valley Forge National Historical Park, King of Prussia, PA

2.) “Share the Beach” Volunteer Program

3.) Adopt-a-Nest

4.) Blue Sky Fund – We love volunteers!

5.) VDGIF Complementary Work Force Program

6.) Volunteer Opportunities, Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, Homer, AK

7.) Habitat Steward Host, National Wildlife Federation

*** National Rail-Trail of the month:

Trail of the Month: October 2011

New York City's High Line

*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:

1.) Online Editorial Manager, Marketing-Online, National Wildlife Federation, Reston, VA

2.) Marine Conservation Warden, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Marinette County, WI

3.) Marketing and Communications Director, The Outdoor Foundation, Washington, DC

…and much more…and it’s all FREE!!!

*** Do you have a travel adventure to share?

Send me your stories and I’ll post in the “Your Very Next Step” and on the YVNS website (http://www.yourverynextstep.com/).

*** Missed YVNS? I hope so. My hard drive crashed on July 1, hours before I left for Turkey and Italy. I was, to use the form Latin, screwed. I am just no “recovering,” and getting YVNS back on track, into production, and into my inbox has been my number one, okay number two priority, or maybe right up there with my other very top most priorities. Whatever, I’m back. Literally and figuratively. Since the last issue of YVNS was posted (and a lot of good stuff in your July issue was lost forever), I had some great stuff to tell you about my trip to Izmir Turkey with young people from NYC, Long Beach and Murfreesboro, Tennessee; my trip to La Spezia, Italy and my hotel in Lerici; , my night in Istanbul; my trip to Los Angeles during Carmageddon; San Diego and Robo-Sub; my vacation on the cape and our day jaunt to Nantucket; 106 degrees at 7:15 p.m. in Memphis; the Lion King in London; the fall weather in Hamburg; walking on the beach at Waikiki. I probably left a lot out.

So, now I’m back. I do hope you will help me prime the pump and contribute some travel news, and interesting vacation experience, a little know geography fact, or something.

*** Here’s the YVNS Travel News for October:

*** Hike & Seek

By the time most children go to kindergarten, they have spent more than 5,000 hours in front of a television–enough time to earn a college degree. Today’s kids have far more hands-on experience with the remote than they ever do with plants or animals living right outside their doors.

Join National Wildlife Federation’s Hike & Seek and help change that. Hike and Seek is a fun and educational event that lets children reach out and touch nature and raises much-needed funds for NWF programs that help get kids back outdoors where they belong and back on track for a healthier, happier life. Join us for an engaging experience where children are presented with live wildlife displays, fun games, and all the beauty nature has to offer!

[Note: The local Hike & Seek adventure for the Washington, D.C. area will be at Seneca Creek State Park on Saturday, October 22, 2011. Start time 9:00 a.m. ]

Register for Hike & Seek today and receive a link to your personal online Participant Center to start planning your Hike & Seek adventure. Through your Participant Center, you will get access to games and resources that will help make your Saturday morning outdoors unforgettable, as well as the opportunity to support the mission and fundraise.

Go online and register today at www.hikeandseek.org.

Sincerely,

Karoline Hurd

Senior Manager, Special Events

hike@nwf.org

www.hikeandseek.org

(800) 882-9919

P.S.: Calling all volunteers! If you are unable to register for your local event, you can still have fun and help make Hike & Seek the best ever by volunteering at this year's event.

http://online.nwf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=hikeandseek_home

*** Use your HHonors points to be certified by the Red Cross

Hilton HHonors™ has partnered with the American Red Cross to provide a special opportunity for HHonors members to enroll in a First Aid/CPR/AED Adult & Pediatric training course.

https://american.redcross.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=ntld_corpmicrosite&s_company=hhonors-pub&JServSessionIdr004=laulmjy181.app294a

*** Leaf Peeping Across America: A Coast-to-Coast Guide

Grab your camera, spare memory cards, and load the car — it's leaf-peeping season from coast to coast. From Vermont to the Pacific Northwest, use this guide to see some of the best fall foliage across the U.S.

http://www.frommers.com/slideshow/?group=661

*** Virginia Co-op Extension Fall Forestry & Wildlife Field Tours Washington County – for info Bill Worrell – bworrell@vt.edu (276) 889-8056

*** The Wisconsin Cheese Trail is a Pretty Sharp Idea—Ha!

http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/9/22/8422/56606/travel/The+Wisconsin+Cheese+Trail+is+a+Pretty+Sharp+Idea%97Ha%21

*** Over the hump down under:

Hervey Bay, Australia, is a splash of activity right now with the highest numbers of Humpback whales in 25 years taking time out to play and teach their new young the moves. With whale watching boats operating into mid-November, there's still time to have an incredible close encounter, with tours taking place daily from Hervey Bay.

http://www.herveybaywhalewatch.com.au/

http://www.discoverherveybay.com/

http://www.whalewatching.com.au/

*** Mike Rowe takes a hike:

American Hiker magazine had the chance to interview Mike Rowe, the creator and host of Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs, to get his take on hiking and the outdoors, including his salute to trail volunteers.

http://www.mikeroweworks.com/2011/09/american-hiking/

*** Leaf peeping

The Forest Service's fall foliage color phone hotline – 1-800-354-4595 – for the 2011 autumn leaf viewing season is now open. The free hotline provides national forest visitors weekly updates on fall foliage color changes throughout the nation. Much of the same information is available at the Forest Service's web site called the Fall Foliage Hotline.

Callers will be greeted with an automated voice system and can hear weekly updates on peak color in different regions of the country. You can actually follow the fall foliage color wave as it moves across North America.

The Forest Service manages 133,087 miles of recreational trails and 136 scenic byways which guide visitors along scenic corridors to witness this natural phenomenon. Statistics show an estimated 350 million visits annually to national forests, grasslands and prairies.

http://www.fs.fed.us/fallcolors/

http://forestry.about.com/cs/fallcolor/a/fallwave.htm

*** Tree Identification Using a Tree Leaf Key

A Quick and Easy Way to Identify 50 Common North American Trees

http://forestry.about.com/od/treeidentification/tp/tree_key_id_start.htm

*** The Colors of Cape Cod

Six short hikes with unusual fall foliage

By John Burk

AMC Outdoors, October 2011

http://www.outdoors.org/publications/outdoors/web/foliage-colors-of-cape-cod.cfm?utm_source=amcoo&utm_medium=email&utm_content=subjectline1&utm_campaign=octamcootest2

*** Ned's favorite — or shall I say most memorable — hikes:

The Back 80, Cilley’s Cave and Firescrew up Mt. Cardigan

Distance: 7.6 miles round-trip (5.0 miles to Cardigan via Back 80 and Mowglis Trails, with 2.6 miles via Clark, Cathedral Forest, and Holt Trails to return to AMC Cardigan Lodge)

Difficulty: moderate elevation gain (1500 feet); also, some rough footing the final 20 yards to Cilley's Cave

Why do I remember this? Well, there was the cave, to be sure. And a beautiful summit. But what I remember most is the fact that I hiked this with a few of my friends in the snow, and two pairs of snow shoes for at least five of us.

http://cardiganmountaintrails.blogspot.com/2009/07/back-80-cilleys-cave-and-firescrew.html

*** National Scenic Byways

Get information about enjoying the fall colors by driving or biking along some of the nation’s most beautiful roads.

http://byways.org/

http://byways.org/explore/byways

*** Aurora Borealis:

This presentation provides an estimate of the location, extent, and intensity of aurora on a global basis. For example, the presentation gives a guide to the possibility that the aurora is located near a given location in the northern hemisphere under the conditions that existed at the time of the most recent polar satellite pass.

http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/pmap/pmapN.html

Seeing the auroral display is at the top of my bucket list.

*** A Vespa tour in Rome?

http://en.roma.waf.it/tour_dett/8-on-wheels-tours/7459-rome-by-vespa.html

*** International Year of Forests

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2011 the International Year of Forests. IYOF is a global platform to celebrate people’s actions to sustainably manage the world’s trees and forests. Some objectives are to reverse loss of forest cover and to enhance economic, social and environmental benefits.

The “Celebrate Forests. Celebrate Life.” campaign is the official U.S. celebration. Coordinated by the NASF in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. celebration aims to elevate awareness and understanding of the value of America’s forests and showcase the connections between healthy forests, people, ecosystems and economies.

http://www.celebrateforests.com/

*** Hawk Migration Approaching Peak in September – October

The annual fall hawk migration is once again upon us. The migration begins in early September and lasts through November with peak numbers from late September to mid-October. During this time, thousands of raptors leave their breeding grounds and make their way south to their wintering grounds. Most follow geographical features such as mountain ranges and coastlines. Raptors take advantage of updrafts along mountain ranges and rising thermals along coastal areas, allowing them to travel great distances while reducing their energy expenditure,” according to VDGIF Wildlife Biologist Steve Living. Hawk watch sites are set up throughout the Commonwealth to view and count the migrating raptors. Raptor species that can be viewed from these platforms include Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper's Hawks, Northern Goshawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, Broad-winged Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, American Kestrels, Merlins, Peregrine Falcons, Northern Harriers, Osprey, Bald Eagles, and Golden Eagles. Black and Turkey Vultures are usually counted at these sites as well.

http://www.hmana.org/watches.php?stateprov=Virginia&country=USA

*** From The Virginia Outdoor Report:

Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail

Discover Our Wild Side: Order a Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail Guide!

From the Atlantic Ocean on Virginia's eastern border, to the towering Mt. Rogers at its southwest corner, the Commonwealth includes every bird and animal habitat that occurs naturally between Maine and Florida. The state also offers a long history, rich culture, and tradition of warm hospitality to welcome visitors.

Within Virginia's 43,000 square miles of diverse natural habitat, you can find some 400 species of birds, 250 species of fish, 150 species of terrestrial and marine mammals, 150 species of amphibians and reptiles, and a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates. The Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail celebrates this diversity. In fact, it is the first statewide program of its kind in the United States. In Virginia, three phases of the trail link wildlife viewing sites throughout the state.

Coastal Trail (http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/vbwt/trail.asp?trail=1)

The Coastal Area was the first to be developed. It features untouched barrier islands, cypress swamps, great stands of pine forest, and bayside salt marshes. Here are 18 trail loops for you to explore. Be on the lookout for birds, butterflies, snakes, turtles, dragonflies, and more.

Mountain Trail (http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/vbwt/trail.asp?trail=2)

The Mountain Phase was the second phase to be developed. It features expansive mountain vistas, endless forest trails, large inland reservoirs and a taste of the western Piedmont. Here are 34 loops for you to explore. Now don't forget your binoculars!

Piedmont Trail (http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/vbwt/trail.asp?trail=3)

Completing the first statewide birding and wildlife trail in the U.S., the Piedmont Area offers 13 loops. The Piedmont area includes expansive grasslands, large forested tracts, pineland savannahs, several large reservoirs, and an abundance of rich history and culture!

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/vbwt/

*** The Skytrax Top 10 Airports

The 2011 World Airport Awards were recently announced by Skytrax, the world's largest airline and airport review site. The awards were based on a customer survey that attracted more than 11.38 million participants. Here are the ten best airports in the world along with a great story for each destination:

http://www.successfulmeetings.com/Event-Planning/SM-Top-10/Articles/The-Top-10-Airports/

*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:

1.) Valley Forge NHP Crayfish Corps Volunteer, Valley Forge National Historical Park, King of Prussia, PA

Applications will be accepted again starting March 1, 2012. Please apply at that time.

Job Description:

Join the Crayfish Corps! Help Valley Forge National Historical Park preserve our native crayfish, and contribute to the overall health and biodiversity of our streams.

Volunteers will assist the staff from Natural Resource Management (NRM) in the capture and return of native crayfish species, and removal of invasive, non-native crayfish species from select waterways in the park (e.g. Valley Creek). Removal will occur using using dip nets, and possibly various trapping devices. Target species for removal is the rusty crayfish. The rusty crayfish is an aggressive non-native invasive species that threatens to out-compete and extirpate the two native crayfish species found in Valley Forge NHP.

Experienced volunteers may be asked to assist NRM staff on volunteer days to serve as crew leaders for other volunteer groups and to participate in activities related to education of the public regarding the need for control of invasive species in units of the National Park System.

Volunteers are not required to use their vehicle, but may assist in shuttling other volunteers if they agree to do so. Volunteers may be required to ride in a government vehicle to get to the work site.

If there is thunder or lightning, or if the water level is too high, the event will be cancelled.

Equipment:

• Equipment (e.g. gloves, nets, traps, datasheets) will be provided by NRM staff. We will provide hip boots (some sizes may be limited) and nets, but bring your own if you have them. Felt waders are not allowed. You may also prefer to wear shorts and old sneakers or water shoes, instead of waders (note, the water will be cold for the April sessions, possibly into May). Water, sunscreen, a walking stick, and a hat are recommended.

• NRM staff will meet with and provide training on species identification and control methods.

Qualifications:

• Ability to work independently andfollow directions.

• Ability to work outdoors and on rough terrain such as the stream bottom.

• Ability to work in water.

• Ability to learn to identify target crayfish species and to learn common control methods.

Currently we have the following session available, from 9-noon :

Saturday September 24, Time TBA, part of National Public Lands Day

Please sign up with Kate (see below) via e-mail or telephone if you are planning to attend any of these sessions for work day details, even if you fill out the online application.

Minimum number of participants is three, otherwise the session may be cancelled.

Maximum number of participants for each session is 15, so sign up early!

If you can’t participate on Saturdays, please indicate this on the application or let me know by e-mail or phone. We will schedule groups by appointment during the week, and can add interested individuals to those sessions or to our regular youth crews.

Volunteer Manager

Ernestine M. White

ernestine_white@nps.gov

610.733.5384

Project Coordinator

Kate Jensen

Ecologist

kate_jensen@nps.gov

610.783.0257

http://www.volunteer.gov/gov/results.cfm?ID=8933

2.) “Share the Beach” Volunteer Program

Hundreds of volunteers take time to “Share the Beach” with threatened and endangered sea turtles each year. From searching for nests and assisting in hatchling success to public education, to talks to school groups, these volunteers are making a difference in the future of Alabama's sea turtles and Alabama's coastal ecosystem.

If you have the time, the turtles need you! Each year hundreds of volunteers take their turn at patrolling an assigned stretch of beach, being available for late-night nest-sitting when hatching time is near, or just helping keep supplies and equipment ready.

If you'd like to learn more about “Share the Beach,” the sea turtle nesting season, and what you can do to help, contact us by adopt1@alabamaseaturtles.com or by calling 251-965-NEST.

Download the Alabama Sea Turtle Conservation Manual. This manual was developed as a user-friendly guide to assist sea turtle volunteers and to ensure that consistent methods are incorporated into team training sessions across the Alabama coast. While this guide should not substitute for training on the beach, it will hopefully be a resource that both volunteers and Team Leaders will find useful as a reference. In addition, this manual will be considered U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protocol that must be followed by all volunteers under the federal endangered species recovery permit held by Share the Beach.

http://www.alabamaseaturtles.com/volunteering/

3.) Adopt-a-Nest:

Adopting a nest is a fun and educational way to show your support. Many parents and grandparents use it as a chance to show our young people the importance of the balance of nature and how they can have a positive impact by becoming involved. All adopting sponsors receive a certificate and important information about their nests, along with a final report on the overall season.

http://www.alabamaseaturtles.com/adopt-a-nest/

4.) Blue Sky Fund – We love volunteers!

If you are interested in contributing your time or resources, please contact us so we can find a match between our needs and your interests!

Some general opportunities:

Help lead an outdoor expedition (hiking, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, backpacking, etc.)

Provide a meal for one of our expeditions

Provide transportation for a program event or camperships

Item Donation: hiking boots, fishing poles, backpacks, camping gear, life jackets, etc.

Offer event planning assistance

Specific Programs:

Explorers- meets regularly throughout the school week (see calendar for dates) and needs volunteers to assist 3rd graders through various outdoor science education activities.

Outward Bound Together- meets twice every month, one weeknight for two hours and one Saturday. OBT needs committed mentors to work with small crew of 10-12 9th and 10th graders to help guide them through their program experience (see program descriptions for more details).

Adventuring- meets every wednesday after school at various sites. Working closely with Churchill Activities and Tutoring, Adventuring always needs volunteers to work with youth in various outdoor activities (hiking, rock climbing, fishing, biking, etc)

Church Hill Games- May 21st, this annual event needs 120 volunteers for everything from teaching sports, assisting children 5-13, taking pictures, serving lunch, etc.

If you are interested just contact our Director of Operations at cat@blueskyfund.org to volunteer!

If you have already contacted one of us, please click here to complete our background check ($15) so we can plug you in ASAP!

http://www.blueskyfund.org/kids/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21&Itemid=33

5.) VDGIF Complementary Work Force Program

Mission Forward, Mission Minded

If you answer “yes” to the following questions, you are ready to become part of the volunteer team at the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries!

Do you love the outdoors?

Do you want to give back to Virginia's wildlife and fisheries resources?

Do you enjoy new challenges and want to share your interests with others?

Do you want to make a difference?

Help our conservation police officers, biologists, and other professional staff at VDGIF, fulfill our mission to manage the Commonwealth's wildlife and inland fish resources, promote safety, and provide opportunities for all to enjoy wildlife, fish, boating and related outdoor recreation.

We now have opportunities for the public to join us as volunteers in our new Complementary Work Force Program. If you are interested in devoting your time and talents, you can apply here, or contact our Volunteer Coordinator for more information and an application.

Estella Randolph, VDGIF Volunteer Administrator

VDGIF Complementary Work Force Program

P.O. 11104

Richmond, VA 23230

For further information, contact Estella Randolph at (804) 367-4331 or by email at estella.randolph@dgif.virginia.gov

6.) Volunteer Opportunities, Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, Homer, AK

Volunteers have contributed thousands of hours of their time and expertise to the work of the Alaska Maritime Refuge.

Samples of volunteer work

•Educate the visiting public and school children at the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center in Homer.

•Three months on a remote Aleutian island documenting the numbers and variety of seabirds.

•Collect fish samples and oceanographic data for studies of the marine environment aboard the refuge's research vessel, the M/V Tiglax.

•Maintain equipment and facilities at field stations on Adak Island and in the Pribilof Islands.

How to Volunteer

Biology volunteers

Please send a resume and a cover letter indicating the kind of positions you are interested in and any special skills you have such as bird surveys, isolated field camps and/or skiff and outboard operation, by e-mail (best option) or mail to the Alaska Maritime Refuge, 95 Sterling Highway, Suite 1, Homer, AK 99603.

Visitor Center Volunteers

To work in the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center in Homer, e-mail or write to the address above. Include your area(s) of interest, availability, and any special skills you'd like us to know about.

Benefits

Volunteer stipends and travel expenses vary by the position. Generally, full time biology volunteers receive travel to Alaska and food and housing in the field. Visitor center volunteers who arrive by RV, do not receive travel but do receive a trailer site and daily stipend. Volunteers are covered by the federal workmen's compensation program in case of an injury or accident while on duty.

Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge

Kachemak Bay Research Reserve

95 Sterling Highway, Suite 1

Homer, AK 99603

907.235.6961

info@islandsandocean.org

http://alaska.fws.gov/nwr/akmar/workwithus.htm

7.) Habitat Steward Host, National Wildlife Federation

If you like to train and inspire others, this is the volunteer job for you! You organize and host a Habitat Stewards training (see above) and then mentor your Stewards during their first year. You don’t need to be a habitat expert, but must be able to facilitate the training and pull together guest speakers and other resources. Training is done by a correspondence course run by NWF, and it lasts about three months.

https://ec.volunteernow.com/recruiter/index.php?class=VolunteerRegistration&recruiterID=1277

http://www.nwf.org/Volunteer/Find-Opportunities.aspx

*** National Rail-Trail of the month:

Trail of the Month: October 2011

New York City's High Line

It's been hailed as the “miracle above Manhattan”—an unused and decaying stretch of elevated tracks in the Chelsea neighborhood that was rescued from near-certain demolition and transformed into one of the city's most popular and celebrated public spaces.

It took nearly a decade of work—battling property owners, developers and city officials; filing lawsuits; lobbying politicians; cultivating influential public figures; holding design competitions; and raising $150 million to bring the mile-long High Line to life and make it such a success. In recognition of this work, and the shining example it has become for the national rail-trail movement, the High Line was recently inducted into Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's (RTC) Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.

Clearly, the people who orchestrated this “miracle” must have been well-connected, experienced, savvy operators—lawyers or financiers or lobbyists? Not even close.

Robert Hammond was 30, living in Greenwich Village, working for start-up Internet companies and painting in his spare time when he helped start Friends of the High Line. The group's co-founder, Joshua David, was a 36-year-old freelance writer who lived near the mid-section of the unused railroad line. The two men met at a community board hearing in 1999 about the future of the railroad, and, when everyone else at the meeting spoke in favor of tearing it down, they decided to band together to save the High Line.

“Neither one of us had any background in rail-trails, and in some ways I think that was an advantage,” Hammond says. “If we had known all the hurdles in front of us, it might have been a little more daunting.”

Hammond and David recount the history of their quixotic struggle to save the rail line in their new book, High Line: The Inside Story of New York City's Park in the Sky. In a recent interview, Hammond recalled that the High Line's initial appeal to him had nothing to do with parks or trails. “It was the industrial ruin I was so fascinated by—the steel and the rivets,” he says. “To imagine a train running through my neighborhood, it was just so intriguing and exciting.”

The elevated rail line, built in the 1930s, was designed to move freight trains from their tracks on 10th and 11th avenues—where they regularly ran down unlucky pedestrians—to a safer perch three stories up. For several decades, the trains rolled in and out of the warehouses and factories in this once-industrial part of Manhattan, transporting agricultural products, raw materials and finished goods.

By the 1960s, truck traffic had largely supplanted train traffic into and around the city, and a southern section of the High Line was torn down. Trains continued to travel on the remaining tracks until 1980, when the last one—pulling boxcars of frozen turkeys—rolled into history. By the time Hammond and David got their first tour of the elevated tracks, shortly after the 1999 community board hearing, “there was a mile and a half of wildflowers,” Hammond recalls.

“It was fascinating how nature had reclaimed this manmade steel structure, and the juxtaposition of this old railroad being overtaken by wildflowers,” he says. “There's probably thousands of miles of abandoned railroads being overtaken by nature across the country—but this was in the middle of Manhattan, elevated three stories off the ground.”

With no experience in preservation projects, Hammond and David had to turn to others for help and advice in how to save the rail corridor. “When I first heard the term “railbanking,” I thought, “'Oh, the railbank will pay for it,'” Hammond says. “I quickly found out that you have to find your own money.”

Among those they sought out for assistance were staffers at RTC's headquarters. With RTC's help, says Hammond, “we were able to show there was a clear precedent for this type of project, that thousands of miles have been converted to rails-trails, and it had been done in every single state. That was a really powerful message.”

Assistance from individuals and groups like RTC allowed Friends of the High Line to overcome opposition and rally both public and political support for turning the rail line into an elevated park. “Ultimately, I don't think you can get these projects done if you're just fighting,” says Hammond. “When Mayor Bloomberg came on board, he became a huge supporter, and we ultimately partnered with the city.”

The effort finally bore fruit in 2009, when the first 10-block-long section of the High Line opened. The second section opened in June, doubling the length of the trail. With its artfully designed gardens, grasslands, meadows, seating and sunbathing areas—and stunning views of the streetscape below and the skyline beyond—the High Line Park has quickly become one of New York City's major destinations.

The popularity of the park and the glowing press it has received has spurred a flurry of investment in the surrounding neighborhood, generating an estimated $2 billion in new development. “So even though [the High Line] cost a lot, it's already proven to be a great investment for the city, just in financial terms,” Hammond says.

The job isn't done, however. Plans are in the works to extend the park another half-mile north on the last remaining stretch of the unused elevated tracks. And Friends of the High Line needs to raise about $3 million each year just to keep the existing park running, under an agreement with the city that makes the nonprofit group responsible for maintenance of the High Line.

It's a big responsibility, but for those seeking to create similarly transformative spaces in their own communities, Hammond offers encouraging advice. “I think the most important thing is to start something—other people will come along to help. You don't have to have all of the money, you don't have to have all of the answers—other people can help you develop all those things. The most important thing is just starting it.”

http://www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringFeatures/trailMonth/index.html

*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:

1.) Online Editorial Manager, Marketing-Online, National Wildlife Federation, Reston, VA

Join us by working a job you're WILD about!

Find a job you’re wild about at the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), the nation’s largest member-supported conservation organization, which is at the forefront of global warming issues, reconnecting our children with nature, and protecting America’s wildlife and habitat.

Position Description

How do people experience the National Wildlife Federation online? With about 100 staff publishing content through NWF's content management system and WordPress blog, NWF's Online Team works to make sense of it all and bring together a cohesive and engaging experience for our website visitors. We are seeking an Online Editorial Manager to be accountable for creating, editing, guiding, and delivering relevant and dynamic online content to achieve NWF's three strategic online objectives: (1) expand reach, (2) deepen engagement, and (3) increase revenue.

Candidates must be ready to jump into a challenging, fast-paced work environment, where creative problem solving is a survival skill and managing client relationships is an art form. This position requires experience in multi-tasking, project management, online content production and editing.

You will work closely with staff across multiple departments to capture NWF's online audiences and move them toward user goals. The position will also collaborate with the integrated marketing team to inform and implement strategies and tactics that achieve NWF's strategic objectives of reach, revenue and engagement. The Online Editorial Manager must look out for the best interest of NWF, making timely resource and editorial decisions in alignment with organizational priorities.

Position Requirements

Qualified candidates must possess:

• A BA/BS degree in communications, journalism, English, behavioral science or related field (4 years of experience in online communications can substitute for the degree).

• At least 5 years professional experience, preferably in a dynamic corporate or institutional environment with heavy emphasis on efficiency and the ability to execute concurrent work.

• The ability to discuss site architecture and experience in working within an existing site structure and design framework, as well as implementing improvements to the same.

• A willingness to accommodate feedback and revisions, and exhibit a positive and professional attitude throughout.

• Project management experience, especially in communicating reasonable, quality-oriented, repeatable processes for maintaining priority, budget, and deadline integrity for all work.

• Strong client relationship skills.

• Experience solving problems, including the identification and use of “work-arounds” where required, with a variety of disparate tools to manage complexity and constraints while meeting the requirements of both NWF and its online users.

• A “can-do” attitude.

• The ability to multi task and get things done within a dynamic, fast-paced, collaborative and team environment.

• The ability to communicate technical or high-level solutions to non-technical clients

• Excellent general written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Excellent web writing skills , including experience modifying materials to suit online reading and scanning behavior.

• The ability to self-manage and effectively lead as needed within a variety of team roles.

• Creative skills with a meticulous attention to detail, and present a portfolio of past work (graphic and/or verbal) of outstanding quality. Graphics and user interface experience preferred.

• Knowledge of Web analytics; familiarity working within a CMS; proficiency in HTML, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and a high degree of proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop and Acrobat; expertise at developing HTML, CSS, related development software, and the use of PhotoShop, Illustrator, DreamWeaver, and other software for creating and manipulating graphics and web page are required.

https://careers.nwf.org/ext/detail.asp?jobid=nwf2154-121211211-VA

*** From Mark Sofman:

2.) Marine Conservation Warden, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Marinette County, WI

http://bit.ly/oiMq3K

3.) Marketing and Communications Director, The Outdoor Foundation, Washington, DC

The Position: Exceptional Communicator

The Outdoor Foundation is seeking a Director of Marketing and Communications that will set, guide and implement the organization’s communications strategy. The Director of Marketing and Communications will ensure that all communication vehicles consistently articulate The Outdoor Foundation’s mission to be the driving force behind a massive increase in active outdoor recreation in America. The senior leader will work directly with the Executive Director and will regularly collaborate with foundation staff, donors and constituents. A successful candidate will demonstrate authenticity, sense of purpose and a deep connection with the mission.

The successful candidate is:

• High energy, independent and entrepreneurial.

• Flexible and collaborative in her/his approach.

• Interested in the outdoors, sports and/or conservation.

• A true brand champion who understands the importance of purpose, customer service, and striving for excellence.

Basic Responsibilities

• Develop and implement marketing/communications plans in support of The Outdoor Foundation’s goals and initiatives

• Generate high-impact publicity to build awareness of The Outdoor Foundation through print, broadcast and online media. Cultivate key media contacts, write media advisories and press releases, pitch stories and develop internal and external briefing documents.

• Manage the foundation’s website and social media campaigns that build an online community and raise awareness of The Outdoor Foundation and Outdoor Nation, the Foundation’s signature program.

• Oversee the development, distribution and maintenance of all print and electronic collateral.

• Support the foundation’s fundraising efforts by writing donor letters, proposals and reports.

• Lead a team of young adult volunteers responsible for assisting with social media, design and other communications.

• Provide event coordination and support.

• Stay current in industry trends for the outdoors, health and wellness and conservation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.

• Minimum 5 years of related experience in communications, public relations, marketing and/or development.

• Excellent writing, editing and verbal communication skills.

• Experience using social media to meet marketing goals.

• Computer proficiency, including Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, and Excel; HTML preferred; Experience in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign or other desktop publishing software a plus.

Deadline: November 1, 2011

To apply, send resume, cover letter and salary requirements.

http://jobs.adrants.com/job/marketing-and-communications-director-washington-dc-the-outdoor-foundation-4ebaceab61/?d=1

*** Send your job opportunities to share with the YVNS network to lundquist989@cs.com.

*** Your Very Next Step is a service of the Job of the Week Network LLC

© 2011 The Job of the Week Network LLC

Edward Lundquist, ABC -

Editor and Publisher

Your Very Next Step

7813 Richfield Road

Springfield, VA 22153

Home office phone: (703) 455-7661

lundquist989@cs.com

www.nedsjotw.com

By Ned Lundquist

www.yourverynextstep.com

Today is National Hike Naked Day.

To see the Summer Sky

Is Poetry, though never in a Book it lie -

True Poems flee.

~Emily Dickinson

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

- Lao Tzu

“Your Very Next Step” newsletter, published by Ned Lundquist, is a cooperative community, and everyone is invited, no…encouraged, no…urged to participate.

Subscribe for free. Send a blank email to:

yourverynextstep-subscribe@topica.com.

Send us your comments, questions, and contributions to lundquist989@cs.com.

You are now among 654 subscribers.

Contact Ned at lundquist989@cs.com.

*** In this issue:

*** Travel news

*** Ned’s upcoming (tentative) travel:

*** 6 Hours In Istanbul

*** Bed Bugs, arrests, volcanoes…what could possibly go wrong when travelling?

*** Shaving trees!

*** Volunteer cruises

*** 10 Ways to Pack Light

*** On land or water, trails connect people with outdoors

*** Favorite train journeys:

*** 5 Ways to Save Money on Car Rentals

*** (Re)Discovering Old Trails

*** America's 10 Best Ice Cream Factory Tours

*** Snakes: Splendor in the Grass

*** Trail volunteer opportunities:

*** Maine Woods Adult Base Camp Crews – 2011 – Little Lyford Lodge & Cabins

*** Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit – Maintenance and Interpretation at the Tallac Historic Site, 2011

*** National Rail-Trail of the month:

Pennsylvania's Ghost Town Trail

*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:

1.) Executive Director, North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), Washington D.C. metropolitan area

2.) Marketing Communications Intern, OUTWARD BOUND, Golden, CO

3.) Insight Instructor, Outward Bound, FL Jacksonville, FL

…and much more…and it’s all FREE!!!

*** Do you have a travel adventure to share?

Send me your stories and I’ll post in the “Your Very Next Step” and on the YVNS website (http://www.yourverynextstep.com/).

*** Here’s the YVNS Travel News for June:

*** Ned’s upcoming (tentative) travel:

June 23-15: Spokane, Washington

July 1-7: Izmir, Turkey

July 7-10: La Spezia, Italy

July 10-11: Acqui Termi, Italy

July 11-12: Istanbul, Turkey

July 14-20: Los Angeles/San Diego, CA

*** 6 Hours In Istanbul

We as Turkish Airlines willing to inform you that if your connection time in Istanbul takes over 6 hours and your waiting time is between 09.00 am – 18.00pm, you are welcome to take the advantage of Turkish Airlines free city tour programme, Touristanbul. This programme is organised only for our international transit passengers.

If you have a transit flight from Istanbul and have more than 6 hours waiting time for your connecting flight, you can visit our hotel desk to join our free city tour and experience the glamorous city that connects Europe to Asia as land and also as culture.

After you apply to our Hotel Desk which can be found at the airport, you will be picked up by a private tour guide and get to see most significant historical places of Istanbul. There are two 6-hour tours daily; one starts at 09:00 and ends at 15:00, and the other one is from 12:00 to 18:00. You will be taken to airport after your tour ends. The transportation in Istanbul and the transportation to and from the airport will be done by free shuttles.

All your transportation, meal and museum fees will be met by Turkish Airlines.

*** Hotel Perks That Hit the Spot

Best Hotel Amenities, Freebies & Other Perks

By Laura Kiniry

Hotels from Paris to Portland are increasingly offering innovative perks to please travelers. Whether it's free snacks or the complimentary use of an iPad, these top hotels provide so much more than a place to sleep. Here are a dozen of our favorite freebies, amenities, and thoughtful touches that are available at hotels around the world.

http://www.frommers.com/slideshow/?p=1&&group=531

*** Bed Bugs, arrests, volcanoes…what could possibly go wrong when travelling?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43065765/ns/travel-travel_tips/

*** From Rodger Dana:

Here’s something to add to your BUCKET LIST!!!! Shaving trees!

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=18150336

*** Volunteer cruises

http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/6/15/113329/099/travel/New+Volunteer+Opportunities+Mean+Cruising+Isn%27t+Just+for+the+Lazy

*** 10 Ways to Pack Light

http://www.frommers.com/slideshow/?group=573

*** On land or water, trails connect people with outdoors

http://www.trailspace.com/blog/2011/06/15/american-river-blue-trails.html

*** Favorite train journeys:

From Paul Hart:

My favorite is the Anchorage-Seward Coastal Classic on The Alaska Railroad. The scenery's breathtaking and the locomotive gets a workout going through the mountains on a 3% grade. But at a little over 4 hours each way, it's not so long as to get tedious. Also, a happy, passenger-friendly crew helps. A picture in my mind I'll always treasure is hanging out the dutch door in the vestibule on the last car as we pulled out of Girdwood — and realizing the kid 10 cars up doing the same thing was my son. We waved at each other and didn't both get back to our seats for maybe another hour.

The recent Amtrak trips have been on the more prosaic Texas Eagle between San Antonio and Dallas or Fort Worth for family matters. It's a nice trip with some fair scenery south of Fort Worth where the track leaves the I-35 corridor and takes off through the edge of the Texas Hill Country. Best of all, no one has to grope you when you board.

Paul

*** 5 Ways to Save Money on Car Rentals

Do you agree with them?

http://www.frommers.com/articles/7328.html

*** (Re)Discovering Old Trails

by Alicia MacLeay

http://www.trailspace.com/blog/2011/06/07/discovering-trails.html

*** America's 10 Best Ice Cream Factory Tours

http://www.frommers.com/slideshow/?group=586

*** From The Virginia Outdoor Report:

Snakes: Splendor in the Grass

Snakes have been the focal point of folklore for centuries. From the hoop snake that sticks its tail into its mouth and rolls after you to snakes that hypnotize their prey. No other group of animals has suffered more from negative misinformation than snakes. In fact, snakes are some of the most fascinating and beneficial creatures on the planet. The benefits range from the thrill of a chance encounter while on a walk in the woods to the consumption of thousands of rodents that may potentially cause millions of dollars in agricultural damage every year. Their benefits to us and the ecosystem they inhabit are some of the reasons it is illegal in Virginia to intentionally kill snakes.

Generally speaking, snakes are very reclusive and timid. Many species of snakes will not even attempt to bite when handled. Of the 30 species in Virginia, only 3 are venomous: copperhead, cottonmouth and timber rattlesnake. All three of which are considered docile, unless provoked. Copperhead bites are by far the most common venomous snake bite in Virginia. However, in the 30 years that the Virginia Department of Health has been keeping records on venomous snake bites, no one has ever died from a copperhead bite. Copperhead bites often only result in mild inflammation and discomfort.

If you do encounter a snake in the woods, simply leave it alone, it'll get out of your way or you can walk around it. SNAKES DO NOT CHASE PEOPLE. Here are a few tips to avoid the possibility of being bitten when hiking in the woods:

1. Stay on the trail.

2. Watch where you place your hands and feet, and where you sit down.

3. Do not attempt to capture snakes.

If you are bitten by a venomous snake, stay calm and seek immediate medical attention. None of Virginia's venomous snakes are considered to be highly lethal, but medical attention is necessary for all venomous snake bites.

If you are lucky enough to encounter a snake while enjoying the outdoors; step back and watch a moment. Notice the way the sunlight reflects off the scales and the incredible way a snake can glide off into the leaves barely making a sound. Unless cornered the snake is going to slip away as quick as it can.

To learn more… A Guide to the Snakes of Virginia, one of VDGIF's most popular publications since its 2001 release. This 32-page full-color booklet, co-authored and illustrated by Mike Pinder, our Region 3 Wildlife Diversity Manager, presents all of Virginia's 30 species of snakes in an attractive and educational “field-guide” format. It also includes snakebite information, provides answers to frequently asked questions about snakes, and suggests what you can do to protect or control snakes in your yard and home. Finally, it summarizes snake conservation and management issues, and offers ways you can help protect these fascinating animals. Single copies of the guide can be picked up free of charge at the Department's regional offices; or copies may be purchased online through the VDGIF Outdoor Catalogue for $5.00 each, or in cases of 60 copies for $150 per case.

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/outdoor-report/2011/06/08/#green-tips-for-outdoor-enthusiasts

*** Trail volunteer opportunities:

*** Maine Woods Adult Base Camp Crews – 2011

Little Lyford Lodge & Cabins

Join one of the two crews based out of Little Lyford Lodge and Cabins to help build and maintain the new trail system of the Maine Woods Initiative. No experience is needed because we have the right job for you and the experienced leaders train you.

The programs start and end at Little Lyford Lodge and Cabins. You can arrive at Little Lyford anytime after 2:00 p.m. on the Sunday start date of your crew. We have breakfast at 8:00 a.m. then immediately depart for the rest of the week to set up our base camp on Long Pond and start on our trail projects, which may include projects ranging from clearing brush from the trail to building bridges or rock staircases. We spend the week working on the area trails and return to our base camp each night. We will work an average of 6-8 hours a day Monday – Thursday. On Friday, after breakfast we will pack up our camp and return to Little Lyford, where you will have the rest of the day to explore on your own. All participants will depart after breakfast on the Saturday at the end of the week.

Camp Life:

You can expect to find the crew a friendly and fun group of people. Even though we work hard on the trail, back at camp there is time to enjoy Long Pond and the good company, as well as hearty food. During the week we will be camping in tents and preparing meals as a group. AMC provides the tents, food, cooking equipment and other group gear. Our base camp on Long Pond is vehicle accessible, allowing you to bring along camp items that are more comfortable.

Back at Little Lyford there is fly-fishing available on the two ponds as well as the West Branch of the Pleasant River. Plenty of hiking/walking options with opportunities to see wildlife and plants including a trail that connects with the Gulf Hagas Loop Trail. Paddling on the Little Lyford Pond and Long Pond is an option. Canoes, kayaks, PFDs and paddles are provided.

Little Lyford has hot showers and provides great food. Breakfast and dinner are served family style, and a trail lunch is provided. The crew lodges in a comfortable bunkhouse, and you provide your own sleeping bag.

What the Volunteers Say:

“What a place! The north Maine Woods are so beautiful. Spending a week doing trail work was one of the best things I have done.” Ari (2010 Maine Woods Base Camp Crew Participant)

“This was a great way for me to experience the wildness of Maine but still be comfortable base camping. The leaders and the staff at Little Lyford were great. I can't wait to bring friends and family back to Little Lyford and show them the trail work we accomplished.” Rachel (2010 Maine Woods Base Camp Crew Participant)

2011 Dates:

July 17-23

August 24-30

Contribution:

$300/$330

http://www.outdoors.org/conservation/trails/volunteer/trailopps/maine-woods-volunteer-trail-crew.cfm

*** Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Deadline Extended! Maintenance and Interpretation at the Tallac Historic Site, 2011

CA-4016

June 15-July 19; July 20-August 23; August 24-October 5, 2011 (including weekends)

Must commit to one full session; may participate in two

ATTENTION RVers: Have some time to travel this summer? Well, hop into your rig and visit the Tallac Site on the shores of Lake Tahoe! Tallac is reminiscent of the period of opulence and luxury in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Mark Twain, after having visited the Site, described the area as having “the air that angels breathe.” It consists of 153 acres with three large summer estates, including 28 remaining structures dating from 1884-1923, and the archaeological remains of a resort/casino complex. The historic site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1986. One of the estates is now managed as a museum, one entertains tours and programming, and the third is a community events center. Over the past years, the Site has grown in popularity and is now host to over 140,000 annual visitors! Opportunities for PIT volunteers range from joining restoration efforts of some of the historic buildings or performing overall maintenance on the site, to involvement in the numerous interpretive programs for kids and adults.

Our volunteer season is broken up into three sessions of about five weeks each, beginning the middle of June, and ending in October. Volunteers are welcome to join us for up to two continuous sessions. The deal works this way: Tallac provides a parking space and some other amenities for each RV, while each volunteer provides 32 hours of help each week of each session. We welcome couples, of course, but both must fulfill 32 hours each every week. The schedules are Sunday to Wednesday or Wednesday to Saturday, determined by what activity or activities you elect to do at the Site. This is an interesting site in a beautiful location with a lot to see and do in the “off hours.” We always have a lot of fun, so we hope you'll come and breathe “the air that angels breathe” with us this summer!

*Please indicate the specific session(s) (maximum of two) you are applying for on your application.

Number of openings: 20 (Eight for Session 1; Four for Session 2; Eight for Session 3)

Special skills: Volunteers must be able to work well with other people and work well in groups; electrical, plumbing, woodworking, and other maintenance skills (do not need to be at a professional level), retail experience, a history of working with children, and/or public speaking experience helpful, but not required

Minimum age: 18 years old

Facilities: Project provides 2 blocks of RV sites: 1 with full hook-ups (water, sewer, electricity), 1 with water and electricity only (there is a blue tank available and a sewer dump close by); site assignments determined by rig size, accessibility needs, and sometimes seniority (if you are a return volunteer); volunteers responsible for own food and transportation costs

Nearest towns: South Lake Tahoe, 3 miles; Tahoe City, 25 miles; Carson City, NV, 30 miles

Applications due: Until filled!

*** National Rail-Trail of the month:

Rail Trail of the Month: June 2011

Pennsylvania's Ghost Town Trail

Like most phantoms, the ghosts along this western Pennsylvania trail are tough to spot. They lurk in the woods, whispering of a past few can now remember.

The specters are the remnants of once-thriving coal-mining towns in the Blacklick Creek Valley that died when the mining companies left decades ago. Today, the “ghost towns”—Amerford, Bracken, Buffington, Claghorn, Dias, Lackawanna #3, Scott Glen, Wehrum—are helping to animate the 36-mile Ghost Town Trail and the remaining communities nearby.

“It's a pretty rural area—there was no tourism industry to speak of before the trail,” says Ed Patterson, director of parks and trails for Indiana County, Pa. “It's created a whole tourism industry that didn't exist before.” (The Ghost Town Trail is the 'anchor' trail for this summer's Greenway Sojourn, hosted by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy).

This ghost story begins in the 1890s, when coal companies moved into the rugged Blacklick Valley, about 50 miles east of Pittsburgh. The valley, named for the coal outcroppings visible there, had previously been logged and mined for iron but had never before seen development on the scale of modern coal mining. Huge shafts were dug into the earth, large processing facilities were built and company towns were constructed to house thousands of men and their families. The largest of these towns, Wehrum, once had more than 200 houses, a hotel, post office, school and two churches.

Railroad lines through the valley, originally built to transport logs to mills, were greatly expanded to serve the mines and the new residents. Trains from the Ebensburg & Blacklick Railroad and the Cambria & Indiana Railroad ran frequently through the valley, moving coal, supplies and people to and from Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Rochester and other cities in the region.

The fortunes of the company towns were directly tied to coal production, which peaked in Pennsylvania in 1918. After a decade of ups and downs, the Great Depression dealt many of the mining companies a fatal blow. Towns were abandoned, and in some cases the buildings demolished and sold for scrap. Train passenger service in the valley ended in the 1930s. Although some mines scraped along for a few more decades, by the end of the 1960s coal shipments from the Blacklick valley had essentially ceased. Eight coal-mining towns faded from memory.

“This particular area fueled the Industrial Revolution in America, and it also provided homes and jobs for immigrants to this country,” says Laurie Lafontaine, a local activist who played the leading role in getting the trail established. “When the mines and railroads disappeared, the towns dried up and the people left.”

In the late1980s, Lafontaine and other local residents began to advocate for turning the unused rail lines in the valley into a recreational trail. In 1991, she helped convince a local salvage company that had taken possession of the former Ebensburg & Blacklick Railroad to donate 16 miles of the line for a trail, and planning work got under way. Indiana county officials obtained money through federal Transportation Enhancements funding, and the first section of trail was dedicated in 1994.

Today, thanks to additional donations, the trail stretches a total of 36 miles. The main stem runs 32 miles from the town of Ebensburg to Black Lick, and a four-mile spur runs north from Vintondale to Route 422 (known as the Rexis Branch). The crushed-limestone trail welcomes cyclists, pedestrians, cross-country skiers and other non-motorized recreational users.

For trail visitors, few of the valley's ghost towns remain visible or accessible anymore. Most of the towns have been covered by vegetation, and almost all of them—and the few remaining structures—are on private property and not open to the public. But there's plenty of other history and scenery to more than make up for this.

For example, alongside the trail in Vintondale is Eliza Furnace, one of the best-preserved 19th-century iron-smelting structures in the country. From 1846 to 1849, workers loaded iron ore and limestone from the surrounding hills into this charcoal-fired furnace, and produced pig iron that was shipped to forges in Pittsburgh to be re-worked.

Historical attractions aside, the beauty and quiet of the area alone is reason to visit the Ghost Town Trail. Following a winding creek through rugged hills in long stretches of unpopulated, forested land—including state game lands—this rail-trail is about as wild as it gets in this part of the country. Rhododendrons and wildflowers are abundant, and chances are good that you'll catch a glimpse of deer, red fox, beavers, wild turkeys, hawks, songbirds and maybe even a black bear or a bobcat.

“You just get the feeling that you've stepped back in time. No houses, no roads, just you and the trail and the creek,” says Lafontaine. “It's just wonderful—it's so peaceful.”

One thing you won't see much of, though, is aquatic life. The valley's coal mines, despite being closed for decades, continue to haunt the area with water pollution. Acidic run-off from the mining operations has turned sections of the creek and surrounding tributaries orange and made them inhospitable for fish or vegetation.

“You will see places of outstanding natural beauty, and you'll see areas of desolation caused by mining and pollution—it's a real contrast,” says Patterson.

But efforts to clean up the waterways are in progress, and they owe much of their success to the trail, Patterson and Lafontaine say. “Because the trail got people out into the land, they could see the environmental damage and the beauty that could be there,” says Lafontaine. “It spurred the formation of a watershed protection association, and we're slowly but surely bringing the stream back to life.”

The trail has also brought economic benefits to Ebensburg, Black Lick and other nearby communities. In 2009, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy conducted a user survey of the Ghost Town Trail. The study found that the more than 75,000 annual users of the trail bring $1.7 million a year into the local economy.

In addition, the trail has provided less tangible benefits to residents. “It's just really made people healthy and happy—it's given them a mental lift. How do you put a dollars and cents figure on that?” says Lafontaine. “It really makes for a better community. It gives us a place where we can have a vacation every day of our lives.”

All in all, a pretty friendly ghost story.

http://www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringFeatures/trailMonth/index.html

*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:

*** From Sue Bumpous:

1.) Executive Director, North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), Washington D.C. metropolitan area

The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) is seeking an Executive Director with strengths in leadership, development, communication, and collaboration with a minimum of 10 years of related job experiences. NAAEE is the premier professional association for environmental educators in North America. We are seeking a motivated professional interested in strengthening the organization by increasing membership, promoting member participation, and capitalizing on emerging opportunities for the field of environmental education. Providing leadership in moving forward with the organization’s five-year Strategic Plan is also of key importance. The Plan was crafted using input from the Board, staff, members, non-members, and other stakeholders through online surveys, focus groups and interviews. An overview of the Strategic Plan can be found at http://www.naaee.net/us/governance/stratplan.

The Executive Director will work in NAAEE’s office in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. The salary for this full-time position will be commensurate with experience, in the range of $80-100K, depending on qualifications. The Executive Director is hired by the Board and reports to the President of the Board.

To apply, please provide a two-page resume, names and contact information for three references, and a cover letter, not to exceed two pages, explaining your interest in the position and summarizing how your experience can ensure professional leadership and efficient management for NAAEE. Be sure to specifically address how you meet the qualifications and qualities outlined at http://eelinked.naaee.net/n/eelink-jobs/posts/NAAEE-Executive-Director-Search. Applications will be accepted from June 3 to June 30, 2011. Electronic submission is required. Only Word attachments are acceptable. Please put “Exec Dir Application” and your name in the subject line, and send your information to: edsearch@naaee.org.

NAAEE Description

A nonprofit, membership organization with 501(c) (3) status, NAAEE advances environmental education and supports environmental educators in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. There are many faces to NAAEE, reflecting a core commitment to diversity of culture, geography, and viewpoints. For four decades our programs and services have supported members working in a variety of venues–including, but not limited to, local environmental education centers, schools, government agencies, and research and higher education institutions.

NAAEE is a unifying voice for environmental educators in Canada, the United States, and Mexico with a non-partisan commitment to environmental literacy as a powerful force for positive change in the world. Backed by research, our programs, products, and services support achievement of excellence in environmental education. Our members look to NAAEE to provide a dynamic forum for effective and innovative ways to achieve quality education, sustainable development, and social equality.

NAAEE focuses on promoting environmental education and on supporting and enhancing the work of environmental educators through the efforts of a 13-member Board of Directors, seven staff, and a strong volunteer structure that includes Committees and Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Committees do the work of the Board and Association, while SIGs (formerly Commissions) enable members to form interest groups and serve their own needs in the context of the practice of environmental education. NAAEE also works closely with a strong partnership network of state, provincial and territorial environmental education Affiliates.

2.) Marketing Communications Intern, OUTWARD BOUND, Golden, CO

Since 1961, Outward Bound has been serving youth, teens and adults with wilderness expeditions and other innovative programming in America's most beautiful wilderness areas, and also in classrooms, city parks and boardrooms. Outward Bound courses change lives and give students the tools to see further, climb higher and know their way. Students seek challenge and embark on backpacking trips, mountaineering classes, kayaking adventures, sailing trips and urban expeditions in their community and take home real leadership skills and the courage to follow their own path.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Marketing Communications Intern position focuses on content writing and editing for marketing communications, social media, public relations (press releases) and the national website. The Marketing Communications Intern reports to the Senior Marketing Manager and works closely with the Social Media Specialist and Website Specialist. This position is a great opportunity for those with a passion for marketing and outdoor education to be creative, gain experience in public relations, social media and web marketing and have a real impact on Outward Bound’s mission to enable more people to experience the philosophy, mission and adventure of Outward Bound.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist in research, writing and editing of web content.

• Assist in research, writing and editing of press releases.

• Assist with writing and assembling content for outbound marketing emails.

• Manage photo and video library.

• Organize and distribute Outward Bound content as appropriate

• Assist in Social Media, Public Relations, Advancement or Alumni content creation or support as needed.

• 20 – 24 hours a week, June through August 2011.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Excellent copy writing skills to develop and edit content.

• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills.

• Very effective communicator, both written and oral.

• Ability to work both independently and cooperatively as a team member.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.

• Knowledge or experience with social media as it relates to marketing is a plus.

• Competency with HTML is a plus.

• Graphic design skills, Adobe Creative Suite is also a plus.

• Training may be available.

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE:

• Communications or marketing major or equivalent experience.

COMPENSATION:

• Academic credit available.

• $125/wk. stipend.

• Pro Deal benefit available.

Send resumes and cover letters to kyoung@outwardbound.org

http://tbe.taleo.net/NA9/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=OUTWARDBOUND&cws=1&rid=156

3.) Insight Instructor, Outward Bound, FL Jacksonville, FL

To assist in the development and implementation of the Insight program using the Outward Bound mission and philosophy

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist in the design and facilitation of Insight programs (one day teambuilding and high ropes course program) as contracted with the client and in line with our leadership curriculum, Outward Bound philosophy, mission and process

• Work with Insight team and Program Director to develop and implement programs

• Have experience with group management

• Have ability to assess students to ensure all activities are appropriate for demonstrated experience level and desired group outcomes

• Have the capacity to facilitate a full day experience of curriculum and activities for assigned group of students

• Have ability to recognize when issues of diversity need to be addressed

• Effectively assist Instructor or Program Director when facilitation of such discussions regarding diversity are called for

• A proven desire to work with Urban students in the outdoors

• Be committed to own professional development

• Actively seek out opportunities to develop their skills and receive feedback on performance

Secondary Duties and Responsibilities

• Show respect and compassion for others and create an emotionally safe environment for students and staff

• Offer and receive constructive feedback

• Address diversity issues with students

• Clearly articulate thoughts and ideas

• Inspire students

Knowledge and Skills

• Maintain a minimum CPR certification

• WAFA (Wilderness First Aid) preferred

• Have knowledge of and adhere to Local Operating Procedures (LOPs) knowledge, safety procedures and (ERP) Emergency Response Plan

• High ropes experience preferred

• Know own strengths, limitations and needs, and productively manage personal stress

• Be sufficiently fit to participate in all activities and maintain energy, strength and focus to assist students with physical and emotional obstacles

Physical Requirements

•Must be able to be outdoors and on feet for up to 10 hours per day

Schedule

•This is a per diem position. Courses occur intermittently and staff are scheduled as needed. Based on this, applicants who reside in the Jacksonville area are preferred.

Compensation

•This is a per diem position and pay is based on our Field Staff Payscale.

http://tbe.taleo.net/NA9/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=OUTWARDBOUND&cws=1&rid=152

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