Wilderness Skills Institute

© 2024 · All Rights Reserved.

NWSI 2024 Sessions

The 2024 National Wilderness Skills Institute will have 4 “streams”:

  • Combined – shared sessions for all participants
  • Wilderness – learn more about wilderness character and minimum requirement analysis
  • Wild & Scenic Rivers – sessions focus on history, river rangering, and restoration
  • Backcountry Skills – learn new ways to sharpen your backcountry skills and tools

View recorded session from all years (2021-2024): https://wildernessskillsinstitute.org/nwsi/recordings/ 

  • Welcome: Wednesday, June 5, 12:00 pm ET
  • Keynote: Wednesday, June 5, 12:00-12:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/MflqEhfBeg0
    • Description: (updated5/28/2024)
      Dr. Roderick Nash is Professor Emeritus of History and Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara where he pioneered the teaching of environmental history. Dr. Nash has written more than 10 books, most notably “Wilderness and the American Mind” and “The Rights of Nature: A History of Environmental Ethics.” Dr. Nash also has been a professional river guide for forty years, with over 60 descents of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Join Dr. Nash as he talks about the meaning of wilderness and how that effects management or non-management by public land professionals. He will share background about the Wilderness Act of 1964, will discuss pivotal historical figures and share his thoughts about the future of Wilderness.
    •  Presenter:
      • Dr. Roderick Nash, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Santa Barbara
        Dr. Nash is considered America’s foremost wilderness historian. He is regarded as a national leader in the field of environmental history and management and environmental education. Among his numerous books and over 150 essays, Professor Roderick Frazier Nash is best known for Wilderness and the American Mind, which has received many reprintings, revised editions, and foreign translations. Nash, a past Lindbergh Fellow, has served on the board of directors of the Yosemite Institute and as a member of the advisory committee to the U.S. National Park Service.
  • Federal Agency Leadership Breakouts: Wednesday, June 5, 1:00-1:50 pm ET
    • Not recorded
    • Description:
      Hear from your agency leadership on current priorities, challenges, and opportunities at the national level. Some will be available for an open discussion to collect feedback and listening to learn.
    • Presenters: (updated 5/28/2024)
      • Bureau of Land Management:
        • Kirstin Heins, Acting Wilderness Program Lead
        • Britta Nelson, Acting Wild & Scenic Rivers Program Lead
        • Connie Jacobs, Colorado Conservation Lands Program Lead
      • National Park Service:
        • Rob Burrows, Wilderness Training Manager
        • Corita Waters, Wild and Scenic Rivers System and Community River Partnerships
      • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service:
        • Michelle Reilly, National Wildlife Refuge System Wilderness Liaison, Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center
      • U.S. Forest Service:
        • Katie Armstrong, Director, Wilderness and Wild & Scenic Rivers
        • Peter Mali, National Wilderness Program Manager
        • Steve Chesterton, National Wild & Scenic Rivers Program Manager
        • and other members of the Washington Office (DC) staff
  • Stewardship 101 – Leave No Trace and Authority of the Resource: Wednesday, June 5, 3:30-4:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/_O4hLtOq39I
    • Description:
      Designed for outdoor educators, guides, adventure program trip leaders, and park and forest recreation staff who will gain skills and knowledge to incorporate Leave No Trace into their work as well as teach Leave No Trace to all experience levels and in varied environments.
    • Prerequisite:
    • Presenters:
      • Becca & Luke McGraw, Subaru/Leave No Trace Team Members (link)
  • Introduction to Stress Injury: Wednesday, June 5, 5:00-5:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/gjDxoXAaGXY
    • Description: (updated 5/13/2024)
      This training will introduce shared language and resources for stress injury awareness and mitigation. We will discuss what stress injury is, then introduce tools including the Stress Continuum, Incident Support Tool, and Psychological First Aid for field-based interventions.
    • Presenter:
  • Rangers for 30 by 30 – A Professional Workforce to Ensure Equitable and Effective Management of Protected and Conservation Areas: Thursday, June 6, 12:00-12:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/nlMOPf1jGBk
    • Description:
      A framework for support from governments, agencies, donors and NGOs to implement Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework. We will touch on the three pillars: conditions, competences and conduct and provide specific examples.
    • Presenters: International Ranger Federation
      • Chris Galliers, President, International Ranger Federation
      • Mónica Malvido, Federation Development Officer, International Ranger Federation
  • Wilderness, Wild & Scenic Rivers, Climate Change, Wildfire, and Prescribed Fire: Thursday, June 6, 4:00-4:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/unC-DtBJlaw
    • Description: (updated 5/15/2024)
      This session will explore the role of fire and prescribed fire in wilderness and wild and scenic rivers through a quick look at law, policy, and agency efforts to address the wildfire crisis. We will also discuss climatic changes and how to make climate informed decisions in the future. You may even learn fun new terms, such as vapor pressure deficit.
    • Presenters:
      • Eric Sandeno, National Wilderness and Wild & Scenic River Information Manager, U.S. Forest Service
      • Shelley Crausbay, Climate Adaptation Specialist, U.S. Forest Service
  • World Wilderness Congress Preview: Thursday, June 6, 5:00-5:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/afoieVceAI4
    • Description:
      Since 1976, the World Wilderness Congress has helped nature defenders from around the world gather to develop new strategies and actions for our wild Earth. Beginning in South Africa as a partnership between famed South African game ranger, Ian Player, and his Zulu mentor, Magqubu Ntombela (you can read more about their friendship here), the Congress was convened to bring together wilderness advocates from around the world to address the root cause of the environmental crisis: a broken relationship with nature. We invite you to join WILD12, the next gathering of the World Wilderness Congress to be a part of a historic moment when wilderness is reinterpreted through the lens of traditional cultures, rooting Indigenous principles and lifeways at the center of the movement to keep Earth wild: https://wild.org/wild12/
    • Presenter:
      • Adam Hanson, Senior Conservation Network Manager, The WILD Foundation

  • Wilderness Campfire Conversation: Wednesday, June 5, 2:00-2:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/gLeIYQ4dugk
    • Description: (updated 5/30/2024)
      This session is intended to be a discussion between the panelists and the audience. We will dive in with issues or questions that participants are having with wilderness areas they manage. Members on the panel will have the opportunity to offer solutions, suggestions, and share examples based on their experience.
    •  Presenters: (updated 5/30/2024)
      • Ralph Swain, Retired (former Rocky Mountain Region Wilderness and Wild & Scenic River Program Manager, U.S. Forest Service)
      • Heather MacSlarrow, Executive Director, Society for Wilderness Stewardship
      • Peter Keller, National Wilderness Program Manager, Bureau of Land Management
  • Wilderness Stewardship Performance and Wilderness Character Monitoring 101: Wednesday, June 5, 3:00-3:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/99AF-BjckiE
    • Description: (updated 5/15/2024)
      This session will be geared for individuals new to the Forest Service, new to Wilderness Management, or for those who are looking for a refresher on Wilderness Stewardship Performance and Wilderness Character Monitoring. Eric and Christina will provide an overview of each program, resources available to assist you with implementation, and how reporting is used nationally and locally.
    •  Presenters:
      • Eric Sandeno, National Wilderness and Wild & Scenic River Information Manager, U.S. Forest Service
      • Kristy Ealdwine, WCM Central Team, Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
  • Wilderness Character Monitoring Trend Assessments: Wednesday, June 5, 4:00-4:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/fpVKm2JWuwg
    • Description: (updated 5/15/2024)
      This session will be focused on what happens after the WCM baseline has been completed and a five-year cycle of WCM Trend Assessments begin. Kristy and Christina will discuss how to utilize the years between completion of your baseline assessment and first five-year trend assessment for data management, reporting, and monitoring priorities. We will explain how trends will be calculated and will provide an overview of how to prepare for and complete a five-year trend assessment report and share templates and resources available to support this work.
    •  Presenter:
      • Kristy Ealdwine, WCM Central Team, Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
  • Minimum Requirements Analysis Framework: Thursday, June 6, 1:30-2:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/TnPbgiPeU1Q
    • Description:
      This interactive session will flow from a short intro and refresher on the Minimum Requirements Analysis Framework (MRAF) to applying the MRAF to a real life wilderness scenario, followed by sharing what you would do in the situation and why.
    • Prerequisites:
    •  Presenters:
      • Dan Morris, Intermountain Mountain Region Wilderness and Wild & Scenic River Program Manager, U.S. Forest Service
      • Michelle Tanz, Program Coordinator and Pacific Northwest Wilderness Lead, Society for Wilderness Stewardship
      • Jason Labrie, NRM Database Specialist, Society for Wilderness Stewardship
      • Society for Wilderness Stewardship Dayens:
        • Nick Barba
        • Isabel Bauer
        • Ali Laird
        • Cody Moran
  • Panel – From Wilderness Monitoring to Stewardship: Thursday, June 6, 3:00-3:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/pjEb2UlMZ7I
    • Description: (updated 5/21/2024)
      A panel discussion on how agencies and partners are using monitoring data to take the next steps in on the ground stewardship. We’ll explore the different processes each agency uses to develop stewardship projects based on monitoring data results and both the barriers and opportunities to using stewardship to solve the management issues that surface through monitoring data.
    • Presenters: (updated 5/31/2024)
      • Joelle Marier, Executive Director, National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance
      • Julia Cotter, Program Director, Society for Wilderness Stewardship
      • Kirstin Heins, Acting National Wilderness Program Manager, Bureau of Land Management
      • Nancy Taylor, Pacific Northwest Wilderness, Wild & Scenic Rivers, Congressionally Designated Areas Program Manager, U.S. Forest Service

  • Strategies for Success on Multi-Day River Patrols: Wednesday, June 5, 2:00-2:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/V-UbAMxyqXo
    • Description:
      Calling all river rangers! Join us for a 50-minute session packed with practical tips for multi-day patrols, planning ahead for success, whipping up nutritious trip grub and prepping for the unexpected. Let’s navigate river patrolling together in this informative session!
    • Presenters: (updated 5/30/2024)
      • Tony Mancuso, Colorado & Green River Management, Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands, Utah Department of Natural Resources (link)
      • Echo Miller-Barnes, Lead River Ranger Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger District Flathead National Forest
      • Rick Ryan, Retired BLM River Ranger for the upper Dolores River
  • Wild & Scenic River Resource Roundup: Wednesday, June 5, 3:00-3:20 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/wyvlfIe8Rz0
    • Description:
      Join us for a 20-minute crash course on accessing essential resources for professionals working on or with Wild and Scenic Rivers. Learn to navigate rivers.gov effectively and discover other invaluable tools to equip you with the knowledge to protect and enhance river values on Wild and Scenic Rivers. Walk away from the session with a collaboratively built document of training and resources relevant to you.
    • Presenter:
      • Angie Fuhrmann, River Training Center Coordinator, River Management Society
  • Protections of Wilderness and Wild & Scenic Rivers – Similarities, Differences, and When They Overlap: Thursday, June 6, 1:00-1:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/xKr2LfgEVGA
    • Description:
      This session aims to provide participants with a nuanced understanding of the intersection between Wilderness and Wild and Scenic River designations. By exploring the overlapping protections and fundamental differences in intent and focus, we aim to clarify each designation’s unique conservation aspects.
    • Presenters:
      • Becky Blanchard, Pacific Southwest Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Specialist, U.S. Forest Service
      • Nancy Taylor, Pacific Northwest Wilderness, Wild & Scenic Rivers, Congressionally Designated Areas Program Manager, U.S. Forest Service
  • The Gila – River, Place, Family: Thursday, June 6, 2:00-2:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://www.theriverradius.com/episodes/episode/28d2f617/the-gila-river-place-family
    • Description:
      The Gila River and Gila Mountains of New Mexico have been home for Indigenous people for thousands of years, for colonial Spanish and Mexican people for hundreds of years, and now for all of those folks under the United States since 1912. This river along with The San Francisco River and The Mimbres River were just nominated for Wild and Scenic River protection. This is a river of families, lineages and gathering. Guests include: Nathan Newcomer, Guadalupe Cano, Patricia Cano, Michael Darrow, Simon Sotello III, and US Senator Martin Heinrich.
    • Presenter:
  • Rivers now have rights in your backyard!: Thursday, June 6, 3:00-3:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/isy-weAO6Jk
    • Description:
      As a river manager, legal expert, scientist, or general fan of river stewardship, you are probably aware of the ‘Rights of Rivers’ or ‘Rights of Nature’ movement that has dramatically changed approaches, responsibilities, and the health of rivers worldwide. Examples of rights being assigned to rivers are accumulating around the world through legislation, administrative designation, regulation, acquisition of enforceable rights, and judicial action pursuant to actions brought by parties with standing or collective management. We will hear an update about successes and current projects through which rights are being sought for rivers in Central and South America. We will THEN learn about the rights of rivers that have been assigned to rivers in Colorado and, further, the appointment of Boulder Creek “Guardians” in Nederland, Colorado. Learn about the breadth of the ‘Rights’ initiatives in our neighboring nations and how Save the Colorado River has approached and succeeded as you consider, “How could that work for my river?”
    • Presenters:
      • Gary Wockner, Executive Director, Save the Colorado River
      • Monti Aguirre, Latin America Program Manager, International Rivers

  • Axe, Wedges, and Associated Tools: Wednesday, June 5, 2:00-2:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/S8VWZltCSIs
    • Description:
      Though the crosscut saw is the primary tool for clearing wilderness blowdowns, there are accompanying tools that make up a full sawyer’s kit. Bucking and hanging wedges to manage binds and tensions, a single bit axe to drive them and act as an underbuck or chop out side binds, Silky saws for removing springpoles, and a few tools you can make in the field from what’s at hand.
    • Presenter:
      • Dan Dueweke, Crosscut C Sawyer, Instructor, and Evaluator for the USFS and North Country Trail Volunteer
  • Care and Maintenance of Crosscut Saws: Wednesday, June 5, 3:00-3:25 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/EqlKP2Aqv-A
    • Description:
      Dolly Chapman, of Chapman’s Sharp Crosscut Saws talks and demonstrates how to care for your saws in cleaning, maintenance, storage, transport, and use. (Pre-Recorded)
    • Presenter:
      • Dolly Chapman, Chapman’s Sharp Crosscut Saws
  • Paper and poop in our public lands – research-based solutions: Thursday, June 6, 2:00-2:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/p50nEcLLv4E
    • Description:
      Discarded used toilet paper and human waste are ever-increasing problems for wilderness managers, wildlife, and water quality. They’re problems for visitors, too! What do visitors need to know to be responsible recreators? We’ll share context-specific solutions that’ll empower you to decrease the dirty deeds plus you’ll get wind of a new pilot program slated for summer 2024.
    • Presenters:
      • Elli Morris, Science Communicator and Experiential Educator
      • Dr. Alark Saxena, Assistant Professor of Human Dimensions of Forestry, Northern Arizona University
      • Jake Thomas, Co-owner, PACT Outdoors
  • Backcountry Brilliance – An Expert Panel’s Tips, Tricks, and Insights on Essential Gear, Connecting with Visitors, and Traveling Overnight for Stewardship Work: Thursday, June 6, 3:00-3:50 pm ET
    • Recording: https://youtu.be/l_mxCpUmig0
    • Description: (updated5/13/2024)
      Join us for our panel-led session representing federal agency and partner organization staff. Learn essential gear hacks, visitor engagement strategies, and stewardship practices from seasoned wilderness professionals. Gain invaluable tips, tricks, and insights to elevate your stewardship trips and make a positive impact in the backcountry.
    • Presenters:
      • Chris Cutshaw, Stewardship Manager, Friends of Nevada Wilderness
      • Claire Persichetti, Field Project Specialist, Pacific Crest Trail Association
      • Casey Quarterman, Chattooga Ranger District Wilderness & Trails Manager, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
      • Blake Garrison, Field Crew Coordinator, Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
      • Katie Currier, Recreation Management Specialist, Rochester Ranger District, Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forest