Founded in 2011, the Wilderness Skills Institute (WSI) brings together wilderness stewards from federal agencies, partners, and volunteers across the southeast to learn shoulder-to-shoulder the skills and knowledge necessary to care for America’s enduring resource, wilderness. The Southern Appalachian Wilderness Skills Institute is a partnership between the U.S. Forest Service, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), and Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS). WSI currently features two weeks of training hosted each year on either side of Memorial Day weekend in Transylvania County, NC on the Pisgah National Forest and at the Cradle of Forestry.
The 2024 Southern Appalachian Wilderness Skills Institute will be May 20-24 and May 28-31. It will start at 1pm ET on Monday (or Tuesday for week 2) and conclude at 12PM ET on Friday. It is free for participants to attend. All participants are expected to sign up for an entire week but do not need to attend both weeks. Registration is closed and the deadline for 2024 applications has passed.
Cost: There is no cost to attend WSI.
Upcoming Trainings
MRNRA A/B Crosscut Course, Sugar Grove, VA
October 8-10, 2024
Due to the impacts of Helene to the region the MRNRA Crosscut has been canceled and we are looking to reschedule for the spring of 2025.
North Georgia A/B Crosscut Course: Registration Closed October 22, 2024
November 20-22, 2024
Location:
Lumpkin County Library Dahlonega, GA and Lake Winfield Scott, Suches, GA
There are 20 available spaces for this course.
Application opens September 23, 2024 and closes October 21, 2024
Crosscut Saw A/B Course Layout
The USDA Forest Service “National Sawyer Training: Development of Thinking Sawyers” course outlines and describes the operational procedures for the use of saws by Forest Service employees, volunteers, and cooperators. These operational procedures are considered best practices that are designed to protect sawyers from accidental injury or death during saw operations.
- All sawyers must be trained, evaluated, and certified through an approved training program, in accordance with FSM 2358.
- To engage in sawing activities, sawyers must acquire and maintain a USDA Forest Service National Sawyer Certification card and First Aid/CPR Certification.
- The National Sawyer Certification card has a 3-year expiration date and can be subject to review at any time before it expires.
Course Objectives:
The “Development of Thinking Sawyers” course is designed to provide employees, volunteers, and cooperators who are basic to intermediate crosscut saw users with the technical knowledge to use these tools safely and effectively.
At the completion of training, a qualified sawyer evaluator will conduct a field evaluation to determine whether a student demonstrates:
- Safe saw handling skills.
- Basic knowledge of course content.
- Recall the guiding documents associated with the Forest Service National Saw Program and its policies.
- Recognize the levels of sawyer certification.
- List the three key safety concepts.
- Identify the required personal protective equipment (PPE) and its proper fit.
- Identify and discuss how human factors affect sawyer operations.
- Identify and discuss components of the objective, hazards, leans/binds, escape path, cut plan (OHLEC) size-up process.
- Discuss operational complexity and its relationship to a sawyer’s knowledge and skill.
- Explain the importance of saw team communication.
- The field evaluation will identify the level of certification at which each student is authorized to perform saw work based on the student’s ability to apply learned knowledge and skill in front of an approved sawyer evaluator.
Food: On your own. Participants will handle all their own meals. Prepare to bring meals to the field.
Lodging: WSI offers free on-site camping for all participants and instructors. There are hotels in nearby towns for both courses. Emails will be sent after acceptance to the course with more information.
Contact: Email scottybowman@wildernessstewards.org for specific questions or concerns.
Champions of Wilderness: Our Esteemed Sponsors
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our generous sponsors whose support has fueled the success of the Southern Appalachian’s Wilderness Skills Institute. Your commitment to empowering outdoor enthusiasts and fostering a deeper connection to wilderness and wild public lands is truly commendable. Thank you for being instrumental in making this transformative experience possible for all attendees.
