Working Among Wolves: Service at the Wolf Conservation Center, New York

Getting There

The WCC is located in South Salem, New York in the northern part of Westchester County, close to Connecticut. It is 50 miles northeast of Manhattan, which is accessible by car or Metro-North Railroad. The nearest rail station is Katonah. The nearest airport is Westchester County Airport; others in the region are LaGuardia, Kennedy, and Newark. Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

We will be staying in Sal J. Prezioso Mountain Lakes Park (MLP). It is about 10 miles from the WCC. The park is 1,082 acres with a rugged landscape, rock outcrops, streams, and more than 10 miles of trails. The park also has the highest mountain in the county (982 feet) and an overlook with good views.

We plan to stay in two large yurts in a private location not far from the main entrance. The yurts are adjacent to a bathhouse with showers and restrooms. Each yurt has 10 cots, and some bureaus and lamps. We will have one yurt for women and one for men. If you prefer to tent camp, you may set up close by. Tent sites are available at the sites where the yurts are located. Participants are encouraged to consider bringing a tent if they have one.

We will cook meals at our campsite. Participants will take turns assisting staff with meal preparation and clean up.

Trip Difficulty

The volunteer work will be varied and range from light to fairly strenuous. It requires no previous experience or special skill, but familiarity with hand tools is helpful.

Equipment and Clothing

Tools will be provided by the WCC. Sturdy work shoes, long pants, two pairs of leather work gloves, and long-sleeved shirts are strongly advised to avoid poison ivy and deer ticks.

References

• USGS Quadrangle, Peach Lake 15 minute series

• Wolf Conservation Center: www.nywolf.org
• Mountain Lakes Park: www.wewstchestergov.com/parks
• Metro-North Railroad: www.mta.info/mnr

Conservation

The WCC is a nonprofit environmental education facility that also participates in the Species Survival Program (SSP) for the Mexican gray wolf and the red wolf, two of the rarest animals in North America. There are approximately 300 Mexican gray and 250 red wolves remaining in the world. WCC is assisting the recovery of these species and is home to nearly 25 of these endangered animals.

We will have a presentation from the staff of the WCC on their work and also the status of wolf conservation and protection in the United States. Interaction with the staff during the week will also provide additional information on wolf conservation issues.

Since its founding in 1892, The Sierra Club has worked to preserve and restore the natural environment we all share on this planet. Thousands of grassroots-level volunteers spearhead our efforts to conserve and sustain resources, both in our backyards and on a global scale. Through direct experience in the outdoors, Sierra Club outings enable participants to better understand, advocate, and participate in the environmental conservation goals of the Club.

Service outings, in particular, stand out as one of the Sierra Club’s most important “boots on the ground” conservation efforts. The work done by service trip participants in our nation’s public lands is a way of practicing conservation in the most direct way possible, whether it’s improving access while preserving wilderness values, restoring wildlife habitat, or repairing human-caused damage to a natural area. Service trips are a great way to pitch in and do something tangible to make the world a better place; they’re a way to go beyond just talking about conservation; a way to get out there and experience conservation with your whole being.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.