Getting There
We will be working in the vicinity of Damascus, Virginia, which is near I-81 in southwestern Virginia. The nearest airport is the Tri-Cities airport near Johnson City, Tennessee (about an hour’s drive away).
Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader
Getting There
We will be working in the vicinity of Damascus, Virginia, which is near I-81 in southwestern Virginia. The nearest airport is the Tri-Cities airport near Johnson City, Tennessee (about an hour’s drive away).
Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.
Accommodations and Food
We will be camping at Beartree Lake Campground in Washington-Jefferson National Forest. This campground has showers and flush toilets available. The meals are vegetarian-friendly and varied, and feature local produce as available. Participants will assist in cooking meals and cleaning up after breakfast and supper. Lunches are carried to the worksite. If desired, at your own expense, participants may visit local restaurants on the “free” day or attend local cultural events.
The campground is in a quiet, secluded area of national forest. We can enjoy campfires and swim in the park’s lake.
Trip Difficulty
While not physically demanding, participants must be flexible and agile to perform the tasks involved by all partnering organizations. We will be standing, stooping, lifting, pulling, and possibly working in wetlands. Trail work may necessitate the use of power tools and heavy hand tools. The terrain is rough in the mountains when doing trail maintenance.
Equipment and Clothing
Standard camping equipment, including a waterproof tent, ground cloth, sleeping pad, and bag, is required, along with personal eating utensils. Comfortable, layered clothing for work tasks, work gloves, and comfortable, broken-in hiking boots are highly suggested. A day pack to carry lunch, rain gear, and two liters of water are required. Casual dress wear is appropriate for cultural events. An expanded gear list will be sent to participants in early May 2020.
References
Conservation
A lead scientist of the American Chestnut Foundation will give an informative talk during the week. In addition, we will tour the research farm in Meadowview, Virginia. A guest speaker will join us to talk about the endangered bog turtle, which resides in the cranberry bogs. This speaker worked for years for the Knoxville Zoo, leading the effort to restore the bog turtle (including raising turtle hatchings in her home).
Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.