Purpose:
Trail Corps members will actively work to engage CSUCI students in trail restoration and conservation through education, volunteer opportunities and promotion and marketing. With the goal of connecting CSUCI students to nature, developing future volunteers, and helping students build civic and professional skills.

Position Description:
In collaboration with the Santa Monica Mountains Trails Councils, the Center for Community Engagement, has openings for a new student program: CSUCI TRAIL Corps. Based on the rich tradition of wilderness trail workers, Corps members will serve for one year alongside Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council mentors to construct, repair, maintain, and restore the public trail system throughout the Santa Monica Mountains and adjacent areas. Corps members will participate in analyzing planning, and completing various trail projects including maintenance and clearing, construction of erosion prevention structures, and construction of steps, walkways, and bridges in timber or rock and outreach events conducted by Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council members.

Corps members will also work to educate CSUCI students about the work of the Trails Council, increase awareness of trails and recruit on campus volunteers to participate in the Council’s volunteer projects.

Trail Corps members will maintain a journal of their participation in Trail Corps activities. This journal will be used to evaluate and improve the Trail Corps experience, Trail Corps members will also, under guidance of Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council mentors, plan, conduct and report on a trail project.

Corp members will learn:

• Training and safety orientation (online)
• Trail Work Guide (online)
• The historic skills of trail maintenance and construction, and the process of building healthy, inclusive communities alongside leaders in the field of trail conservation leadership skills by having a unique learning experiences in a truly spectacular environment
• Identification of flora and fauna in the Santa Monica Mountains

Trainings Offered:

• Leave No Trace (LNT) Outdoor Ethics
• Trails Work Skills
• Trails Assessment
• Data Collection (if applicable)
• Flora and fauna in the Santa Monica Mountains

Eligibility Requirements: This position is open to all majors. Members must be at least 18 years of age and have the ability to:

• Work weekends
• Make a one-year commitment
• Have a car or access to transportation to trail sites
• Hike up to two miles on trails rated as easy to moderate difficulty
• Perform mildly strenuous physical work for up to four hours

Pay rate: Corps members will receive a stipend for 100 hours of work to split between fall and spring semester.

Our Role:
For the Trails Council, the "actionable" part of this program is the establishment of the "CSUCI Trail Corps". The Trail Corps is a group of five students who will be working with the Trails Council for the next several months. The Trail Corps "Position Description", which describes the student's learning objectives and infers the SMMTC responsibilities. Trail Corps members will be joining the Trails Council on our regular outings as part of their learning experience. SMMTC Crew leaders should keep in mind that Trail Corps members are not here just to perform trail work, but also learn about the environment, experience volunteering and community service. During our events, SMMTC crew leaders should try to help enrich their experience beyond just brush cutting. In addition to our regular outings, several special events have been scheduled just for the Trail Corps, to broaden their experience and ensure they have opportunities to meet all of their program objectives. I will be asking SMMTC crew leaders for your assistance with some of these activities.

The Corps members program began with an Orientation, an "introductory" trail maintenance lecture and performed a few hours of OJT. They have completed the parks volunteer agreements and related forms. Jason Finley has verified their vaccination status. They will now be joining our trail maintenance events. Jerry Mitcham is the SMMTC Manager for this program. Please address any questions or comments to him. Jerry Mitcham @verizon.net