Isle Royale National Park – Youth Crew Stoll Trail Rehabilitation Grant

Opportunity Number: FY2014-ISRO-YCTR-0001
Park: Isle Royale National Park
Houghton, MI 49931
Project title: Youth Crew – Stoll Trail Rehabilitation June 2014
Proposed Project Date: June 17 – July 9, 2014 (one crew)
Estimated funding available: Not to exceed $25,000
Number of Positions Available: 1 youth crew of 8 to 10 people (minimum of 2 leaders and 6 crew members per crew)

Summary:
This trail rehabilitation project of the Stoll Loop Trail consists of brushing trail corridor to six foot wide and eight foot high and includes removing identified plants and woody growth, hauling all branches and duff out of sight of the trail, and stomping it down to promote decay. Erosion control activities including trail grading, trail straightening, and removing rocks and roots that may cause tripping or other hazards will be completed as part of the trail rehabilitation. Work requires constant stooping, bending, kneeling, squatting, and walking. Crew is expected to hike from 2 to 10 miles a day. Work is performed in all types of extreme weather conditions including heat, humidity, cold, and rain. Incumbent provides the leadership to youth associated with this project. If project is completed prior to project end date, the park crew will be assigned additional activities of a similar nature in accordance with park goals.

Background:
Isle Royale National Park is located in Lake Superior approximately 70 miles from the National Park Service park headquarters in Houghton, Michigan. The Island is approximately 45 miles long, 9 miles at its widest part, and is surrounded by hundreds of smaller islands and rock outcrops. Isle Royale is known for its wolf and moose populations that have been subjects of research studies for more than fifty years. It is also popular with boaters and fisherman with its harbors and bays. Isle Royale is home to one of the last native fish hatchery’s in Lake Superior. The island is also popular for its 165 miles of wilderness back country hiking trails offering visitors the opportunity to view wildlife in a natural setting. Visitors to the Isle Royale enjoy the many lakes of the island, including some of the larger lakes that include public campgrounds. From the ridges of the island on clear days you can see mainland Michigan, Canada, and Minnesota across Lake Superior. The island is host to an abundance of rare plants and is also known for the prehistoric mining conducted by Native American Indians and later historic mining that took place there.

Projects and Work Activities for 2014:
The Stoll Trail is part of the 165 miles of trail system found at Isle Royale National Park. It is 3.6 miles long with 11 board walks and lays on the Eastern end of Isle Royale with the trailhead starting at Snug/Rock Harbor and working its way along Rock Harbor extending out to Scoville Point and returning on the Tobin Harbor side to Snug/Rock Harbor. The trail has many overlooks of Lake Superior and some of Tobin Harbor and is primarily used by day hikers and visitors to Rock Harbor. The trail has a good amount of juniper, balsam fir, spruce and white birch.

Rehabilitation of the trail consists of brushing trail corridor to six foot wide and eight foot high dimension with the removal of identified plants and woody growth, all branches and duff removed will be hauled out of sight of trail and stomped down to help promote decay. During rehab erosion control, trail grading, trail straitening, rocks and roots that cause tripping or other hazards will be addresses. Work will require constant stooping, bending, kneeling, squatting, and walking. Crew will be expected to hike from 2 to 10 miles a day. Work is performed in all types of weather hot, humid, wet, cold, and rain. Incumbent will provide the leadership to youth associated with this project. If project is completed other work will be found to keep crew busy and achieve other park goals.

If the crew completes the primary trail rehabilitation activities described above, they may be assigned additional brushing and rehab work on Greenstone Trial near West Chickenbone Lake campground. The campground is located in the interior of the island with the closest trail head approximately 2.5 miles from McCargoe Cove campground. Work will be similar but in a terrain with more hills.

Skills desired:
• Knowledge of and skills to use and maintain hand tools to perform trail rehabilitation tasks such as loppers, Pulaski, council tool/fire rake, pruning saws, rock/root bars, rock hammer, rock chisels, rock sling, shovel, lawn rake, garden rake, and wheel barrow.
• Ability to make tool caches in primitive setting.
• Ability to setup and take down camping equipment.
• Ability to use and maintain a propane cook stove, lights, and white gas stoves.
• Knowledge of how to use and maintain water filters.

Educational background desired:
• Knowledge of wilderness first aid.
• Skill and knowledge of loading and the safe operation of canoes.

Materials Requested for Statement of Information/Qualifications:

Isle Royale National Park is interested in obtaining the services of a youth crew beginning in July to do project work at Isle Royale to meet trail maintenance goals. Up to $25,000 is available for a youth crew and leader a 21- to 30-day stint to complete projects at the park. Incumbent will provide the leadership to youth associated with this project. NPS staff will work with incumbent to oversee the project, provide day-to-day logistical support, and to ensure park standards are understood and met.

Crew will be base camped in Rock Harbor campground in group sites located approximately 400 yards from the dock with the Rock Harbor channel on the south side and Tobin Harbor on the North side. Campgrounds on the island can be buggy in the early season so incumbent may want to bring along a screen tent this will allow crew a reprieve from bugs as well as give them a place to cook out of the rain. Potable water is available in the campground as well as pit toilets. Snug/Rock Harbor is the eastern portal to Isle Royale National Park it has a small store, visitor center with evening programs, marina, restaurant with dining hall, lodge and housekeeping units. There are no phones or internet on the island and once you arrive you step into the past without communication to the outside world until the end of trip and your return back to the mainland. (In case of an emergency you must contact the park service for assistance).

If the crew completes work on the Stoll Loop Trail, they could be assigned a second project working on Greenstone Trial near West Chickenbone Lake campground. The campground is located in the interior of the island with the closest trail head approximately 2.5 miles from McCargoe Cove campground. Work will be similar but in a terrain with more hills. This would also be a base camp situation and canoes would be used to shuttle gear across lake to the campground at West Chickenbone.

NPS will supply incumbent with a large katadyn water filter for group camping, fuel for camp stoves, all tools needed to perform project work, a park radio, radio call number and emergency call numbers. NPS staff will work with incumbent to provide logistical support, and to ensure park standards are understood and met. NPS will bring food purchased by incumbent to Rock Harbor or Mc Cargo Cove for resupply once during the stay on island. If time is short a work project will be found in the nearby area so the camp does not have to be moved.

Isle Royale has something for most everyone photography, hiking, camping, rare plants, wildlife, scenic vistas, canoeing, boating, fishing, (a Michigan license is required to fish Lake Superior waters for those 17 and older, no license is needed to fish inland lakes/streams.) Weather can range from 40 degrees up to 80-90 degrees during summer months so both warm and cold weather attire is needed. Rain gear is a must as well as some way to deal with bugs, anyone needing medication should bring enough to last entire trip, anyone who is allergic bees or other things should bring the appropriate medications as they are not readily available while on the island.

Materials Requested for Statement of Information/Qualifications:
Prepare a Statement of Information (three-page maximum) including a summary of how you would implement and manage this project in conjunction with NPS staff. Include your name, organization, and contact information, a brief description of the organization and mission, as well as a description of relevant qualifications and experience with recruiting and placement of youth interns, past projects, and staff, faculty, or students who would be available to work on the project. In conjunction with the Statement of Information you are also required to submit a preliminary bid. The Statement of Information and preliminary bid will be reviewed by the NPS in order determine the organization best suited to provide services for this specific project. Final costs and budget will be negotiated following selection of a recipient. Submit electronic Statement of Interest to catherine_schroeder@nps and julie_hendricks@nps.gov by 5:00 CST on Friday, February 14, 2014 as well as any questions you may have concerning the project. Please indicate the Opportunity Number and Project Title in the subject line of the email.