From a Cubicle to the Great Outdoors

Photo By Brigida Sanchez | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District staff visited Dworshak Dam and Reservoir's Grandad Recreation Area, near Ahsahka, Idaho, Aug. 14-17, 2017. The 15 Corps personnel that attended the “Dworshak Natural Resource Management Workshop”, toured the Elk Mitigation Area where they learned forest and wildlife management techniques, and experiences how Corps support functions contribute to the success of caring for the Nation's natural resources and recreation.  

AHSAHKA, ID, UNITED STATES

08.25.2017

Story by Brigida Sanchez 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District

Everyday U.S. Army Corps of Engineers support staff in Walla Walla deal with a notion of what it is like to work in the field. Many employees never get the opportunity to leave their cubicles, but the Corps Natural Resource Management (NRM) team turned that abstraction into a reality when they brought district personnel to the great outdoors.
Fifteen corps support personnel, from contracting, legal, finance, resource management, real estate, and planning put on their hiking boots, packed their field gear, and convoyed out to the Dworshak Project site, where they would spend three days and two nights at the Long Creek work center baring witness to the lands and wildlife they help sustain.
Natural resource managers spent two years organizing the “Dworshak Natural Resource Management Workshop” due to the remote location of the work center. Paul Pence, Dworshak’s natural resource manager explains why it is so important to have the Walla Walla district team come out to the field.
“This trip up here is rewarding because we were able to share ideas with the next generation of people coming into this unique mission. We also gain some insight and ideas from them,” adds Pence.
A wildlife biologist, forester, geographical Information system specialist and a forestry tech share the primary responsibility as stewards presiding over 30,000 acres of public land, a 54 mile long reservoir with about 175 miles of shoreline that pertain to Dworshak.
The Dworshak NRM team manages multiple programs throughout the year. The list is daunting: public access, boundary management, fire, forestry, invasive species, trails, as well as wildlife habitat and wildlife management.
The NRM team’s wildlife biologist Russ Davis notes their mission includes managing and conserving those natural resources, consistent with ecosystem management principles, while providing quality public outdoor recreation.
“We all recognize that we serve the American people. We have an obligation to provide for wildlife, for recreation, hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities for the citizens of Idaho and the people that come from elsewhere,” says Davis.
The NRM team often is the face of the Corps on these public lands and then there are those that are far from the public view who also contribute to the seamless operation.
“We the need the support of our staff and to have them come out here and take an interest means a lot,” responds Davis. “Being able to see how we work enables them to better support us out here in the field.”
The group took a boat to tour public lands and access the remote location of the Long Creek work center. They stopped and viewed land managed for wildlife, forests and recreation and witnessed the passion that drives the team to make a two hour commute to the site on Monday and stay through Thursday in order to progress on their many projects.
“I feel so privileged” says Leanne Walling, contract specialist “to go out to see projects and the way that they function. It’s a different schedule… it’s a different purpose but we are all supporting the same project.”
Dworshack is a very unique project whose stewards have a very large footprint entrusted in their care. Over the course of the three day workshop Walla Walla district personnel and the Dworshak NRM Team were able to build upon a shared knowledge and understanding of the Corps mission, enabling them to push forward a vision aimed at conserving our natural resources and preserving our recreational facilities for future generations.
The Army Corps of Engineers has been caring for Dworshak’s public lands since 1970’s. Dworshak’s, beauty, abundance in wildlife and variety of recreational opportunities is open all year round. For more information contact the Dworshak Dam Visitor Center at 208-476-1255.

• Date Taken: 08.25.2017
• Date Posted: 08.25.2017 15:43
• Story ID: 246052
• Location: AHSAHKA, ID, US
• Hometown: CLARKSTON, WA, US
• Hometown: LEWISTON, ID, US
• Hometown: OROFINO, ID, US
• Hometown: WALLA WALLA, WA, US