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  • About Us
    • Programs
      • Overview
      • VetsWork Environment
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    • About
      • Our Mission
      • Our Impact
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      • The Board
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      • VetsWork Environment Interns
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      • Reach HQ
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The time has flown by incredibly fast. What has seemed like only a few weeks has turned into a few months, and the end of the program and the beginning of our time as official Forest Service employees is rapidly approaching. We have had more hours than I can count of practice with our chainsaws and the tools we will need, worked with fire engines, and trained our minds and bodies to be prepared for what looks to be a very busy upcoming fire season.

We start every morning about the same time the sun does; we have our morning PT (physical training) which may be a run, a circuit course, or a hike with our full packs through the mountains. When we start our work for the day, half of us will be running chainsaws and thinning the forest of hazard trees and allowing more room for endangered or less common trees to become healthy again. The other half will be playing the largest game of pick-up-sticks in the world, and stacking the felled and bucked trees for a control burn later when they are dry. We always ride in the same squad trucks to and from the thinning unit, and anywhere else our daily work might take us, so combining that with our close living proximity and shared background has made a very tight-knit group.

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    At the end of each day we return to our bunkhouse in Frazier where our crew hangs out, has some drinks, watches movies, and shares stories and jokes around the fire pit. Before coming here I had worries that this would be far more “military” in style than I was ready to return to. I was happily surprised at how laid-back and casual the group is. Although we are all veterans (minus a few of our more experienced leadership) we have been able to mix ranks, branches, and jobs of all kinds into a cohesive group that can both work and play on a level playing field. The concept of fraternization doesn’t exist in this environment, and its led to a group that in some ways is even closer than the ones we had in the military. Even on our weekends there are always groups getting together for a night on the town, or just to go fishing or hiking.

    I’m very excited to begin the fire season and put the camaraderie and skills we’ve learned to the test, and really see what we can accomplish.

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    Jul 16

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    It was so much fun teaching mtadamsinstitute summer botany camp yesterday. The kids had a blast learning about plants and natural dyes. We had a field trip to bloomanddye to harvest fresh dye flowers and the older kids made bundle dyed bandanas. The young kids made indigo shibori bandanas and left with blue hands and blue arms! 💙🌿🌼💛 

I left exhausted with a big smile and full heart. Seeing the joy and happiness on these kids faces as they saw what they created was a treat. 

#naturaldyes 
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    Apr 19

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    She’s off for her school overnight trip! She handled all of her own packing and I am fully confident that means she’ll have at least 95% of the things she really needs. Girlfriend is on top of it! #urchinadventures #montessorikids #overnightfieldtrip #cascademountainschool
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    Jan 14

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    Blue Hour at Mount Adams, The #bluehour is the period of #twilight when the Sun is at a significant depth below the horizon and residual, indirect sunlight takes on a predominantly blue shade.
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#mtadamsinstitute  #mountainreflections  #explorewashstate #pnwonderland #cascadiaexplored #cascadia #wonderfulwashington #wonderfulwashingtonstate #pnwescapes #pnwadventures #pnwadventurers #pnwcrew #pnw_shooters #mtadams #giffordpinchotnationalforest #giffordpinchot #pnwphotographer #pnwphotography #leavenotrace #washingtonphotography #bluehourphotography #klickitatcounty #photography #blue #light #landscapephotography #landscapephotographer #mountains
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    Apr 17

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    KCD is sad to be losing the amazing Krystal Hedrick, who has accepted a new position as GIS Mapper with the Weld County Assessor’s Office in Colorado.

She served at KCD over the past year through Mount Adams Institute VetsWork, an AmeriCorps career development program for military veterans who want to work in natural resources management.

As a forest technician, Krystal brought passion to her work on KCD’s North SeaTac Park restoration managing a KCD WCC crew to remove harmful invasive plants and prepare the site for reforestation efforts that will improve the park’s ecosystem making it more resilient and beneficial for local wildlife.

#BestOfLuckToYou #ThankYouForYourService #MtAdamsInstitute #AmeriCorps #Forestry #UrbanForestry #WashingtonConservationCorps
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