I'm curious about the possibility of a licencing program allowing volunteers to take an identification/safety test and work in areas that are, to my understanding, normally restricted to state/parks and rec. employees and supervised groups. I know plenty of people who would be interested, and imagine that most costs could be covered by licencing fees. Has this kind of proposal been considered before (and if so, what were the results)? If not, who would be the best group/organization/leg of the state government to take this to?

Reporter
July 3, 2012, 5:17 a.m.

Hi, Josie. Thanks for your email. I think I can only address the question about volunteer licensing (barely), since old man's beard isn't really one of our target species. If anyone were to address the idea of volunteer licensing for state lands, it might be Oregon State Parks, or possibly the Department of State Lands (DSL). My concern is that state funding at all levels has been so reduced that folks may not warm to the idea, since the work required to set up and maintain a new volunteer tracking system would be substantial. I don't know anything about how those agencies currently support volunteer efforts, although Tryon Creek State Natural Area seems to have an exemplary local program.

Those are the places I would look for more information on this. As always feel free to contact me directly at mitch.bixby@portlandoregon.gov.

-Mitch

Mitch Bixby
July 10, 2012, 1:54 a.m.