The Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council has entered into a formal agreement with the CSUCI Center for Community Engagement, to join their Service-Learning program. Read more about the CSUCI program.

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

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

CSUCI Trail Corp Hours

Crew Member Date Hours Event
Audrey Byrd2024-12-077.00 La Jolla Valley Trails - State Parks
Angela Batoon2024-12-077.00 La Jolla Valley Trails - State Parks
Luna Huitron2024-11-236.00 Hondo Canyon - State Parks
Angela Batoon2024-11-236.00 Hondo Canyon - State Parks
Haley Langness2024-11-236.00 Hondo Canyon - State Parks
Luna Huitron2024-11-166.00 Malibu Springs Trail - NPS
Haley Langness2024-10-267.00 La Jolla Valley Trails - State Parks
Luna Huitron2024-10-195.00 COSCA - COSCA
Audrey Byrd2024-10-195.00 COSCA - COSCA
Haley Langness2024-10-195.00 COSCA - COSCA
Angela Batoon2024-10-127.00 La Jolla Valley Trails - State Parks
Luna Huitron2024-10-127.00 La Jolla Valley Trails - State Parks
Haley Langness2024-09-284.00 Rancho Sierra Vista - NPS
Luna Huitron2024-09-284.00 Rancho Sierra Vista - NPS
Audrey Byrd2024-09-216.00 Serrano Canyon - State Parks
Haley Langness2024-09-216.00 Serrano Canyon - State Parks
Haley Langness2024-09-146.00 Serrano Canyon - State Parks
Luna Huitron2024-09-146.00 Serrano Canyon - State Parks
Angela Batoon2024-09-146.00 Serrano Canyon - State Parks
Total:

Totals by Crew Member

Crew Member Total Hours
Haley Langness34.00
Luna Huitron34.00
Angela Batoon26.00
Audrey Byrd18.00

Totals by Month

MonthHours
September38.00
October36.00
November24.00
December14.00
Totals112