Activity Report Explorer

Cascade Volcanoes • Entered by Laurie Kerr on September 24, 2024

Mount St. Helens Broadwalk

August 7, 2024 – August 11, 2024

Participants and Hours

Pre Planning hours	25
Post Admin hours	3
Activity Hours	90
Participants	38
Total Hours	3448

Key Issue: Wilderness & Monument Designation/Protection
Activity Type: Education & Outreach (tabling, films & lectures, regional B-walks/works)
Key Partners: Mount St Helens Institute
Landscape/area: Mount Saint Helens National Monument (112593 acres)

Measurable Outcomes

Outcome 1: Invasives removed (250 plants)
Outcome 2: Event Attendees (38 people)

Short Description of Activity

11 Cascade Volcanoes Members joined the Mount St Helens Broadwalk at Mount St Helens Institute.

Reflection/Evaluation

It was a great event! Carolyn, Micky, and I planned the event. Carolyn obtained the speakers, I organized the agenda and schedule and paid for the venue.and Micky kept us on track! We had 38 Broads from the PNW join us! The first evening we had Tanna Engdahl of the Cowlitz Tribe speak about the history and the connection to the land. On Thursday we had Carolyn discuss a quick overview of Mount St Helens with a stewardship involving pulling invasive plants. Alysa Adams from the National State Parks, Mount St Helens Visitor Center, presented about interpreting Nature. Susan Saul led a talk after dinner on the “Making of the Monument”. Friday we were joined by Jon Major, who discussed the geology of the mountain. Larry Mastin followed up with a talk about Mount St. Helens Ash. We were joined by them on several hikes and Makaela Kroin talked about Community Storytelling and the Mount St Helen’s Project, along with Alysa Adams. Saturday was hiking/painting/kayaking/free time. We were fortunate to have LD lead the beginning watercolor classes. Happy Hour every night was enjoyed by everyone! We held a Dance Party in the Atrium and everyone wore (or were supposed to have worn) outfits from the 1980s! It was a real blast! I think everyone enjoyed it and we had a great crew to help with clean up the next day before we departed for home.

It would have been optimal to have had better communication with MSHI about the food as well as the stewardship project. The stewardship project was very unorganized and last minute. The institute did not seem like they were ready for us as they did not have tools or even a project to suggest, even though I communicated with them prior to the event about them leading the project. Also the food at dinner could have been better planned. The night of the pizza there was no other food besides pizza. If we had known, we could have prepared a salad to go along with the pizza. We also brought our own desserts as well as our own breakfasts to save on costs. We served the same breakfast every morning. People seemed to like the oatmeal better than the hard boiled eggs.

Anyway, it was a huge project and it turned out well as a whole. The speakers and the venue really made the event and seeing our old and new Broads friends was the icing on the cake!