In April 2013, Wild Trails began an official sawyer certification program. A sawyer is a someone who saws wood. Wild Trails decided to have the certification program to make certain that persons using a chainsaw to help Wild Trails clear trails had a thorough knowledge of not only chainsaws, but chainsaw safety. To get the job done properly, Wild Trails hired Jim Holland, recognized by the Benton MacKaye Trail Association as a Trail Maintainer of the Year in 2012 for his trail maintenance as well as sawyer/first aid/CPR instruction. Jim helps maintain portions of the Benton MacKaye Trail, a 300-mile trail which runs from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Big Creek Campground on the northern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Under the instruction of Jim, Wild Trails completed another sawyer class this past weekend. The students included Will Walker (TVA), Cory Tyler (TVA), Mickey Hogsed (Cumberland Trail), David Johnson (Chattanooga Parks), Ralph Cadins (SORBA), Tom Bowen (SORBA), and Chris Warren (Wild Trails).
We\’re excited to offer this certification for our volunteers. If you\’re interested in becoming involved as a volunteer for Wild Trails (you don\’t have to become a sawyer), please contact us. We have plenty of opportunities whether they be trail building or helping out with one of our races.
If you see a trail that is in need of some trail work or want to adopt a trail, please let us know.