Volunteer Force Serves on High

Some of the best ideas arise because somebody is annoyed and can see a better way. A contingent of volunteer horseback riders who help rangers patrol the back country came into being a decade ago after Irvine resident Alice Sorenson had enough of being told she could not ride horseback on closed county trails.

Recently, the county celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Park Ranger Reserve Program, which is a boon to environmental protection and adds for good measure some volunteers to assist with the important work of the rangers. The program trains volunteers to perform such services as guiding nature walks and educating the public. Equestrians also patrol the land on horseback; others use mountain bikes.

Now that the county has endured the pain of bankruptcy, and some of the extras that contributed to the overall quality of life have been tightened or eliminated, it is good to have had such a program in place. Since its formation, about 160 volunteers have donated 92,000 hours. In a cost-conscious time, this has amounted to a savings of about $1.6 million.

Tim Miller, the county manager of harbors, beaches and parks, notes that the program has enabled the county to pay much closer attention to its vast 33,000 acres of park lands. The volunteers can alert rangers to places where trails might need repair, or they can radio to rangers for assistance where needed.

The Board of Supervisors recently approved a resolution commending the ranger reserves for their service. Volunteers are trained to study the history of the land, and they also learn first aid, radio communication and how to handle emergency situations.

This is a good outlet also for people who may be working in such occupations as computer programming, school teaching, or psychology to get a change of pace. For example, Herndon “Spike” O’Connell, a 68-year-old retired tour bus guide, says that he has given thousands of hours of service, and that still, he learns something new every day.

The county has in this program a model for how to get things done in tight times when those providing extra services are struggling with the aftershock of bankruptcy. These services, provided by volunteers, make a great deal of difference in the great outdoors.