High Spirits, Inquisitive Minds at IAT-U

A rewarding, hands-on learning experience for volunteers!

“Spirits were high and minds inquisitive,” said Riley Dupee, Field Operations Specialist, describing the vibe at the recent Ice Age Trail University (IAT-U) in Dane County. “Plus, the weather was mostly sunny. The sunsets from base camp were terrific and included a firework show in the distance on Saturday night.”

IAT-U successfully delivered 10 trainings to a total of 94 volunteers, who generously dedicated 1,486 hours to learning the skills and techniques necessary to contribute to the creation, maintenance, and promotion of a National Scenic Trail.

“Every person I talked to about the classes they attended was extremely excited about what they learned,” said Patrick Gleissner, Trail Operations Coordinator. “Most volunteers arrived with a goal, wanting specific knowledge to fill a gap.”

For example, Gleissner pointed out, numerous volunteers have seen the Vermeer in use at projects but hadn’t yet had hands-on experience. By attending the Vermeer training, they gained the confidence to operate it and borrow it for future chapter trailbuilding projects.

“It was rewarding to provide Vegetative Management training for curious, eager-to-learn volunteers,” said Steve Pence, Land Restoration Specialist. “They asked excellent questions from personal experience supporting native species. They are committed to the long-term effort habitat improvement takes.”

As with many of the classes, the Vegetative Management training was not just theoretical. Volunteers had the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice, removing spotted knapweed and wild parsnip from two Alliance-owned preserves: SwampLovers’ and Mammoth’s Back.

In addition to fixtures in the workshop line-up, like Trail Plumbing, Tread Maintenance, and Signage, volunteers also had the opportunity to dive deeper into Outreach and Fundraising 101. They learned tips and best practices for working with youth at the chapter level, brainstorming easy fundraising ideas, and partnering with local businesses at chapter-led events.

Volunteer Crew Leader Alice Weinert underscored IAT-U’s benefits by complimenting the Rock Work training she received. “Learning these new skills expanded my understanding of what we can accomplish with stone and gave me ideas on how to lead a more efficient (and safe!) stonework crew.”