Paull honored for restoration work
Published 11:37 am Thursday, October 2, 2008
SNOQUALMIE VALLEY – The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) has honored Gary Paull for his dedication to wilderness stewardship and innovative land management. Paull received the 15th annual NOLS Stewardship Award during the school’s annual awards ceremony on Oct. 9 in Lander, Wyo.
Paull’s career with the forest service spans 22 years. He is currently the wilderness and trails coordinator for the Mt. Baker/Snoqualmie National Forest, where he oversees 1,500 miles of trails and 720,000 acres of designated wilderness.
Considered legendary by his peers, Paull sets the example for finding innovative ways of accomplishing wilderness restoration projects that meet wilderness quality guidelines. Paull has developed an excellent volunteer program based on partnerships with groups such as the Back Country Horsemen, the Washington Trails Association and NOLS. He has offered seed money to nonprofits to encouraging them to use volunteers that resulted in more than 70,000 hours dedicated to wilderness stewardship.
Paull’s accomplishments are even more notable when you consider the context. He deals daily with the unique challenge of managing wilderness close to a major metropolitan area. The wilderness under Paull’s watch supports upwards of 720,000 visitors a year, more than any other national forest wilderness. Says Mark Langston, NOLS Pacific Northwest operations manager, “Gary has shown boundless energy and creativity in his efforts to maintain high-quality, trailed access in our wilderness areas. His dedication and approach have gained the support of a wide array of user groups throughout Western Washington.”
NOLS initiated the Stewardship Award in 1990 to recognize land managers who have exhibited exceptional stewardship of the wild lands entrusted to their care. The school recognizes that to achieve its educational goals, it needs high-quality land managers as key outreach partners. NOLS also recognizes that with shrinking budgets and increasing demands on public land, these are challenging times for land managers. NOLS’s goal is to celebrate managers like Gary Paull who rise to the occasion.
Founded in 1965 by mountaineer and educator Paul Petzoldt, NOLS is the recognized leader in wilderness education. As a private nonprofit school, NOLS operates field expeditions around the world. Students learn wilderness skills and safety, conservation and leadership. NOLS alumni include more than 60,000 graduates worldwide. Based in Lander, the school runs 14 to 95-day expeditions from nine locations around the world.
