The Sawtooth Society provides three key outcomes: Enhancing recreational values across the SNRA through trail work and stewardship, advocating for the preservation and protection of the values of the SNRA, and collaborating to increase public awareness, protection, and appreciation of the SNRA.
Enhancing Recreational Values
The Sawtooth Society provides volunteer opportunities to do trail work and stewardship projects. These programs and projects help increase awareness and appreciation for the SNRA and its resources and encourage visitors to become responsible stewards of the area.
The organization also works to maintain and improve the network of trails throughout the SNRA, making them safer and more accessible for hikers, backpackers, and other recreational users.
Advocacy
The Sawtooth Society follows clear purposes and positions when it comes to taking a role as an advocate for the SNRA. Like a fire lookout, who uses binoculars to scan for forest fires in the distance, the Sawtooth Society serves as an advocacy “watchtower” – paying attention to potential issues as they arise on the horizon of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. We follow the values enumerated in Public Law 92-400, the legislation that created the SNRA, as our guidelines to determine when to advocate for the SNRA. These include 1) the protection and conservation of the salmon and other fisheries; (2) the conservation and development of scenic, natural, historic, pastoral, wildlife, and other values, contributing to and available for public recreation and enjoyment, including the preservation of sites associated with and typifying the economic and social history of the American West; and (3) the management, utilization, and disposal of natural resources on federally owned lands such as timber, grazing, and mineral resources in so far as their utilization will not substantially impair the purposes for which the recreation area is established.
Collaboration
The Sawtooth Society encourages collaboration to support these significant values of the SNRA. This involves collaborating with local, state, and federal officials to promote responsible management of the SNRA, and raising public awareness about issues that affect the area.
Through these efforts, the Sawtooth Society plays a vital role in preserving and protecting one of the most beautiful areas in Idaho. By supporting the organization, visitors and locals alike can help ensure that the SNRA remains a well-preserved and protected wildland for years to come.
