MISSOULA — If you are out at one of Missoula’s many trailheads this summer, keep an eye out for the trail ambassadors. They post up along popular trails with smiles, snacks and lots of information about local public lands.
“The ambassadors, they set up shop to meet recreationists where they're at,” said Peter Whitney, a program specialist with City of Missoula Parks and Recreation Conservation Lands Program. “I’m always surprised by how welcoming and friendly everybody is at the trailhead.”
The ambassadors are an extra-friendly bunch. They greet people coming to get out on the trail, offering information and resources. They also have lots of free gifts and even rewards for following trail rules.
“It's kind of an ever-evolving, smorgasbord of goodies over at the trail ambassador table,” Whitney said. “We've got things that we think runners or hikers or bikers might like, some quick candy or some carbo-load snacks and water, of course. Dog treats are probably our most popular giveaway.”
But, the ambassadors are there for more than just treats. The Trail Ambassador Program is a pilot program run by the City of Missoula and the Forest Service. Whitney said it helps public land users and managers get more connected.
“Really what we found was that messages about responsible recreation come so much further and kind of relate so much better when they're coming from your peers, from a mountain biker to a mountain biker, from a hiker to a hiker," he said.
So, while they wear bright orange uniforms, the ambassadors are actually volunteers from all around the Missoula Valley. Now in its third year, the program has grown to more than 50 ambassadors.
This is Sylke Laine’s first season taking on the role. Her first day was at the Lincoln Hills Trailhead, just up the road from her house, where she handed out dog treats and met plenty of hikers and bikers.
“This is my home trail, so I know it a lot. I know where all the trails go and how long it takes to get there and to share that information is great,” she said. “I love interacting with people in any capacity, so I was just saying to my husband earlier this morning that wearing kind of a uniform makes it even easier to just approach people and chat with them.”
After signing up, Laine joined other recruits in spring ambassador training. She was excited by the energy all the volunteers for responsible recreation.
“I think that's what a lot of people were passionate about and sharing the knowledge that they have about the wildflowers, about the different trees,” she said.
The ambassadors are there to answer questions, but also to watch and to listen. They take notes on feedback from trail users and about how people are using the trail. They mark down everything from the number of cars and bikes to whether people are following rules about dog leashes to how many people they talked to during a shift.
“They track things like the number of trail hikers and different use types that are coming through a trailhead and really give a fuller picture of recreational use that's occurring at trailheads. That's really helpful because a lot of local land management agencies just don't have the capacity to keep track of that information,” Whitney said. “We have a lot of anecdotal sense of how much use is occurring at different trailheads, but the trail ambassadors really help back that up with data.”
Whitney said the program also helps visitors share their thoughts with land managers. Ambassadors pass feedback along to the City and the Forest Service, allowing them to make real changes. Last year, a comment to an ambassador led to more accessible trails up Pattee Canyon, allowing for wheelchair users to get out and enjoy the area.
“A trail user explained that when they go out with their son to recreate and their son uses a wheelchair to access some of our local trails, there's a couple pinch points on the trail system,” Whitney said. “It's little things like that that land managers might often miss or not think about but are really important to trail users and recreationists, and that can make all the difference.”
Whitney said that the Trail Ambassador Program brings together people with all sorts off different backgrounds when they meet at the trailhead.
“Every time I help with the Trail Ambassador Program, I learn so much from the trail ambassadors. We've got dedicated hikers, we've got dedicated mountain bikers, we’ve got people that just love spending time with their friends or family out on conservation lands or on Forest Service lands,” he said. “Trail ambassadors kind of reflect that and help celebrate that too and make space for everybody out on our public lands.”
