Boise Young Professionals (BYP), teamed up with the Sawtooth Society to clean up some of Idaho’s most beloved lands - The Sawtooth Mountain Range in Stanley, Idaho. BYP is a group created by the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce dedicated to the development of young professionals in the Treasure Valley. This forties and younger group not only learn about professional development but focuses on making connections and being involved in the community.
One of BYP’s most recent community projects was to team up with the Sawtooth Society to clean up trails in Stanley, Idaho, and the surrounding areas. The Sawtooth Society is a nonprofit that is on a mission to preserve, protect, and enhance the special qualities of the Sawtooth National Recreational Area. The Sawtooth Valley is a distinctive geographical destination in Idaho and is well-loved especially for those in the Treasure Valley.
Photo Credit: Boise Young Professionals
“The Sawtooth Wilderness Society teaches participants about the role we all play in conservation and about the long-term impacts that our work will have on the Sawtooth Wilderness,” said Brady Fuller, chair of BYP’s Community Engagement Work Team and the leader for this trip. “Not only that, but living in nature for a few days creates strong bonds between the participants, which often leads to friendships back in Boise.”
From Thursday to Sunday, young Treasure Valley professionals strapped on their hiking boots and headed into the mountains to give back. A group of 14 BYP members volunteered their time cleaning, conserving, and engaging with the community. From conservation work on the Grand Mogul trail on Redfish Lake to a clean-up around Pettit Lake, the volunteer crew cleared 8.7 miles of trail, built 142 waterbars (trail construction feature that is used to prevent erosion), and cut 72 logs and hundreds of bushes! They even stopped by the local Stanley-Sawtooth Chamber of Commerce visitors center to introduce themselves to the local business community.
“It is so refreshing to see chambers supporting chambers, especially in our small business community,” said Dani Hansen, Executive Director of Stanley-Sawtooth Chamber of Commerce “We see a majority of our tourism from the Boise area, and it’s good to know they are dedicated to giving back to our beautiful mountain city.”
Although Stanley, Idaho only has 69 year-round residents, the town sees tens of thousands of tourists from Memorial Day to Labor Day each year. This influx of tourism can be detrimental to the trails and public lands that make the Sawtooth Valley beautiful. Because of organizations like the Sawtooth Society and volunteers like BYP, the tourism effects on Stanley’s public lands are a little more manageable.
Thank you for giving back!
Photo Credit: Boise Young Professionals
Photo Credit: Boise Young Professionals
Photo Credit: Boise Young Professionals