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Interagency Regional Wilderness Stewardship Training

Dense trees growing out of water
Wambaw Swamp Wilderness, South Carolina

Regional Wilderness Stewardship Trainings are four-day courses that provide foundational knowledge of the Wilderness Act and its implementation, explore topics of regional relevance, foster networking among wilderness professionals, and strengthen connections to the wilderness resource.

Dates

November 2-5, 2026

Location

Charleston, South Carolina (Environmental Education Center at Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge) 

Trainer

James Sippel, Bureau of Land Management Representative at the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center

Cost

Participants pay their own travel costs. Specific information about lodging will be provided when your registration is confirmed. A block of rooms will be reserved at the training venue.

Audience

The target audience is federal agency staff who are field-level decision-makers with wilderness stewardship responsibilities and/or who are field-going and conduct work in wilderness. 

Description

This course focuses on interpreting and applying the 1964 Wilderness Act, administrative priorities, agency policies, and wilderness management principles that support effective stewardship.

Participants are required to attend the entire training to receive credit.

Learning Objectives

  • Recognize the values and history of wilderness protection, including national and regional public perspectives, and the important role of agency staff in public those values
  • Review details of the Wilderness Act of 1964 important to implementing a successful stewardship program
  • Understand wilderness character, its five qualities, and the mandate for its preservation
  • Gain a working understanding of the Minimum Requirements Analysis process
  • Examine fundamental principles of wilderness stewardship
    • Preserve untrammeled and natural conditions
    • Provide and use the minimum necessary
    • Protect wilderness benefits
    • Manage wilderness as a whole
  • Focus on wilderness stewardship topics relevant to the region
    • Issues unique to island wilderness areas
    • Administration of prescribed fire
    • Management of invasive species
    • Disaster response
    • Managing inholdings and valid existing rights
    • Other emerging topics
  • Observe stewardship work occurring at local units
  • Network with other wilderness stewards
  • Create awareness of resources available to wilderness stewards through Wilderness Connect
  • Personally reconnect with the wilderness resource

Prerequisites

How to Register

Staff from any federal agency who work in wilderness are invited to apply. Applicants will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants must confirm they have approval from their supervisor/agency to be admitted to the course. Non-federal agencies and partners are also welcome to register and will be selected if space allows. If the number of applicants exceeds the available spots, those applicants will be placed on a wait list and be admitted if cancellations occur.

The Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center will aim to notify those selected at least a month before the training starts.

To apply, please use the Charleston, SC Regional Wilderness Stewardship Training form.

Questions

Questions about the registration process, course content or logistics should be directed to the course coordinator, James Sippel, jsippel@blm.gov.