National Wilderness Leadership Training Logistics
The Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center staff look forward to you joining us for the National Wilderness Leadership Training course being held on June 10-15, 2024, in Missoula, Montana. Please plan to travel on June 9 to Missoula and June 16 for home. The course includes 3-days of classroom sessions and a 3-day, 2-night working field trip into the wilderness. You are required to attend both the classroom and field trip portions to receive credit. All the information and items you need to prepare for this training are below. Please review this information thoroughly.
The following items need to be completed and returned to ensure your safety, comfort, and a positive course experience. Follow the links provided, complete the forms or documents, and reply before or by the due dates. There are multiple due dates, so please pay close attention as you go through these details. Bookmark this webpage for quick access to the information until you have completed and submitted all requested items.
Once you are confirmed for the course, arrangements for the hotel, field trips and other contracted services are put in place. If for some unforeseen reason you need to cancel, please notify Holly Metzger at holly.metzger@usda.gov immediately so your spot can go to someone on the wait list. Cancellations are extremely costly to the program if the space remains vacant. If you cancel after May 10, 2024, you will not receive a refund for your tuition. Please review the Attendance and Cancellation Policy.
Due Date Check List
To make it easier to track print the Due Date Check List and check the items off as you complete them.
- Special Accommodations = April 18, 2024
- Field Trip Selection = April 18, 2024
- Travel = May 10, 2024
- Lodging = May 10, 2024
- Tuition = May 10, 2024
*Note: Last day to cancel to receive a tuition refund = May 10, 2024
Prework: For the prework assignments that need to be submitted each of you has a designated folder in our SharePoint sight hosted by DOI to upload your documents. You will receive an email from Holly Metzger with the link to your individual folder. If you are a Forest Service employee, you may also receive an email from Michelle Reilly granting you permission to access the DOI sight. If you encounter any issues accessing your folder, please contact Holly at holly.metzger@usda.gov.- MRA Case Study & Enabling Legislation = May 10, 2024
- Images = May 10, 2024
- Prework = June 9, 2024 (Start this early, it will take longer than you think)
- Travel to/from and attend the training = June 9-16, 2024
Special Accommodations - REPLY DUE by April 18, 2024
Field Trip Selection – REPLY DUE by April 18, 2024
The National Wilderness Leadership Training includes a mandatory 3-day, 2-night working field trip. To ensure you get the most out of the field trip, we try to place you on one of your top 3 field trip choices. Please complete the field trip selection form to identify preferred choices of field trips, and if you need any special accommodations due to medical, dietary, or equipment needs.
Tuition – REPLY DUE no later than May 10, 2024
All students are assessed a $600 tuition charge. Late cancellations and no-show students may also be subject to the full tuition charge. Please review the cancellation policy document. Credit Card is the only means of tuition payment. Please complete the Credit Card Form and if you are a Forest Service Employee also complete the SF-182. Please email the completed forms to holly.metzger@usda.gov. You may provide the credit card CVV number separately by phone at 406-481-4416. If desired.
NOTE: Failure to make payment by the requested dated will result in being dropped from the class.
Travel – REPLY DUE by May 10, 2024
Please plan your travel by May 10, 2024. If you are flying, please fly into and out of the Missoula International Airport (MSO), in Missoula, Montana. Plan your travel so that you arrive on Sunday, June 9th. The Holiday Inn Missoula Downtown has an airport shuttle. It will not be necessary for you to rent a car. All your transportation will be provided to the trailheads for the field trip and back to the hotel. There are plenty, and a variety, of places to eat within walking distance of the hotel.
Regardless of whether you are flying or driving to Missoula, it is important that you plan your arrival and departure as requested so that you are present for the entire course. Participants not in attendance for all scheduled agenda offerings will not receive a certificate of completion. The course starts on Monday, June 10, 2024 and ends at 8 pm Saturday, June 15, 2024. This will require all to travel to Missoula on Sunday, June 9th, and plan to stay over Saturday night for a Sunday, June 16th, departure.
Once you have made your travel plans, please provide your itinerary by completing one of the following form: Driving or Flying. We work closely with the hotel to provide free airport shuttles to and from the venue, providing us with your flight information ensures that they have enough drivers and vehicles to transport our participants. If you are driving, the hotel will provide you with a parking pass to get in and out of the hotel parking lot, it also alerts the hotel to the number of extra cars that will be parked in their lot during the field trips.
Lodging – REPLY DUE by May 10, 2024
Reservations need to be made by Friday, May 10, 2024, to be assured of a room at the negotiated rate within our block of rooms.
Lodging, and the classroom sessions, will be at the Holiday Inn Missoula Downtown, 200 South Pattee St., Missoula, Montana. Participants are responsible for making their own lodging reservations.
To make reservations at the Holiday Inn Missoula downtown simply click on the bookings below and the dates and group code are already added (You will need to make separate 2 reservations):
You can also use the information below for your group booking, and making reservations:
- Group Name: Arthur Carhart Wilderness Training 2024 (group block)
- Reservation Dates: 6/9/2024-6/16/2024 (dates group rate is available) (2 separate reservations needed within these dates)
- Group Booking Code: A24 (reference code for group rate)
- Cutoff Date: 5/10/2024 (last day exclusive group rate is available)
You may also make reservations and ask questions via phone by contacting the front desk 24/7 at 406-721-8550. Please reference the group name and/or group booking code above.
You will need to check out of the hotel while on the field trip, June 13-14 (two nights). Your personal luggage will be stored in a secure room at the Holiday Inn Missoula Downtown while you are on the field trip. Upon returning to the hotel, you can pick up your luggage from the room and check back into a new room at the hotel.
NOTE: A sack lunch will be provided to you on Thursday morning before you depart on your field trip, this meal will be charged directly to your room bill. The banquet dinner on Saturday evening will also be charged directly to your room bill along with your lodging. There will be a guest speaker at the Saturday evening banquet, and this is considered part of the training, with attendance required.
Lodging costs are as follows:
- $194 for Sunday, 6/9 and Monday 6/10
- $224 for Tuesday 6/11 through Wednesday, 6/12 and Saturday 6/15
The $224 rate exceeds the government per diem for Missoula. See the NWLT Per Diem Q&A document for instructions on how to address this discrepancy when preparing your travel authorization (hint: procedure varies by agency). If you need reservations outside the dates shown feel free to contact Holly Metzger, holly.metzger@usda.gov
MRA Case Study – REPLY DUE by May 10, 2024
During the field trip, the minimum requirements analysis (MRA) process will be applied to real case studies from each participant. This is an outstanding opportunity for you to get advice from your peers on wilderness stewardship issues under your purview. Consider querying your staff to come up with a case study. To contribute and participate meaningfully in these discussions, please capture the primary elements of your case study by completing Step 1 and turning in the provided Minimum Requirements Analysis Framework (MRAF) Workbook. This will include a brief description of the situation, criteria for determining necessity of the action and a decision if some kind of action is necessary. If there is an initial proposal that can be captured in Step 2.
The MRAF Workbook Step 1 Example and Instructions is available to assist you. The prework online trainings (see below) will also provide valuable background if you can complete them early.
In addition, locate the language from the enabling legislation that designated the wilderness for the case study you are providing. This can easily be found at Find your Wilderness page on Wilderness connect, type your wilderness name in the search box and then click on wilderness laws and print the pages of the enabling legislation and any subsequent amendments that pertains to your wilderness, please bring this with you to the course. If the case study wilderness is some other category than designated, contact your Carhart agency representative for guidance.
On the field trip, as a group, you will review Step 1 of the MRAF and then discuss Step 2, which includes a range of alternatives and selection of the one that best preserves wilderness character.
*Please upload your case study into your individual online course folder by the due date above
Images – REPLY DUE by May 10, 2024
Please provide us one picture of you and a picture of the wilderness you steward, so that we can introduce you to the members of your training group.
For the image of you please use the following file name syntax:
last name_first name_NWLT 2024
For the image of your wilderness, please use the following file name syntax:
last name_name of wilderness pictured
*Please upload the images into your individual online course folder by the due date above
Prework – REPLY DUE by June 10, 2024
To help prepare for the course please complete the online training below prior to coming to the course.
- The Wilderness Act of 1964 (60 mins) OR Watch the 11-minute Carhart Wilderness Act video and answer the questions
- AND Evaluating a Minimum Requirements Analysis(90 mins)
If you have trouble accessing either the Wilderness Act of 1964 or the Evaluating a Minimum Requirements Analysis online courses, please contact the Eppley Institute at support@eppley.org or (812) 855-3095. If you have trouble accessing the Wilderness Act video/questions, please contact Michelle Reilly Michelle_reilly@fws.gov. The pre-work needs to be completed prior to the start of the training to receive credit for the course. Upon completion of the online courses, please upload a copy of your completion certificate into your individual online course folder. There is no completion certificate for the Wilderness Act Video, we will be tracking those completions internally.
Other Documents to Review
- Gear List: The outfitters and guides will provide nearly everything for you, but there are several important items to bring. Please review this list carefully so you will be prepared.
- Draft Participant List: See with whom you will be spending the week.
- Draft Agenda (forthcoming): Materials will be presented through, classroom presentations, small group discussions, field trip case studies, demonstrations, and hands-on participation.
- Travel Voucher Sample
- An Act To establish a National Wilderness Preservation System for the permanent good of the whole people, and for other purposes (Wilderness Act)
- Explore the online information resources at Wilderness Connect!
Looking Forward to Seeing You in June!
The Interagency National Wilderness Leadership Training is informative, inspiring, and fun. The staff at the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center are pleased you can attend and look forward to your engagement in the course!
Please bookmark this webpage to make sure you have easy access to complete all requested items. If you have any questions about any of the arrangements, please contact Holly Metzger, holly.metzger@usda.gov.