In a combined celebration of National Public Lands Day, 20 volunteers from LDS Earth Stewardship and the Sierra Club worked together on a service project during the last weekend of September in beautiful Zion National Park. Tasks completed included removal of Russian Thistle (commonly known as Tumbleweed), gathering of seeds such as Side Oats Grama, roof netting removal, plant tube washing and stacking, and native plant seed sorting and cleaning. Altogether, they volunteered the equivalent of one staff employee working four 40-hour weeks!
A definite highlight was a presentation by Nathan Waite, an editor on the Joseph Smith Papers Project and an editor of A Zion Canyon Reader. Nate is a native of the area and gave a history of Zion and how it was first “discovered” and named and re-named. Anecdotally, he included his misadventures in having to be rescued by helicopter when he was canyoneering and mistook Missed It Canyon for Mystery Canyon!
Prayers were answered and the weather was perfect to enjoy some hard work, good food (food always tastes better outdoors!), and the making or renewal of great friendships. Join us next year in Zion National Park on this annual service project to enjoy Creation at its finest with us!