Volunteer bike crew is hoping to expand

Unit patrols National Recreation Area to aid rangers, protect trails

By Daniel Miller
Ventura County Star
January 31, 2006

Volunteer mountain bikers hit the trails of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area each week, patrolling the parks and promoting responsible use of the land.

Agency officials are now taking steps to expand the 100-member volunteer bike unit, whose contributions are, by one estimate, worth about $90,000 or more a year to public agencies.

"We are, more or less, the rangers' eyes," said Simi Valley resident Dennis Biscoe, a volunteer biker with the unit for six years. "We can donate our time and report to rangers and protect trails and visitors."

The unit, which is sponsored by three agencies, including the National Park Service, significantly aids the paid staff, said Mike Malone, a park ranger and volunteer program manager at the recreation area for the National Park Service. "The volunteers take some of the work load off of the paid staff that it isn't always able to manage."

This week, agency officials hope to begin expanding the mountain bike unit, starting with an informational meeting for potential members.

The members of the bike unit patrol approximately 20 sites at the recreation area ‹ some 150,000 acres in Ventura and Los Angeles counties mainly controlled by the National Park Service, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority.

A "love for mountain biking is a common thread" for all of the volunteers, Biscoe said.

Members of the bike unit, which was created in the late 1980s, are trained in CPR, first aid, and are equipped with radios, said Lois Olson of Thousand Oaks, the recruiting coordinator for the group.

The volunteer riders also report trail conditions and help visitors.

"We have some real live wires in the unit, which is good," said Olson, who also goes on biking patrols as a member of the group. "The mountain bike unit has been very fortunate that every year we have been able to recruit new people."

Malone said on average, the volunteer group contributes from 5,000 to 6,000 hours of work annually.

To illustrate the cost savings the volunteers' work provides, Malone noted the U.S. Department of Statistics has estimated the value of contributed labor at $17.19 an hour on average.

The National Park Service has eight rangers at the recreation area.

Malone said costs for the unit are mitigated by using group members who are certified instructors to train new volunteers.

About 45 people have signed up for this weekend's information session. Olson said there's no limit to the number of volunteers it can accept.

"The more the merrier," she said. "We are really having a very good time out there in the sunshine."

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	Volunteer bike crew is hoping to expand Unit patrols National Recreation Area to aid rangers, protect trails By Daniel Miller Ventura County Star January 31, 2006 Volunteer mountain bikers hit the trails of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area each week, patrolling the parks and promoting responsible use of the land. Agency officials are now taking steps to expand the 100-member volunteer bike unit, whose contributions are, by one estimate, worth about $90,000 or more a year to public agencies. "We are, more or less, the rangers' eyes," said Simi Valley resident Dennis Biscoe, a volunteer biker with the unit for six years. "We can donate our time and report to rangers and protect trails and visitors." The unit, which is sponsored by three agencies, including the National Park Service, significantly aids the paid staff, said Mike Malone, a park ranger and volunteer program manager at the recreation area for the National Park Service. "The volunteers take some of the work load off of the paid staff that it isn't always able to manage." This week, agency officials hope to begin expanding the mountain bike unit, starting with an informational meeting for potential members. The members of the bike unit patrol approximately 20 sites at the recreation area ‹ some 150,000 acres in Ventura and Los Angeles counties mainly controlled by the National Park Service, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. A "love for mountain biking is a common thread" for all of the volunteers, Biscoe said. Members of the bike unit, which was created in the late 1980s, are trained in CPR, first aid, and are equipped with radios, said Lois Olson of Thousand Oaks, the recruiting coordinator for the group. The volunteer riders also report trail conditions and help visitors. "We have some real live wires in the unit, which is good," said Olson, who also goes on biking patrols as a member of the group. "The mountain bike unit has been very fortunate that every year we have been able to recruit new people." Malone said on average, the volunteer group contributes from 5,000 to 6,000 hours of work annually. To illustrate the cost savings the volunteers' work provides, Malone noted the U.S. Department of Statistics has estimated the value of contributed labor at $17.19 an hour on average. The National Park Service has eight rangers at the recreation area. Malone said costs for the unit are mitigated by using group members who are certified instructors to train new volunteers. About 45 people have signed up for this weekend's information session. Olson said there's no limit to the number of volunteers it can accept. "The more the merrier," she said. "We are really having a very good time out there in the sunshine."


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