Smithsonian - Perishable Pundit

oreslG.W. Chapman,,4/ Conic//,tough wildfires. In[986, sheAlamogordo, New Mexico; FireSedona, Arizona; Call of the Wildbecame a smokejumper and forCamp/Forest Service HistoryAl Cornell is a member of Friendsten years enjoyed the camaraderieG.W. Chapman served tor manyot the forest, a volunteer groupand adventure ot parachutingyears as a Forest Service firefighterdedicated to preserving the Redout ot airplanes to fight wildfires.on the Lincoln National Forest.Rock District of the CoconinoAfter retiring from smokejumping,After a catastrophic wildfire inNational Forest by building andEsterbrook began working inthe Capitán Mountains in 1950,repairing trails, cleaning up litter,the Willamette National Forest'sChapman rescued a badly burnedand patrolling the forest. Cornell'stire management office.bear cub who soon became onerepertoire ot skills includes exper-of America's most recognizablesymbols. After efforts to rein-tise 111 fire making, cordage making,tool making, paint making, landThe Fiddlin' Foresters;Sounds of the Forest[109]tegrate the cub into its nativenavigation, and survival techniques.The Fiddhn' Foresters are thehabitat were unsuccessful, theForest Service chose to augmentJim Dcnney, McKenzie Bridge,"official old-time string band of theUSDA Forest Service." Consistingthe animated version of SmokeyOregon; Arts & Craftsni ISen 11 e employee , fromBear with this living symbol.Jim Denney has worked for thethe Rocky Mountain Region, theForest Service for decades, first asgroup has been playing togetherKevin Cooper, Santa Maria,afirefighter during summers, nowsince 1994. The Foresters dress 111California; Protecting Forestsas aDistrict Facilities Managervintage1907 uniforms, and singand Wildlife Habitatsof the McKenzie River Rangerabout the importance of resourceKevin Cooper, a wildlife biolo-Station 111 Oregon. Dennev is an* onservation and public landgist on the Los Padres Nationalaccomplished artist who gathersstewardship. Their programs featureForest, comes from a Forest Serviceinspiration from the vivid visualtraditional songs from the southernfamily. His father was a woodimagery ot the land's transforma-Appalachians and the Americantechnologist, and his sister is antion at the hands ot humankindWest. The Fiddlin' Foresters havean haeologist. Cooper special-over the past several decades.played at events such as the 2002izes in birds and can mimic 111.11 1\Olympic Games and the Nationalbird calls and owl hoots—skillsTim Eldridge, Missoula,Western Stock Show. The grouphe uses to inventory bird popula-Montana; Smokejumper Baserecently received the Forest Servicetions by calling tor them andUntil a knee injury ended hisChiefs Award for its interpretivelistening tor their responses.active jumping career, Timmusical program. Its membersEldridge served the Forest Serviceinclude lane Leche (guitar), Tom,-liiiiyCoriell, Sandy, Oregon;.is a smokejumper at the MissoulaMcFarland (guitar), Jim MaxwellLaw Enforcementbase. Eldridge now manages the(banjo), and Lynn Young (fiddle).Andv Coriell met his wife.Smokejumper Visitor Center,Forest Service archaeologistwhich receives approximatelyBillGlass, Wilmington,Kristen Martine (also a Festival20,000 visitors each summer.Illinois; Forest Landscapesparticipant), at a conference onIn addition to arranging toursBill Glass is an ecologist at thethe Archaeological Resourcefor schools, tour groups, andnew Midewin National TallgrassProtection Act. As a Forest ServiceCongressional and foreign delega-Prairie. The tallgrass prairie is oneLaw Enforcement Officer, Corielltions, Eldridge is also responsibleof the rarest natural ecosystemshas a particular interest in archaeo-tor the Center's displays, exhibits,in the United States, and homelogy al sites because a large partand commercial operations.to several nationally endangeredof his job is knowing where theseplants. The challenge ot restoringsites are in order to protect themKelly Esterbrook,the Prairie to its original condi-from vandalism and looting.Bend, Oregon; Smokejumper Basetion is difficult because the localIn [980, Kelly Esterbrook \\.isone ot the first six women linedecosystem has been drasticallyaltered, fust by pioneers whoto the Prospect Ranger District'sconverted the native prairie tohotshot crew—a group of highlyfarmland, and later by the presenceskilled firefighters who tackleof a U.S. Army munitions plant.FESTIVALPARTICIPANTS