BEDFORD — Officially, each April is considered National Volunteer Month; unofficially though, every month is volunteer month at Hoosier National Forest.
For many decades, Hoosier National Forest has brought people and communities together to answer the call for conservation in the spirit of service and volunteerism, according to a news release from the Hoosier National Forest Bedford District office.
Through campground hosting, trail maintenance, visitor services, research and more, Hoosier National Forest volunteers have made significant contributions to the outdoor experiences of the thousands of visitors who visit each year.
Indiana University Doctoral Student Austin Chivington is one such contributor, who has answered the call to serve for the past several years by volunteering at Brooks Cabin, located here at the edge of Hoosier National Forest’s Charles C. Deam Wilderness.
“I feel a call to serve the forest because I want to give back to this unique and special place that has given me so much peace over the years,” Chivington said.
For the past three summers, Chivington has been opening Brooks Cabin on the weekends and getting it ready for the hundreds of forest visitors who visit the historic building each year. He’s available to answer general questions about the forest, give directions and assist in emergencies if needed.
The existence of the cabin itself is a testament to the conservation efforts of forest staff and volunteers.
“Not long ago, the cabin stood on a bend of the Little Blue River in Crawford County,” said Chris Thorton, the district ranger for the Hoosier National Forest. “After observing the cabin slowly deteriorate because of neglect and vandalism, the Forest Service acquired the cabin in a land purchase in 1992. Then, the decision was made to move the cabin to a location where it could be more accessible and useful. The entrance to the Charles C. Deam Wilderness was chosen as a perfect place to reconstruct the cabin.”
Spearheaded by a large group of volunteers, Brooks Cabin was painstakingly dismantled, and each log and chimney stone numbered so that it could carefully be rebuilt. The numerous pieces were then moved 60 miles north and the cabin was rebuilt on the western edge of the wilderness as a welcome center.
“This is just one example of a project that wouldn’t have happened without one of the most important resources a national forest has: volunteers,” Thorton said.
Only a few of the logs had to be replaced, new shingles were put on the roof and a new floor was laid to convert the cabin into a facility for visitors to stop in for information.
This summer, volunteers like Chivington will staff the cabin and inform visitors why the wilderness area is a special place with special rules and teach the importance of camping without leaving a trace.