Documenting nearly forgotten arborglyphs in California, excavating artifacts of this continent's earliest settlers in West Virginia or making maps in Wisconsin; all of these and more can make for a nifty and educational volunteer vacation through the United States Department of Agriculture's Forest Service program, Passport in Time (PIT). And, it may not cost you any more than the gas you use to drive there.
PIT is a public lands archeology and preservation program that relies almost wholly on volunteers to support its research and management projects. More than a hundred projects are scheduled for 2003 alone in 22 of the 50 United States--so, chances are, at least one is happening near you. Depending on the needs of each project, volunteers can be as young as 9 with an accompanying adult, so these working trips can make a great opportunity for families to enjoy a vacation not centered around "The Mouse." There is an application (available online), and there is no fee to participate--unlike similar volunteer programs. However, extra costs may include your transportation fees, lodging and/or meals, depending on the specifics of an individual program. Select something close to home and you can simply brownbag it in your car. If you're looking for something a little more rugged, other options could include some strenuous hiking to reach your site, tent camping at night or even spelunking. Projects can run for just a short weekend or as long as two weeks or more requiring anywhere from 5 to 25 individuals.
A new schedule is currently online for projects going on between June to November 2003. To research what's available and to learn more about PIT, visit the Web site at www.passportintime.com.
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