FAREWELL

Kathy Taylor, Ring Lake Ranch Manager in 1998 and 1999, has assumed a key role with the Dubois School System as Business Manager. Kathy's new position began in late August. We thank Kathy for all her hard work and contributions to the welfare of Ring Lake Ranch, and send her off with our good wishes in her new position.

FAMILY PORTRAIT

Through the years, guests at Ring Lake Ranch have enjoyed the seminars of Richard Niebuhr and the delightful company of his family. When son Gustav Niebuhr opened our seminar season, the growing family gathered. Shown above with Joan Guntzelman holding baby Christopher are Dick and wife Nancy, Gus and wife Margeret.

GROUNDS CHANGES

It wasn't a tornado that came through the Ranch the third week in July, 1999, it was Board Member Mike Donelson, Chairman of the Buildings and Grounds Committee. Mike brought heavy equipment with him from Riverton and gave the Ranch a week of his time and a lot of his labor. Working with Ranch staff Mike removed rocks from and widened the Ranch road including a section leading to Top Cabin. He placed rocks near Cabins A and B to prevent cars from damaging the vegetation, and filled in holes near Lake Lodge. With his crew, Mike cleared ground in the fly pasture for the new corrals, dug holes for fence posts and erected the new corral fencing. Some evenings the work went on until dark as Mike hurried to finish the job before the Skid Steer was due to be returned. We're grateful to Mike and his helpers for all their heavy work and wonderful giving spirit.

 

FOREST SERVICE AT RING LAKE

Tamara Blett, USFS

Thirty-seven Forest Service air quality specialists, program managers, and air pollution researchers descended on Ring Lake Ranch last May, not to test the air, but to test the value of holding their annual strategic meeting in a relaxed and remote setting. Previous annual meetings had been held in hotels in large cities such as Reno, Salt Lake, Denver, Atlanta and Washington DC, and had often taken place in a high-stress atmosphere. Holding the meeting at Ring Lake Ranch provided a perfect opportunity for participants to focus on the science, wilderness ethics, and pollution sensitive ecosystems that serve as a basis for this annual work planning and strategy setting session. The Forest Service Air Resource Management program vision is " . . . a healthy environment for current and future generations where natural processes occur. We believe that: the health of humans and ecosystems are inseparable, clean air is essential, and science is a foundation for taking action."

The meeting began with two days of optional field trips, where the group learned about air pollution effects on lichens and lichen identification from a lichenologist; and discussed acid rain monitoring techniques for high altitude lakes with US Geological Survey scientists. The remainder of the week was spent in the comfortable chairs and couches of the Ring Lake Ranch Living Room, listening to scientists tell about state-of-the-art air quality monitoring and modeling techniques, providing reports of the past year's progress, and determining which work tasks would take priority for the group in the coming year.

On their meeting evaluation forms, participants rated the meeting location as the most important factor in the meeting's huge success. The relaxed atmosphere, environment free of phone, FAX, and computer related distractions, opportunities for evening and mealtime discussion with colleagues, and beautiful and inspiring setting were all cited as important reasons for making this year's annual meeting one of the most productive and memorable that the Forest Service Air Program has experienced.

the Ring Lake Carillon

published twice yearly by Ring Lake Ranch