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PRICE — A Price teen who wanted to make improvements along a trail near his home ended up fencing a historic cabin, fixing washed out segments and found outside donors to pay for the enhancements.
The project, initiated by Joshua Barlow, took 56 hours but garnered him a national "Making a Difference" volunteer award from the Bureau of Land Management.
Barlow, 14, was one of four top winners for his demonstration of leadership and service on BLM-managed lands, according to the agency.
When the teen decided to complete an Eagle Scout project, he contacted local BLM land managers to get ideas. He picked the Gordon Creek Trail, which crosses BLM lands and a wildlife management area under the purview of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
To garner help and support, Barlow presented his plans at a public recreation meeting and found outside donors like the Off-Highway Vehicle Program for materials.
The teen personally contributed more than 56 hours to the project, with additional time devoted to project preparation and obtaining materials, according to the agency. His project volunteers performed 658 hours of labor with an estimated value of more than $15,000.
In fiscal year 2012, more than 30,000 volunteers contributed more than 1.1 million hours of their time in assisting the BLM. That is the equivalent of 637 “work years."
