Author Archives: Hannah

National Park Foundation: Inspiring the Next Generation of Park Stewards

NPF_21CSC story

By the National Park Foundation

National parks offer the perfect setting for powerful learning experiences. Through the 21stCentury Conservation Service Corps,  youth and veterans, including low income and disadvantaged youth, undertake jobs that not only protect, restore, and enhance our national parks, but also offer opportunities to develop technical and leadership skills.

Corps members gain invaluable training and work experience as they participate in important conservation and restoration work on national park lands, waterways, and cultural heritage sites.

From constructing, maintaining, and designing sustainable and accessible trails, to repairing stone and log retaining walls and bridges, to restoring and painting historic buildings, their efforts establish these young people as stewards of natural and cultural resources, communities, and the nation.

At Rocky Mountain National Park, youth crews restored historic buildings and resurfaced accessible trails around Lily Lake to ensure continued access for all visitors.

…click here for full post 

Zac Ribbing – 21CSC Champion of the Year 2016

Jeff DeQuattro is a 2016 21CSC Champion of the Year. Learn more about the 21CSC Champion of the Year Award.

Zac Ribbing 
U.S. Forest Service – Coronado National Forest 

Zac Ribbing works in wilderness and trails for the Douglas and Sierra Vista Ranger Districts on the Coronado National Forest in Southern Arizona.  Zac has been a Forest Service employee continuously since 2003 working in the fields of archeology, fire, trails and recreation management. Zac has a long history of partnering with Conservation Corps and other environmental NGOs in Southern Arizona.  He is widely regarded as a warm, affable, and supportive project partner.  Zac’s work with Corps earned him recognition as partner of the year for the County-based Coconino Rural Environment Corps (now Arizona Conservation Corps) for four consecutive years from 2009 to 2012. In 2014, he was the recipient of the USFS Wilderness Legacy Award.

Zac has worked with a variety of youth conservation programs, including Southwest Conservation Corps, Arizona Conservation Corps, American Conservation Experience, and the Student Conservation Association. He has facilitated projects, provided technical trainings, and arranged job shadowing experiences with other agency employees so that Corpsmembers can explore career opportunities in public lands management. He has personally mentored Corpsmembers, written letters of recommendation, and even spent time living and working with crews in the backcountry. In his 12 years with the Forest Service, Zac has established himself as an effective community partner, coordinating the efforts of multiple groups to complete high-priority natural resource projects.

“Zac is extremely dedicated, invested, and humble. He is an advocate for his agency, the land, and Corps programs. He is one of the rare individuals who finds balance in meeting the needs of both people and the environment.” – Brian Gold, Regional Director, Arizona Conservation Corps

 

Q&A with Zac Ribbing

1.   Tell us a little bit about your background. How did you get started in conservation and land/water management?

I always loved the outdoors, growing up canoeing, fishing, hiking and biking.  In 1998, I landed a position with the Forest Service through the Student Conservation Association.  After that I realized I should strive to be involved with Public Lands and help others appreciate recreation opportunities on these lands.  Later I went back to school and received a Bachelor Degree in Forestry with a specialization in Recreation Resource Management (2003).  As I approached my graduation I networked with some of the folks I met in my SCA term.  The week after graduation I was working for the Forest Service and the rest is history.

2.   How did you become involved with the 21CSC/with Service and Conservation Corps?

I have a long history working with Conservation Corps.  Since I myself started in a similar fashion I feel it’s important to incorporate these programs into what I do.  In 2005, I came in a position more conducive to making decisions regarding how we accomplish work.  Since then, I have done my best to utilize youth conservation corps.  I appreciate seeing youth get excited about the outdoors and become stewards of the land.

In the last few years as the 21CSC has become stronger nationally, so has its incorporation into our program locally.  Here on the Coronado National Forest we have used it to fund crews that tie into the Public Land Corp act.  This has the added benefit to the young adult to not only gain useful skills and connections in the Agency, but time to be hired under the PLC hiring authority.  It’s also a chance for youth to try a career path out before they make a full commitment to it.  They may find there are opportunities they never even knew existed.

3.   What advice would you offer to other employees from land/water management agencies and nonprofits that are interested in partnering with 21CSC programs (What to expect? Where can they turn for resources?)

I would wonder why they are reluctant to get involved this type of program first.

My feeling is that some folks don’t like or understand change, and are hard to convince a new way of operation is better. The old ways have already failed and holding onto the notion that it’s going to get better will leave them wondering what happened as they watch public services fade away.

It’s not just programs like the 21CSC and conservation corps that land managers need to be looking into, it’s all the support that can come from Non-profit organizations and partner groups.  Many times our partners can help with acquiring funding though grants and or volunteers.  Some grant funding is even aimed at non-profits to use on public land.  So the only way you can get help and funding is through their integration.

What to expect; well expect people, especially your locals, to become advocates for the land manager.  Volunteers or youth involved in Corps programs are more likely to stand up for what they have been involved with.  There is an inherent ownership and pride that comes with being involved, so the more you can involve your public and youth, the more support you will receive. It really can be a win-win situation.

4.   What advice do you offer to young people in 21CSC programs who are interested in careers in conservation and land/water management?

If I were talking to someone already involved with youth conservation corps, I would say they are already on the right track.  Take the time to get to know the people in the agencies you are partnered with.  Get advice, if possible, from those agency contacts and express what you are interested in.  I can’t speak for others but I enjoy these conversations and can usually offer some advice on how to pursue a career in land management. If I can’t, I can at least put them in touch with someone who is in the field they are interested in.

If I were speaking to someone looking to get involved with an outdoor related career.  I would suggest they look into youth conservation corps.  Followed by a few contacts they should start with in their area.

5.   What are the most beneficial aspects of partnering with a 21CSC Program?

To me the benefits are all around.  Public land managing agencies are struggling to accomplish work on the ground.  We have fewer and fewer people it seems every year.  Entry level positions are hard to find, and tough to compete for.  The corps offer a fantastic avenue for youth to get involved.  On top of that youth corps teach valuable land ethics from the start, so respect for the land and ethics are instilled to corps members.  Probably better than what they would receive if they were hired on directly in an agency.  Not to say that agencies neglect to instill values of land ethics, but that corps may do this better.

For public land I see this as a huge win.  The future of Public Land is in our youth’s hands, and if we want the continued preservation of special areas such as Wilderness to remain, we must convey or rather instill its importance to our youth.

6.   What do you see as the future of Service and Conservation Corps?

I really see it as the way to bring a young person up in the field of land management.  Combined with higher education, a person gets to experience a wide variety of possible paths while gaining skills and connections valuable for their success.  Not only success, but their happiness.  After all, what is the point of all this if there is not a rewarding and satisfying feeling in what you are doing.  I chose this path because I wanted to do something I cared about and be able to call it a career.

Bob Fuhrmann – 21CSC Champion of the Year 2016

Bob Fuhrmann 2

Bob Fuhrmann is a 2016 21CSC Champion of the Year. Learn more about the 21CSC Champion of the Year Award.

Bob Fuhrmann
The National Park Service – Yellowstone National Park

Bob Fuhrmann has made a difference in Yellowstone National Park for more than 20 years. He started as a volunteer and now serves as the park’s Youth Program Manager. For the past seven years he has worked as the program manager for Yellowstone’s Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program. Under Bob’s direction, this program has grown to become one of the highest quality YCC programs in the country, with a strong emphasis on career development. In addition to working with the park’s YCC, Bob has partnered with Montana Conservation Corps, the Student Conservation Association and Groundwork USA. He purposely seeks the underserved and underrepresented, making a concerted effort to recruit and train Native American and urban youth. This is perhaps best demonstrated through his help in creating the Groundwork USA Yellowstone Experience, which, over the past five years, has allowed more than 250 diverse youth from 20 cities to experience working and recreating in the park. In 2015, over 130 young people were under Bob’s supervision, over 70 of whom were from cities or reservations. Bob and his staff work with past students, encouraging and mentoring them into other Corps opportunities or careers with NPS and other public land/water management agencies.

“Bob Fuhrmann is a positive force. He works for growth, professionalism and most of all, opportunity. He sees to create opportunities for others.” – Mike Coonan, Park Ranger, Yellowstone National Park

“Fuhrmann doesn’t just lead from behind a desk…[his] interest in supporting the youth directly and finding new avenues of appreciation helps the youth see that their work is important and necessary.” – Curt Collier, National Youth Programs Coordinator, Groundwork USA

Q&A with Bob Fuhrmann

1.     Tell us a little bit about your background. How did you get started in conservation and land/water management?

An appreciation for the outdoors and an interest in conservation started when I was young, living next to a forest preserve north of Chicago. In high school, my Eagle Scout project included overseeing 10 scouts as we helped restore an historic log cabin used for educational programs. After college, I volunteered as a wildlife technician in Yellowstone and received my masters degree in Fish and Wildlife Management conducting fox research which again included working with volunteers and interns. I also volunteered for Expedition Yellowstone where I worked with grades 5-8 as they lived and learned in Yellowstone. Eventually I became the manager of that program which has evolved into the job I have today.

2.     How did you become involved with the 21CSC/with Service and Conservation Corps?

In 2010, I became Yellowstone’s Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program manager. This program expanded into 2 month-long sessions in which 62 youth per summer take part in this work-based education opportunity. In addition, we have established partnerships with Groundwork USA, Montana Conservation Corps, and the Student Conservation Association to increase the number of youth working on conservation related projects in the park. Through these programs, I learned about the wide variety of conservation corps in the US and was introduced to the 21st Century Service Conservation Corps. In turn, I have been able to share a list of corps with youth who have participated in Yellowstone’s programs.

3.     What advice would you offer to other employees from land/water management agencies and nonprofits that are interested in partnering with 21CSC programs (What to expect? Where can they turn for resources?)

My advice is to seek creative ways to include a diversity of youth in a wide variety of projects. Youth are able to accomplish more than what some people imagine and are excited to do so. The smiles and satisfaction of these youth working and learning in Yellowstone provide them with quite a sense of achievement. Besides the much needed completion of projects many of the youth come away with an almost indescribable sense of ownership, pride, and enthusiasm for what they have accomplished. This becomes an excellent starting point for creating stewards of open space. Many service organizations exist, it is a matter of finding what partnership best meets the needs of your area and the youth that will be involved.

4.     What advice do you offer to young people in 21CSC programs who are interested in careers in conservation and land/water management?

If possible, youth should focus on becoming involved locally with conservation programs and to seek other opportunities such as summer programs with YCC or other youth corps.  Starting in this way will expose youth to the many levels of conservation involvement that exist and help them find the right fit. Also having a great ATTITUDE will get you further than any other personality trait.

5.     What are the most beneficial aspects of partnering with a 21CSC Program?

Partnering with a 21CSC program, such as Groundwork USA, reaps many benefits for Yellowstone and for the youth. In 2015, 61 Groundwork members spent a week in the park living, working, learning, and exploring. For many, it was their first time visiting a large western National Park, seeing large animals in their natural habitat, and seeing geothermal features. They worked on trail projects, created bumper logs, and installed “bear boxes” in campgrounds.

While exposure of youth to new areas and the completion of projects are beneficial, the true benefits go beyond this.  Many youth not only discuss the sense of accomplishment they feel, they also take pride in their work and feel a sense of ownership in something bigger than themselves.  These qualities penetrate all aspects of their lives and help to break down personal and societal barriers.  I am truly humbled to hear about the deep impact these programs have on the lives of its participants.

One youth commented, “I am so thankful to be here. It is a great way to increase my knowledge base and learn to be a better advocate of nature. This kind of work helps you as much as it helps the park.”

6.     What do you see as the future of Service and Conservation Corps?

Having youth involved in hands-on service projects on public lands helps create future stewards of these lands. Youth leave with a sense of ownership for a place they have never been to before and a sense of pride for what they accomplished. In places like Yellowstone, with ever increasing visitation and visitor impact, service and conservation corps are imperative to assist the park in protecting resources and preserving these natural places. Having youth involvement connects them to the outdoors and to each other. So many youth today do not have these important opportunities.  My hope is that the future of service and conservation corps will include more organizations and agencies working to increase the number of youth getting involved and helping not only themselves but their surroundings as well.

 

Jeff DeQuattro – 21CSC Champion of the Year 2016

JeffDeQuattro_LM

Jeff DeQuattro is a 2016 21CSC Champion of the Year. Learn more about the 21CSC Champion of the Year Award.

Jeff DeQuattro
The Nature Conservancy

Jeff DeQuattro serves as the Director of Restoration for The Nature Conservancy’s Gulf of Mexico Program. While at The Nature Conservancy, Jeff has worked on many coastal restoration projects, including some that have engaged hundreds of volunteers. Most recently, Jeff worked with The Corps Network (TCN) to design and manage the first pilot projects of TCN’s Gulf Coast Restoration Initiative. These projects utilized current 21CSC programs (Texas Conservation Corps and Community Training Works, Inc.) in partnership with local NGOs and communities to engage local youth in ecosystem restoration projects along the Gulf Coast. Jeff was also an architect of the recently funded NOAA Gulf Coast Conservation Corps program. In early December 2015, the RESTORE Council voted to allocate $8 million to the development and implementation of a Gulf Coast Conservation Corps (GCCC) Program over the next three years.  This proposed GCCC Program will employ approximately 25 crewmembers per Gulf Coast State, per year, with a total of approximately 375 crewmembers working a total of 750,000 hours.

“In Jeff’s spare time, he helps run a non-profit bicycle shop called the Delta Bike Project. This bike shop has become an institution in Mobile, Alabama as they work hard at engaging people at or below the poverty level to earn bicycles and bicycle parts through community volunteerism.” – Joe Gersen, Senior Director of Government Affairs, The SCA

Q&A with Jeff DeQuattro

1.   Tell us a little bit about your background. How did you get started in conservation and land/water management?

During college I spent the summer of 2000 working for the Mexican Government at a Sea Turtle Research Station on the Baja Peninsula. My supervisor was very active and respected in the community and I got to experience that. The delicate balance between the depressed economy of a small fishing village and their desire to protect their natural resources made me focus my major on environmental science studies. After I got my bachelor’s in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz in 2004 I went directly into environmental consulting, which brought me to my job at The Nature Conservancy in 2009 as a project manager, and then to my current position as Conservation Corps Program Lead and Director of Restoration for our Gulf of Mexico Program.

2.   How did you become involved with the 21CSC/with Service and Conservation Corps?

Work with the Conservation Corps and other similar programs is a priority of our organization, and something I am passionate about. We expanded a strong partnership with the Corps Network in 2014 and helped establish the Gulf of Mexico Conservation Corps with the start of the Climb CDC Conservation Corps in Gulfport, Mississippi. The first crews conducted rapid stream assessments along 9 coastal and streams in urban watersheds along the coast of Mississippi. The two projects lasted just over 4 months and gave us valuable scientific data that we have used to create Conservation Action Plans for that region of the Gulf. From those two phases of a pilot project we expanded with a large grant from NFWF and a private donor that will allow us to continue the work in Mississippi, but also fund the Forgotten Coast Conservation Corps in Apalachicola, Florida, as well as a veteran’s fire corps in 2016.

3.   What advice would you offer to other employees from land/water management agencies and nonprofits that are interested in partnering with 21CSC programs (What to expect? Where can they turn for resources?)

Think about conservation corps in terms of achieving real conservation goals – number of acres burned, amount of shoreline restored, number of people and communities reached. These crews have the capacity to achieve measurable and significant goals given the proper training. They also have the best potential to impact and/or influence a community.

4.   What advice do you offer to young people in 21CSC programs who are interested in careers in conservation and land/water management?

Conservation corps programs provide a solid foundation for anyone looking to start out in conservation. Young people with that experience already have a leg up on what it means to do real conservation. Work hard, ask questions and keep your mind open.

5.   What are the most beneficial aspects of partnering with a 21CSC Program?

The strength of partnerships in the communities that we work. By far that is the most beneficial aspect of our partnership.

6.   What do you see as the future of Service and Conservation Corps?

I see an established and sustainable network of conservation corps on the Gulf Coast that help organizations like The Nature Conservancy and others accomplish high quality conservation goals.

21CSC Champions of the Year – 2016

It is our great pleasure to announce that the following individuals have been selected as the 21CSC Champions of the Year for 2016.
Learn more about the 21CSC Champion of the Year Award

JeffDeQuattro_LMJeff DeQuattro
Director of Restoration, Gulf of Mexico Program
The Nature Conservancy 

Learn more about Jeff and read a Q&A with him

 

 

Bob FuhrmannBob Fuhrmann
Youth Programs Director
National Park Service – Yellowstone National Park 

Learn more about Bob and read a Q&A with him

 
Zac Ribbing
Wilderness/Trails
U.S. Forest Service – Coronado National Forest 

Learn more about Zac and read a Q&A with him 

 

 

This year, we would also like to recognize the following individual with the 21CSC National Distinction Award for her efforts to support the 21CSC on a federal level.

Leslie weldonLeslie Weldon
Deputy Chief, National Forest System
U.S. Forest Service

In November 2011, Leslie Weldon was named Deputy Chief for National Forest System with the USDA Forest Service. In this role, Leslie is the lead executive responsible for policy, oversight and direction for the natural resource programs for managing the 193 million acres of National Forests and Grasslands so they best demonstrate sustainable multiple-use management, using an ecological approach, to provide benefits to citizens. From 2009 – 2011, Leslie served as Regional Forester for the Northern Region of the Forest Service. In this position she provides oversight for management of 28 million acres of National Forests and Grasslands as well as State & Private Forestry programs in Northern Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota.

Read about the 21CSC Champion of the Year Finalists – 2016

The Partnership for the 21CSC would like to recognize the following finalists for the 2016 21st Century Conservation Service Corps Champion of the Year Award. We sincerely appreciate all that you do to champion youth engagement on public lands.

The winners of the 2016 Champion of the Year Award will be announced on February 1, 2016.
Click here to read about the finalists.

Steve Baumann
National Park Service – El Morro and El Malpais National Monuments

Kara Chadwick
U.S. Forest Service – San Juan National Forest

Calvin Chimoni
National Park Service – Heritage Preservation Division, Vanishing Treasures Program

Allan Comp
Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE)

Jeff DeQuattro
The Nature Conservancy

Bob Fuhrmann 
National Park Service – Yellowstone National Park

Cindy McArthur
U.S. Forest Service – National Partnership Office

John Medose
Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

Lonnie Pilkington
National Park Service – Glen Canyon NRA and Rainbow Bridge National Monument

Zac Ribbing
U.S. Forest Service – Coronado National Forest

Paul Smith
U.S. Forest Service – Ochoco National Forest 

Kevin Thompson
Bureau of Land Management – Northwest Colorado Fire Management Unit

Mike Thompson
Sonoma County Water Agency

David Vekasy
National Park Service – San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Kristina Waggoner
Grand Staircase Escalante Partners

Continue reading →

Veterans in the 21CSC: Ryan Shepard – California Conservation Corps

Ryan Shepherd was born in Indiana in 1986. He lived there until he was 10 years old, at which point his family moved to Colorado for five years, and then finally settled in Arizona in 2004.

Ryan’s mother raised him and his younger brother by herself.

During his high school years, Ryan was very active in athletics, participating in football, wrestling, track and field, and cross-country running. His mother encouraged him to be involved in extracurricular activities beyond just sports, so Ryan also served as a member of the student council, and participated in his school’s Future Business Leaders of America program. Ryan’s mother instilled in him the desire to be part of something larger and more important than just himself, to always help others, to try his best at whatever he did, and – most importantly – to never give up on anything he tried out to accomplish.

Shortly after moving to Arizona in 2004, Ryan Joined the United States Marine Corps and became an Aviation Ordinance Technician. During his service, Ryan was deployed to Iraq five times and visited 15 different countries. He received an honorable discharge from the Marines in 2008.

Ryan explained that his time in the Marines helped him realize just how blessed we are as Americans. Other countries around the world do not enjoy the same freedoms or access to food and resources. In particular, Ryan stated that it was difficult to see young children in other countries not only living in harsh poverty, but just living to survive another day amidst war and violence. Ryan has learned to appreciate the simple things in life that most of us take for granted.

After leaving the Marines, Ryan made the decision to enroll in the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute. Ryan graduated with honors, maintaining a 3.93 GPA in 2011, and was immediately offered a job at a Harley Davidson dealership in New Mexico. Ryan accepted the position, believing he was on the path to his dream career. However, after a few short months as a motorcycle mechanic, Ryan realized that he could never make very much money as a motorcycle mechanic. He took a managerial job at Domino’s Pizza in New Mexico, later transferring to a Domino’s Pizza in Arizona so he could live with his brother.

While visiting his mother in San Diego in 2012, Ryan looked for local jobs on Craig’s List. He ended up contacting a California Conservation Corps (CCC) recruiter to inquire about what had appeared to be a government position that didn’t require an entrance exam. The next thing Ryan knew he was in Corpsmember training with several other veterans, having flashbacks of his time in the Marines. After training, Ryan was assigned to the San Diego’s North County Satellite.

While serving as an AmeriCorps member in the CCC, Ryan completed a 40-hour wildland firefighter training; wildreness first aid and CPR training; food handlers training; leadership training; and S-212 chainsaw training. He was twice offered seasonal firefighter positions with the U.S. Forest Service, but he turned them down for personal health reasons. Ryan went on to become a CCC intern with CAL-TRANS for seven months, during which time he was promoted to Crewleader and joined the Corpsmember Advisory Board. Ryan took special interest in sharing his knowledge of small engine repair with his fellow Corpsmembers and CCC staff. He often stayed after work to repair CCC power tools and teach others. He always displayed the compassion, instilled by his mother, to help others.

Despite doing well on the Conservationist One exam, Ryan accepted a permanent position with one of the California Conservation Corps’ project sponsors, River Partners, as the Southern California Regional Lead Foreman in August 2015. The position pays prevailing wage ($15.00 hr to start) and came with a company truck for him to commute to and from various job sites. The position allows Ryan to continue to work with CCC Corpsmembers as a Technical Advisor for crews. Further, it allows Ryan to continue in a career that he is passionate about, where he can continue to teach Corpsmembers and help them develop the skills and mind set they need to be successful in both the CCC and in life.

Ryan hopes to return to the CCC one day as a Conservationist One, but he feels that until the right position is offered to him he is content to finally be in a career where he can make a difference in protecting the environment and encouraging today’s youth. To that end, Ryan has become a part of something much larger than himself; he makes a difference and has made himself and his mother very proud.

Veterans in the 21CSC: Joshua “Mitch” Shannon – Southwest Conservation Corps

Mitch

From Southwest Conservation Corps

After graduating from high school in Northern Illinois, Mitch decided to join the United States Marine Corps. He feels fortunate to have been deployed 11 times – eight of which were combat deployments – to a variety of places, including Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa. During his time in the Marines, Mitch worked with four different infantry units and gained a great deal of experience. However, when he completed his service in 2012 and began looking for a civilian job, Mitch discovered that there were few careers where he could apply the skills he learned as an infantryman.

During his time in the military, Mitch got married and had two kids. Completing his service allowed him and his family to move to Alabama to give his kids the opportunity to get to know more of their relatives. Mitch was pursuing a degree in nursing when a friend told him about Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) and its AmeriCorps-based Veterans Fire Corps program. As his friend explained, the Corps would give Mitch the opportunity to learn about wildfires and get involved in careers in the outdoors. Mitch decided to apply and started with SCC in spring of 2015 along with the friend that had introduced the idea.

Mitch feels that SCC taught him a lot about wildland fire, conservation and living and working in the outdoors. Though he wasn’t completely sold on being in wildland fire as a long-term career, the Veterans Fire Corps program gave him some of the hard skills needed to be valuable for positions with federal land management agencies. His time with SCC also gave Mitch the opportunity to network with supervisors that work within the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Mitch isn’t certain about he wants to do after the Corps, but he knows he wants to continue working outdoors and eventually be able to find a permanent position with a land management agency somewhere in Colorado, where he and his family currently live.

Veterans in the 21CSC: Mt. Adams Institute VetsWork GreenCorps Program

2015-VW-GC-Group copy

From Mt. Adams Institute

In 2014 Mt. Adams Institute and the Umatilla National Forest launched a new wildlands firefighting training program for military veterans ages 19-35. The VetsWork GreenCorps program trains military veterans for potential careers in wildlands firefighting and prevention.

The program entails 12 weeks of hands-on training in which participants receive U.S. Forest Service instruction in safety, chainsaw use, tool use, wildland firefighting, and crew organization. Veterans work on fuel reduction, leadership training, and exposure to fire suppression. A recent 10-member VetsWork crew worked alongside an experienced 10-member Forest Service crew (also veterans) on a large-scale forest thinning project that had been a priority for a number of years, but had been on hold due to budget restrictions. This “Umatilla Vet Crew” thinned an incredible 48 acres.

The impact on the Corpsmembers was equally impressive.

“The VetsWork GreenCorps program is intended to support military veterans as they transition back into civilian life by providing them with this opportunity to explore a potential career in service to public lands and the natural resources that abound in our region,” said Brendan Norman, Executive Director of the Mt. Adams Institute.

At the conclusion of the program, eight of the ten members of the Umatilla Crew were immediately hired as seasonal firefighters at the Umatilla National Forest. During this past wildfire season, which was one of the worst in recent memory, they were able to put their skills to good use. All have been invited back to be seasonal members of the Forest Service component of the Umatilla Vet Crew, supporting next year’s VetsWork GreenCorps members.

“This is a great program to get on the fast track into employment with the U.S. Forest Service,” said 2015 VetsWork graduate Russell Vansteel. “It’s a big time commitment, but it was well worth it to me.

The Umatilla National Forest leadership has committed to ongoing support of the VetsWork GreenCorps program and is looking forward to another successful year in 2016.

To learn more, check out a video about the VetsWork: GreenCorps program on the Mt. Adam Institute’s website, or visit the Umatilla Veteran Crew Facebook page to see the work they have been engaged in since completing the program.

Veterans in the 21CSC: Chandler Goering – Arizona Conservation Corps

DSCF2084(Chandler pictured front row, right)

 

From Arizona Conservation Corps

When Chandler Goering moved to Arizona, he knew he wanted to get into wildland firefighting. After serving in the Army National Guard, including two years of active duty as an Infantry Sergeant in Iraq and Kuwait, he earned a degree in fire science and started applying for jobs. When he couldn’t find the sort of job opportunity he was looking for, a recruiter told him about the Veteran Fire Corps program with the Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC), explaining that it was a good way to get a foot in the door and gain practical skills.

Chandler will complete his six-month AmeriCorps term on November 11th. He will have spent a season working on a fuels mitigation crew for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on three districts in Arizona, put in hundreds of hours running a chainsaw in the process, and completed coursework for all Firefighter I & II certifications. When the program ends, Chandler will return home to Minnesota for the winter where he has accepted an EMT position. He plans to spend this time applying for wildland firefighting jobs for the 2016 season.

The practical skills Chandler gained aren’t the only valuable aspect of his AmeriCorps experience. When asked what he’ll remember most about his time with Arizona Conservation Corps, Chandler talks about people: being part of a crew, being more sociable, and interacting with project managers and fire personnel within the BLM. He learned about different career opportunities and how to be more successful applying for positions. Chandler also made connections with public lands management employees who offered to refer him to hiring managers and put in a good word.

Nearly all alumni who have applied for firefighter positions after exiting the Veteran Fire Corps program have succeeded in landing a position. Considering Chandler’s positive attitude and drive, we’re expecting that he will be on a wildfire crew next summer.