Impact Story: Job Corps Rx modules support prescribed burns in national forests and grasslands

Submitted by Alicia Bennett, Public Affairs Officer, U. S. Forest Service Job Corps

As national forests and grasslands implement their prescribed fire plans, the motto “Ready, willing, and able,” is an apt description that describes the support Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers (CCC) provide year after year. The CCCs continually raise the bar in the support they provide national forests and grasslands. At the tail end of March 2023, this was evident when Angell, Flatwoods, Harpers Ferry, Great Onyx, and Jacob’s Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers sent four prescribed fire modules to the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests (GMFL NF).  

 

Flatwoods and Jacobs Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers combined their FFT2s to deploy a prescribed burn module to the Finger Lakes National Forest. (l-r) Left to right Jake Swift, Johnny Holloway, Alex Philips (Jacobs Creek), Otis Murphey (Flatwoods), Lorenzo Mata(Flatwoods), Amari Mouzon (Jacobs Creek), Bobby Davis, Casey Howard. USDA Forest Service photo by Jodi Vanselow.

 

The Job Corps Fire Program has provided consistent support to GMFL NF’s prescribed fire seasons since 2018. This year, the workforce provided by five CCCs allowed the national forests to burn 13 units within 24 hours on the Green Mountains National Forest and execute all planned acres on the Finger Lakes National Forest. All-in-all, the CCC Rx modules burned 36 units for a total of 750 acres. On top of this crucial assistance, the modules, alongside the Green Mountain National Forest, National Park Service, and Appalachian Trail Conservancy, implemented the Appalachian Trail (AT) Donaldson Rx unit. This was the first ever cooperative prescribed fire on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in Vermont.  

“The Job Corps Fire program is essential to the continued success on the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes. It has provided us with the opportunity to burn on both forests on the same day and the ability to build multiple burn modules to burn multiple units on the same day on one forest,” said GMFL Forest Assistant Fire Management Officer Robert Goulding. “Being able to do this has allowed us to take advantage of short weather windows and maximize the productivity we can have in a short burn season.” 

 

Flatwoods Job Corps FFT2 Alex Philips works on a prescribed burn module on the Finger Lakes National Forest. USDA Forest Service photo by Casey Howard.

 

The benefits of a partnership like this does not flow only one way. Working alongside career employees, CCC Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2) students laying fire on the ground gain practical knowledge that cannot be taught in a classroom setting. The networking opportunities these training opportunities offer Job Corps students also cannot be understated. “One of my favorite aspects of going on the fire assignments is the people that I’ve got to meet, it has definitely expanded my social connections,” shared Flatwoods Job Corps student Jordan Rasnick. This was echoed by Angell Job Corps student Andrew Pontoja who shared, “I enjoyed getting to learn from highly qualified fire fighters with a lot of experience.” 

When national forests observe what they can accomplish with the support of the CCCs, they always want them back. Because of the amazing work accomplished, the GMLF NF is already laying the building blocks for future collaboration. “Loved having them here and hope that come burning time next year we can have them again,” said Finger Lakes National Forest District Ranger Jodie Vanselow. “Talk is already under way to bring another crew up to do mastication (heavy equipment) work on the forest. It’s cool to see what we can get done with the CCCs.” 

 

Flatwoods Job Corps FFT2 Dustin Tucker works on a prescribed burn module on the Finger Lakes National Forest. USDA Forest Service photo by Casey Howard.

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The Corps Network’s Equity Statement – A Message from the CEO

Dear friends of The Corps Network, 

I am pleased to share The Corps Network’s equity statement. As our organization embarks on a new five-year strategic plan, this statement will guide all our decisions around development and growth.  

 

We acknowledge that the modern Corps movement traces its roots back to a program – the Civilian Conservation Corps – that did not offer equal opportunities to all. We recognize that the conservation world in which we operate has also historically lacked diversity and representation. With this statement, we accede the unfortunate reality that opportunity and access are not spread fairly. However, we also recognize that we have the ability and a responsibility to evolve, change things for the better, and invest in a more equitable future.   

 

With this statement at the center of our work, we aim to prioritize expansion of Corps programming in communities and populations that have faced environmental injustice and disinvestment. We seek to thoughtfully develop new career pathways and partnerships that set Corps alums on the path to well-paying, meaningful careers. We will offer more trainings and resources to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) in the Corps community. The Corps Network will also look in the mirror: among other steps, we are conducting an equity audit and supporting each staff member to undergo an equity certification course.  

 

While The Corps Network has been around for nearly four decades, this is our first equity statement. That is not to say this is our first endeavor to center equity in our work. With support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, we launched our Moving Forward Initiative in 2017. Through this effort, and the bold leadership of Capri St. Vil, we embarked on offering more DEIJ programming through our conference and webinars, training our staff on the impacts of systemic racism, and creating Corpsmember Liberation and Leadership – an innovative workshop designed to empower young people of color.  

 

I humbly thank Capri for challenging us and guiding us through this work. I am pleased to share that, as Capri has transitioned into a consulting role (and “semi-retirement” – she can’t go far!), our own Tia Blakney has stepped in to lead The Corps Network’s DEIJ initiatives. Tia has been an invaluable member of our Gulf office for several years, helping provide DEIJ training to GulfCorps members and staff. I applaud Tia on her important work thus far and I am excited to see what direction she takes us.  

 

Creating this new equity statement was a team effort. The language was crafted by members of our staff and Board of Directors, and the entire team at The Corps Network weighed in and offered feedback. I am proud to say this is a statement to which we are fully committed. I invite you to join us as we start this new chapter of centering diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in our work at The Corps Network.  

 

 

Mary Ellen Sprenkel

President and CEO, The Corps Network

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The Corps Network’s Equity Statement – A Message from the DEIJ Program Coordinator

As the DEIJ Program Coordinator, I acknowledge the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) in all aspects of our lives. It is essential to recognize and celebrate our differences, and to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. As we know, there are so many different things happening in the world today around race and equity, but we as a community need to fully understand diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice principles so they can help us become more aware and better prepared to address all types of diversity and inequities, including those present in ourselves, our organizations, and the communities we serve. My goal is to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion through trainings, workshops, and other initiatives that will focus on bringing equity to the center of your organization. This work is a continuing journey, but together we can make a change. Let’s continue to work together to create a more equitable and inclusive future for all. 

I would also like to thank Capri St. Vil for moving this work forward and keeping the conversation going throughout her many years with The Corps Network. I thank her for being a mentor to me; her guidance has truly been invaluable. I am grateful for her support.  

 

2023 Next Steps: 

  • Provide a DEIJ toolkit that will guide member Corps towards implementing DEIJ within their organization 
  • Serve as a support system for member Corps 
  • Update The Corps Network’s website to reflect DEIJ changes 
  • Provide access to resources and trainings to member Corps  
  • Create an internal focus group to guide ongoing initiatives 

 

Tia Blakney

Programs and DEIJ Coordinator

Presidential Volunteer Service Awardee – Kyle Dash

The Corps Network recently became approved as a certifying organization for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award (PVSA). PVSA’s go to individuals who have served over 4,000 service hours over the individual’s lifetime. The Corps Network can distribute awards to member Corps who are in good standing and at the affiliate level or higher. The recipient must have at least 25% of their service hours with the organization. See requirements here.

Kyle Dash, a former member of American Conservation Experience (ACE), was the first individual that TCN awarded the PVSA. He served his 4,000 hours with AmeriCorps NCCC, and ACE, who nominated him for the award. He currently works as a wildland firefighter in North Carolina.

Q: Tell us a bit about your background, how did you find ACE?

I grew up in this small town called Moretown. It’s located about 20-30 minutes away from Montpelier in Vermont. I graduated from a four-year College in Vermont called Castleton University, where I got my Bachelors in Ecological Studies. I came about the ACE program when I did a term of service with AmeriCorps NCCC.

I was doing some career exploration towards the end of my term of service, and I saw that ACE offered internships with different federal agencies and I thought to try to apply to some of them. I was at ACE as a Forestry and Prescribed Fire intern.

Some hobbies I like to do are hiking, biking, reading, and playing the piano.

Service Term with ACE

 

Q: Where did you serve with ACE?

I served primarily in Southern Arkansas as part of the Southern Arkansas Refuge Complex, which consisted of three wildlife refuges. You have the Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge, which is more southern central and then you have Pond Creek, which is bordering Texas, and then you have the Overflow National Wildlife Refuge, which is more to the east, almost close to Mississippi.

 

Q: Tell us about your experience with ACE, what were some of the projects that you worked on?

I served with ACE from October 2021 to November 2022. When I first started my ACE internship, there wasn’t really a whole lot going on because it was the fall and winter seasons, and hunting was going on then, so not a lot of outdoor activity was happening. I got a chance to help run deer check stations where they checked for chronic wasting disease, and gathered data on the age and sex of deer to help monitor populations in Arkansas.

Other cool things that I got to do were biological surveys for fish and birds, particularly wetland bird species at Overflow because they have a bunch of impoundments where they manage a lot of habitats for waterfowl and marsh and duck hunting.

I did some vegetation surveys for timber stands. I got to be on the ground and did some prescribed burns on some of the refuges – which is cool, and then just did some ArcGIS and GIS mapping for different resources and miscellaneous tasks.

 

Q: What skills do you think you gained throughout the program?

I was able to get ATV and UTV certified. I got to learn how to drive and operate a tractor. I had many opportunities to practice doing animal and plant ID-ing. I did a bit of prescribed fire. I also got a chance to travel to Barksdale Air Force Base where they have a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program on the base where they do some burning as well. And then I got to renew my wildland firefighter’s certs and renewed my first aid.

I was able to talk to a lot of the full-time employees at the refuge I was stationed at which was the Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge. Some of the pieces of advice that I got from one of the employees who was the refuge manager was to just get used to getting comfortable with being uncomfortable because there’s a lot of instances where you may be doing one thing and then the next day, you’re doing something completely different.

Q: What do you think you learned about yourself?

I learned to put myself up front more and engage more with the other interns that were there and other employees be like, “Hey, I have this idea. Do you think this would work or do you think this idea does not work?”

Also keeping my work life and my personal life separate to prevent workers’ burnout, and to manage my time better.

 

Q: What was your average day at ACE like?

The average day for me would be to start work around six or seven in the morning, log in on my work computer, and check my email.

Sometimes I would have to wake up and leave the work center by three or four in the morning to go do some surveys for birds because some sites were farther away than others, and I had to have enough time to be at those sites before sunrise.

Usually, I’d go out and try to help with doing any surveys. If there was no biology surveys that needed to be done, it would be beaver dam removal, helping to mark timber to be harvested, or helping to take inventory of what refuge boundaries need to be repainted or resigned. So just wide variety of different things. Every day could be different.

 

Q: What was the most rewarding/ beneficial part of the program?

I think one of the best things about being an intern and working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or I guess any federal agency is that you get to see a lot of the areas that the public necessarily don’t see. And so, it’s kind of a special treat to see different wildlife, different habitat types, usually stuff that is off the beaten path.

I also think the Segal Education Award at the end that I used to help pay one of my student loans was beneficial.

Since I worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, I was able to receive a Public Land Corps certificate which can help me apply for federal jobs. It helps employers see that I have experience working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and know how they operate.

Looking Forward

 

Q: What are you doing now?

I’m currently employed as a wildland firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service in North Carolina. Currently my goals are to gain more experience and skill skills in running a type-six fire engine.

 

Q: What advice would you give someone looking to join a Corps?

Some pieces of advice I would give if someone wanted to join a program like ACE or do service in general is… just knowing your limits and knowing your boundaries.
Know your worth. Stick up for yourself. Know what you’re okay with doing, what you’re not okay with doing. If you have questions about something you’re not sure of, ask questions. It’s better to ask questions sooner than later. But also, don’t let your fears get in the way. As I said earlier, get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Interact with other interns, other people, employees, get to know them, ask them lots of questions.

 

Q: How did you feel about receiving the Presidential Volunteer Service Award?

It felt good knowing I helped a lot of people and organizations with their missions and their goals.

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Debt Limit 101: Everything to Know

What is the Debt Limit?

  • The debt limit places a statutory limitation on the amount of money that the U.S. Treasury Department may borrow to fund the federal government’s operations.
  • The U.S. Congress has historically restricted federal debt.
  • The federal debt limit was first authorized in 1917.
  • Since around the 1960s, the U.S. Congress has raised the debt limit more than 70 times.
  • When needed, the U.S. has always raised its debt limit.
  • One of the roles of the U.S. Congress is to pass spending (appropriations) bills and tax laws. The revenues from the taxes we pay are meant to cover the spending of the U.S. federal government. This includes Social Security, Medicare, and the Transportation trust funds.
  • Often there is not enough revenue to pay for that spending. This leads to the U.S. Treasury Department having to borrow money to make up that difference.
  • That borrowed money is the U.S. national debt, and it is estimated to currently be at $31 trillion.
  • Please note that debt has been accrued no matter which political party is in the White House or has the majority in the U.S. Congress.

 

What is Happening Now?

  • The United States federal government reached its current debt limit of over $31 trillion in January of 2023, and the U.S. Treasury Department is implementing what are called “extraordinary measures” to prevent a default.
  • The U.S. Treasury Department is currently predicting that the federal government will now reach the debt limit in early June 2023.
  • The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), previously publicly stated that he would agree to raising the debt limit if the Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations bills were written at Fiscal Year 2022 funding limits.
  • The U.S. House of Representatives, with the Republican Party in the majority, recently passed H.R. 2811, the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023.
  • This legislation would raise the debt limit but would also reduce federal spending to Fiscal Year 2022 levels by largely cutting social spending.
  • This legislation will not likely be taken up by the U.S. Senate who has a Democratic Party majority.
  • Discussions are on-going between the White House and the U.S. Congress, largely between President Biden and Speaker McCarthy, to reach a resolution of the situation.

 

 

What Would Happen if the U.S. Does Breach the Debt Limit?

  • As with any of us, the U.S. federal government is required to pay its bills.
  • If the U.S. does breach the debt limit, there will be consequences.
  • This has never happened before and due to this it is not exactly clear what steps the U.S. federal government would take.
  • We came extremely close to breaching the debt limit in 2011.
  • In a document released following that occurrence, it was revealed that if the debt limit had been breached at that time, the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Treasury Department had planned on prioritizing interest payments and that payments for things such as Social Security benefits and veterans’ benefits would likely have been missed.
  • It is believed that if we do breach the debt limit, the U.S. economy would enter a recession and it could lead to a worldwide financial crisis.
  • Our country’s credit rating would almost certainly be downgraded.
  • Unfortunately, because this is unprecedented, it is not known how exactly a breach of the debt limit would affect the Corps community.

 

Impact Story: Job Corps students receive top-notch wildland firefighting training

Submitted by Alicia Bennett, Public Affairs Officer, U. S. Forest Service Job Corps

Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center (CCCs) Assistant Fire Management Officers (AFMOs) ensure that students enrolled in CCC wildland firefighting programs receive top-notch training. But what elevates the students’ training are their experiential work-based learning  opportunities on national forests and grasslands, made possible through the professional networks forged by Job Corps AFMOs.   

 

Four Great Onyx and three Pine Knot Job Corps CCC students recently completed three month paid internships on the Umpqua National Forest working on two Type 4 engines on the North Umpqua Ranger District and on a 20-person Type 2 Initial Attack Hand Crew on the Diamond Lake Ranger District. USDA Forest Service photo by Fhurer Orejuela. North Umpqua Ranger District Engine staff Adam Borich, Brady Sahm, Jeremiah Coke, Dwayne Smith (Great Onyx CCC student) and Corbyn Kangiser.

 

Four Great Onyx and three Pine Knot CCC students recently completed three-month paid apprenticeships on the Umpqua National Forest. Great Onyx students Albert Kemp, Ernesto Serrano, Dwayne Smith and Amand White, all enrolled in the welding trade, staffed two Type 4 engines on the North Umpqua Ranger District for North Zone Fire Management. Pine Knot students Angelina Soileau and Logan Adams, enrolled in Forestry Conservation and Firefighting, and Aljay Williams, enrolled in welding, helped complete a 20-person Type 2 Initial Attack Hand Crew on the Diamond Lake Ranger District. 

 

Four Great Onyx and three Pine Knot Job Corps CCC students recently completed three month paid internships on the Umpqua National Forest working on two Type 4 engines on the North Umpqua Ranger District and on a 20-person Type 2 Initial Attack Hand Crew on the Diamond Lake Ranger District. North Umpqua Ranger District Engine staff Albert Kemp (Great Onyx CCC student), Ernesto Serrano (Great Onyx CCC student), Vicente Iranzo, Hailey Alandt, and Armand White (Great Onyx CCC student). USDA Forest Service photo by Fhurer Orejuela.

 

Conversations with Thomlinson’s students reveal just how important internship opportunities are to the career development of Job Corps wildland firefighting students. “I learned a lot more about the fire world,” says student Logan Adams. “It felt like a better learning experience because it was less ‘check off the boxes’ and more ‘get the job done’—there was less handholding and more just figure it out.” Unlike many students who enroll in a Forest Service Job Corps center, Adams enrolled with the intent to become a wildland firefighter.  

Angelina Soileau echoes Adam’s sentiments. “They [Umpqua National Forest Diamond Lake Type 2 Initial Attack Hand Crew] treated us as equals, both physically, mentally, and workwise. We just did the same work they did.” 

 

Job Corps CCC student Angelina Soileau

 

The Umpqua National Forest has traditionally hired students from Western CCCs to beef up their fire modules. In 2023, Daniel Boone National Forest AFMO Kevin Thomlinson, who oversees the Kentucky CCC wildland firefighting programs, leaned into his professional network and reached out to North Umpqua Ranger District Forestry Technician Fhurer Orejuela to expand paid work-based learning (WBL) opportunities for his wildland firefighting students. 

Workdays for Soileau and Adams varied but most days were spent patrolling and chasing lightning strikes. “There is a culture in each area you work in,” says Adams. “I enjoyed learning the difference from working on the Umpqua versus what I  did on assignment on Yosemite National Park–from the work ethic to the way fires are treated is very different and it was cool to learn.” 

Work-based learning partnerships between national forests and grasslands and Job Corps CCCs have many mutual benefits and strengthen the agency’s firefighting workforce. Host forests get much-needed assistance and exposures employees to the Job Corps program. Apprenticeships train students for good jobs and allow them to earn while they learn. They gain valuable wildland fire experience working in a variety of fuel types and conditions. Students work with and observe seasoned wildland firefighters and have the opportunity to network and gain references that are helpful as they pursue career positions. Finally, the money students earn and save can be life changing, helping ease their transition to independent living after graduation.   

“It was one of the greatest experiences I’ve had with Job Corps,” says Adams who wants the opportunity extended to him is made available to other students. “I really do hope that other students are able to have this experience because it was amazing.”  

 

Job Corps CCC student Logan Adams

 

“We saw a lot of potential in all of them,” says Orejuela, who encouraged all of the students to apply for 1039 positions. The Umpqua National Forest aimed for a 1:1 ratio of students to staff and mentoring was a big part of the students’ WBL experience. Umpqua staff set aside time at the end of the season to assist students with career guidance, navigating USA jobs, and providing tips and pointers on the interviewing process “We offer them a glimpse of what fire is like,” says Orejuela. If they are set on a different career path, we encourage them to do what they think is right–there is always next year.” 

These partnerships with Job Corps Centers—the biggest one being the availability of meals and housing for the students. The lack of housing and meals has often prevented placement of  Job Corps students on forests that requested placements. Fortunately for the Umpqua, Wolf Creek Job Corps’ culinary arts instructor Nicole Kuhn stepped up to deliver the student’s meals. The student bunked down with Umpqua employees in typical staff housing.  

The efforts of the Job Corps Fire Program directly support the agency’s strategic goal of sustaining our nation’s forests and grasslands and delivering benefits to the public. If your forest or region are interested in hosting wildland firefighting interns from the Frenchburg, Great Onyx, or Pine Knot Job Corps CCCs, contact Daniel Boone National Forest Assistant Fire Management Officer Kevin Thomlinson at 606-768-7023 or [email protected]. 

Update from The Corps Network’s Government Relations Team – May 8, 2023

By Meghan Castellano & Danielle Owen

Read this blog from The Corps Network’s Government Relations Team about recent updates from Washington and what they mean for the Service and Conservation Corps community.

 

President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request

 

Civilian Climate Corps

In early March, President Biden released his Fiscal Year 2024 budget request. Of note, there are funding requests for the Civilian Climate Corps (CCC) at AmeriCorps, the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Department of Labor (DOL). All three received similar requests in the Fiscal Year 2023 funding cycle.

    • AmeriCorps: Under Salaries and Expenses, there is a $20 million request for AmeriCorps to staff up for a CCC.
    • Department of Agriculture: At USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), there is a $6 million request for APHIS to lead coordination between federal agencies and the CCC on issues related to invasive species control and climate change.
    • Department of Labor: Under Training and Employment Services, there is a request for $15 million for a CCC program. The DOL budget includes $15 million in dedicated funding for, “high-quality employment opportunities in industry sectors or occupations related to climate resilience or mitigation” with a specific mention of coordination with other federal agencies. The budget says this is part of a, “multi-Departmental initiative to mobilize the next generation of conservation and resilience workers and maximize the creation of accessible training opportunities and good jobs.”

AmeriCorps

Besides the $20 million in AmeriCorps Salaries and Expenses for CCC, their budget request includes the following:

    • Improve the experience of AmeriCorps members by providing increases to the member living allowance to the equivalent of $13 per hour.

USDA and the Department of the Interior (DOI)

At USDA and DOI, there appears to be similar funding amounts for Corps programs that we saw in the Fiscal Year 2023 budget request. This year they are rebranding these funds as being used for “youth corps programs.” Below is funding for youth Corps by agency.

    • U.S. Forest Service: There is a language that “…up to $5,000,000 shall be available for priority projects within the scope of the approved budget, which shall be carried out by the Youth Conservation Corps and shall be carried out under the authority of the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.).”
    • Bureau of Indian Affairs: There is a call out for $7.8 million for Tribal Youth Corps programs.
    • Bureau of Land Management: There is a combined call out for $12 million to work with “youth corps programs.”
    • Department of Interior-Wide: There is a request for funding for a DOI-Wide Youth Coordinator and also proposed appropriations language to allow cost-sharing waivers to expand the use of Corps partnerships in resource conservation and restoration work.
    • Fish and Wildlife Services: There is a combined call out for $10 million to work with “youth corps programs.”
    • National Park Service: There is $31 million for “youth corps programs.”

Department of Labor

Besides the CCC funding request, the DOL budget request includes:

    • Apprenticeships: The budget again proposes an increase in funding for apprenticeships, to $335 million. DOL’s Budget in Brief calls out youth apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship as priorities, but the proposed appropriations language does not mention this.
    • Job Corps: The budget requests an increase of $75 million (4.2%), to $1.84 billion, with the bulk of the proposed increase going to the Construction, Rehabilitation, and Acquisition line item.
    • Reentry Employment Opportunities: The budget requests an increase of $55 million, to $170 million. It recommends $30 million specifically for young people (the same as Congress appropriated last year, and more than the $25 million in the Fiscal Year 2023 president’s budget requested). 
    • YouthBuild: The budget requests an increase of $40 million, to $145 million.
    • WIOA Youth Activities: The budget requests an increase of $15.7 million (1.6%), to $963,837,000.

 

  • Please note that the President’s Budget Request is only a request. Congress now knows the Biden Administration’s funding priorities. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees are expected to begin marking up appropriations bills in mid to late May.
  • The federal government is fully funded for Fiscal Year 2023 (ends on September 30, 2023). One of the promises that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) made to become Speaker was to set Fiscal Year 2024 funding levels at Fiscal Year 2022 levels. House Appropriations Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX) has instructed her Subcommittee Chairs to look closely for areas to cut funding and the House Appropriations Committee is expected to draft their appropriations bills at Fiscal Year 2022 funding levels.

 

House GOP Debit Ceiling Bill

  • The House GOP introduced their debt ceiling bill known as the “Limit, Save, Grow Act.” The bill would suspend the debt ceiling through either March 31, 2024, or give a $1.5 trillion increase from the current $31.4 trillion ceiling – whichever comes first. This bill would:
    • Return total discretionary spending to the Fiscal Year 2022 level in Fiscal Year 2024
    • Rescind unspent COVID relief funds
    • Repeal most of the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) energy and climate tax credit expansions
    • Rescind the IRA’s increased Internal Revenue Service (IRS) funding
    • Make changes to energy, regulatory, and permitting policies
    • Impose or expand work requirements in several federal safety net programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
    • Prevent the implementation of President Biden’s student debt cancellation
  • Ultimately, the bill passed the House by a vote of 217-215, which largely fell along party lines with four Republican defections. This bill will not go anywhere in the Democrat controlled Senate as they do not support many of the bill’s provisions. Specifically, Democrats are against capping spending levels at Fiscal Year 2022 levels.

 

Appropriations vs. Debt Ceiling

  • Failure to raise the debt ceiling is not the same as passing Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations bills. The debt ceiling is a limit, set by Congress, on the amount of borrowing the Treasury can do. Regarding appropriations, there are 12 annual appropriation bills. When Congress does not pass these bills, then federal agencies must stop all non-essential functions until Congress acts. This is known as a government shutdown.
  • The “Limit, Save, Grow Act” that has passed the House connects the debt ceiling to fiscal spending cuts. This bill aims to bring Fiscal Year 2024 funding back to Fiscal Year 2022 levels in order for the House GOP to agree to raise the debt ceiling. The White House, so far, has said raising the debt ceiling is not something they should be negotiating. It should be noted that the United States defaulting on its debt is unprecedented. On May 1, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen notified Congress that the U.S. could default on its debt as early as June 1, if legislators do not raise or suspend the debt ceiling. After this warning, President Biden invited Speaker McCarthy, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies (D-NY) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to a meeting at the White House on May 9 to discuss the importance of preventing a default.

 

U.S. Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Notice of Funding Opportunity

As a reminder, the U.S. Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program received $1.5 billion in the Inflation Reduction Act. The Notice of Funding Opportunity can be found here. Recordings of two webinars the White House held on this program can be found here. The deadline to apply is June 1, 2023 by 11:59 p.m. EST.

 

The Corps Network’s Annual National Conference

In early March, The Corps Network’s held its annual National Conference as a place to connect with people across the country who seek to build stronger communities and create a sustainable future. This year Interior Secretary Deb Haaland accepted an award on behalf of the Department of the Interior, and she gave remarks about the Department’s commitment to partnering with Corps. Will Shafroth, CEO of the National Park Foundation also accepted an award on behalf of the National Park Foundation. We also honored Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) as a Congressional Champion. The Corps Network is incredibly appreciative that so many of our federal partners were able to participate in workshops and a plenary session during our 2023 Conference.

 

118th Congressional Outreach

As we are still in the first few months of this Congress, The Corps Network would like to re-flag our Action Alert sent out earlier in the year. It contains a template letter for Corps to use to either introduce or reintroduce their organization to their Member of Congress and Senators. It also contains a spreadsheet with Congressional staff contact information to use for this outreach. “Freshman” offices are highlighted in yellow. This is a living document and contact information is as up to date as possible. We will continue to update it as more contact information becomes available. Inviting your Member of Congress, Senators, and their staff to visit you is a wonderful way to encourage their support and educate them on what you are bringing to your shared community.

Impact Story: Planting and fertilizing hybrid poplar trees with Northwest Youth Corps

By: Edward Kim

This Earth Month, let’s celebrate some of the amazing environmental work Corps have accomplished. In the Pacific Northwest, specifically Eugene, OR, Northwest Youth Corps (NYC) is getting its hands green on an ongoing tree-planting project that’s reducing waste by recycling organic nutrients.

Trees are a vital component of the Earth’s ecosystems. Described as the lungs of our planet, trees and forests do much more than produce clean air for us to breathe. They also regulate the climate, provide homes for wildlife, prevent soil erosion, conserve water, and produce various products for human consumption and usage. That’s why it’s critical for conservation organizations and determined individuals to value and prioritize having healthy trees. Fortunately for us, that’s exactly what NYC has been doing for the last few years. 

 

Kerrek Pegg, with Northwest Youth Corps, plants a poplar at the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission’s Biocycle Farm near Eugene March, 1, 2023. Photo from Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard

 

NYC’s tree planting project is growing its roots in Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission’s (MWMC) Biosolids Farm, a roughly 400-acre plantation that uses biosolids to fertilize trees. Biosolids are nutrient-rich organic materials derived from chemically and physically treated wastewater that comes from bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and more. Often used to improve soil health, similar to how animal manure is utilized agriculturally, biosolids can provide various benefits as they’re able to provide nutrients essential for plant growth. They can also improve soil structure and water-retaining properties. 

 

Poplar trees grow at the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission’s Biocycle Farm near Eugene March, 1, 2023. Photo from Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard

 

“Biosolids are nutrient-rich organic materials derived from chemically and physically treated wastewater”

 

In 2018, NYC planted 28,000 hybrid poplar trees in one of the Biosolids Farm’s units and returned in 2019 and 2020 to conduct manual weed control and prune/single each tree. NYC then completed a demonstration of a Biochar experiment at the farm in 2022. More recently, between January 28 to March 31 of 2023, NYC planted 10,000+ poplar trees and harvested 15,000+ tree cuttings. Over 1,600 AmeriCorps member hours have been used so far this year. 

 

between January 28 to March 31 of 2023, NYC planted 10,000+ poplar trees and harvested 15,000+ tree cuttings. Over 1,600 AmeriCorps member hours have been used so far this year

 

A Northwest Youth Corps crew plants poplar trees at the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission’s Biocycle Farm near Eugene March, 1, 2023. Photo from Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard

 

Hybrid poplar trees were specifically chosen for this project. A rapidly growing tree that’s often used for reforestation and environmental remediation purposes, poplars can withstand a wide range of environmental conditions. Ally Richert, an NYC Program Coordinator overseeing this project with MWMC, describes these poplars as “fast-growing with a high assimilation capacity for water, nutrients, and soil contaminants.” This means that these trees can be irrigated with recycled water or amended with treatment plant biosolids, which use waste that’s typically sent to landfills. 

 

Autumn Gratton digs a hole for a poplar tree at the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission’s Biocycle Farm near Eugene March, 1, 2023. Photo from Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard

 

This project produces commercial and economic benefits as well as environmental. According to MWMC, the poplars planted by NYC crews grow rapidly while consuming the nutrient-dense biosolids “making the Biocycle Farm a cost-effective method for recycling a byproduct of the wastewater treatment process.” There’s much to look forward to as “the trees are managed as an agricultural crop, with a growth period of up to 12 years, and then harvested and sold in the marketplace to offset operating costs for the farm as well as provide a renewable resource for our community.” The poplar trees planted by NYC will eventually be used for commercial use.

 

“a cost-effective method for recycling a byproduct of the wastewater treatment process”

 

As the poplar trees grow in soil supplemented with biosolids, so do the Corpsmembers’ knowledge and experience in impactful conservation careers. None of the participating Corpsmembers had previous poplar planting experiences, but they learned the ins and outs of the planting process, including harvesting, brush cutting, surveying, and then planting the tree itself. They also have the opportunity to tour the Biosolids plant while gaining useful knowledge on wastewater management and the biocycle process. NYC crews displayed noticeable improvement from when they first began the project as well.

 

A worker with Northwest Youth Corps plants a poplar tree at the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission’s Biocycle Farm near Eugene March, 1, 2023. Photo from Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard

 

“The Crew Members have really sped up the planting and harvesting process since their first week. They started with being able to plant SIX rows of trees a day to 27!” said Richert. “They have also been a steward to the wildlife in the area, helping preserve the wetland habitat that the trees grow in. In particular, they have been preserving the habitat and nests of killdeer, a native plover that makes nests on the ground.”

 

According to The Register-Guard, other wildlife, including “voles, deer, coyotes, eagles, hawks, and more”, have also been able to find a home in the farm’s units.

 

Poplar trees grow at the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission’s Biocycle Farm near Eugene. Photo from Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard

 

As NYC continues to collaborate with MWMC, other Corps and conservation organizations can learn much from this resourceful tree-planting project that helps curb climate change while also producing commercial and environmental benefits to surrounding communities.

 

“There was no manual for this project, and the crew is now a wonderful blueprint for poplar planting at this farm in the future.” said Richert.

 

Autumn Gratton, with Northwest Youth Corps, plants a poplar at the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission’s Biocycle Farm near Eugene March, 1, 2023. Photo from Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard

Impact Story: Seizing the opportunity to enhance Job Corps

Submitted by Alicia Bennett, Public Affairs Officer, U. S. Forest Service Job Corps

Held in Washington, D.C., the Job Corps 2.0 Leadership Summit: Students Today. Leaders Tomorrow  was a perfect breeding ground for new thoughts, ideas, and solutions to make Job Corps better. I, along with more than 100 students from Job Crops programs throughout the country, discussed the issues important to us as leaders. We focused on communication problems since time was limited.  

 

Marcus R. Jackson, second from left, participates in a Round Table discussion at the Job Corps 2.0 Leadership Summit: Students Today. Leaders Tomorrow in Washington, D.C. Courtesy photo by Marcus R. Jackson.

 

We shared concerns on distressing issues that included center extracurricular activities that were not publicized, wandering my Center to find students, instructors’ calls going unanswered due to teaching (not clear what you’re trying to say), meetings cancelled without notice, tests and/or appointments scheduled without notice, and students being notified of appointments with little time to prepare. With these communication issues being the most notable, it’s easy to see things need to change, so we quickly moved on to solutions that would work for our centers and/or could be implemented across the entirety of Job Corps. 

 

l to r: Blackwell Job Corps CCC student representative Marcus R. Jackson happily grabs a photo with Marty Walsh, Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor at the Job Corps 2.0 Leadership Summit. Courtesy photo by Marcus R. Jackson.

 

Some solutions that were brought to the table focused on physical objects–things Job Corps students could see and interact with to help them become a part of their daily routine. These include items such as a large noticeboard or whiteboard calendar. Whiteboard calendars allow notes to be added or taken away with an awareness of other events happening that day or week. If a corkboard was added to the side, students could put up polls for different extracurricular activities and make lists of movies to watch. Having something physical that students could interact with daily would help us not forget about important events.  

 

Blackwell Job Corps CCC student representative Marcus R. Jackson. Courtesy photo by Marcus R. Jackson.

Now, what about using elements we already have? Email, Google classroom/calendar, and the Job Corps site are tools we already have but don’t use properly. If the Google Classroom/calendar was used to its full extent, everyone on-center would have a calendar app where they could see major events or even small matters dealing with their trade. Administration could upload appointments on the app and only specific students would get a notification, without disrupting other events on the calendar. 

 

(l-r) Job Corps National Director Rachel Torres and Blackwell Job Corps CCC student representative Marcus R. Jackson at the Job Corps 2.0 Leadership Summit. Courtesy photo by Marcus R. Jackson.

 

Alternatively, a solution that would take longer but be tailored to Job Corps’ needs is to develop a Job Corps app. The app could have possible functions such as a general calendar, personal calendar, list of administration/instructor names and ways to contact them or poles for extracurricular activities. Most importantly, the app could have personal schedules that work similarly to a work schedule app. Job Corps Administration could pre-program the schedule for that week. Students would have the ability to check their phones or Chromebooks before the school day starts so we’d know where we’re going, what food is available in the cafeteria that day, and any homework that needs to be turned in that day. I am looking forward to the idea of a Job Corps app in the far future, as it seems to be the most streamlined and tailored solution.

-Marcus Jackson 

 

 

Corps + Trees Giving Back To Their Communities

By: Edward Kim

 

This Earth Month and in celebration of Arbor Day, The Corps Network is highlighting Corps service involving trees. From tree pruning to planting, Corps across the country are working closely to ensure that both rural and urban communities can enjoy the countless benefits of trees.

In the last five years, from 2017 to 2022, Corps planted nearly 5 million trees across the country – an exact total of 4,928,237 trees. Based on recent congressional funding geared towards Corps and increased public interest in the need for trees and forests, we hope to see that number grow in the coming years. 

 

Earth Corps

 

From 2017 to 2022, Corps planted nearly 5 million trees

 

Whether it’s clearing harmful invasive species, volunteering to plant trees, donating to tree planting organizations, or caring for a tree in your backyard, we can all take part in embracing trees and their environmental impact. There may even be a Corps near you that works directly with trees that could use your help.

 

Los Angeles Conservation Corps

 

Now, none of us aren’t strangers to how trees can improve our lives. Hopefully most of us have sat underneath a tree’s welcoming shade on a hot, sunny day and breathed in fresh air. All of us have used something made of wood. Most of us enjoy the vast amounts of wildlife that thrive amongst the trees, as well as the various foods that trees produce.

 

There may even be a Corps near you that works directly with trees that could use your help

 

Student Conservation Association

 

Chances are that you’ve also probably read or come across The Giving Tree, a widely known American children’s book created by Shel Silverstein that tells a simple tale centered on humankind’s relationship with nature.

 

The story follows a young boy’s lifelong friendship with an apple tree. Equally selfless and generous, the tree sacrifices a part of itself in every chapter of the boy’s life until he’s an elderly man. When the boy was a young child, he used the tree’s branches and shade to swing and play; as a young adult, he sold the tree’s apple for profit; when he wished to build a boat and a house, he sawed down the tree for its wood. Finally, when the boy was only capable of being able to sit and rest due to his old age, the tree happily offers itself as a place for its lifelong friend to sit.

 

(*Ah, GIVING tree, I get it now*)

Conservation Corps North Bay

 

Although this story is presented as a children’s picture book and is usually read in elementary schools, this tale has been heavily dissected and scrutinized. Some interpret the boy’s relationship with the tree as a depiction of greed or parenthood, whereas others may decipher the story’s message as a reflection of humankind’s exploitative nature of the environment. Some view the book as a simple story for kids and nothing more.

 

Although none of these interpretations are incorrect, I can’t help but dwell on this book from an ecological viewpoint–specifically on the various positive and crucial qualities trees provide in our everyday lives that are tastefully outlined in each chapter and briefly listed in this blog. More pressing in my mind, however, is how trees are inextricably intertwined with humanity’s fight against climate change.

 

Like The Giving Tree, you’ve probably heard of photosynthesis (most likely in the same school you first read The Giving Tree­). It’s worth pointing out that this carbon-capturing process allows for trees and forests to be one of the most effective tools in combatting the climate crisis. Humans have yet to invent a system that can effectively and quickly eliminate harmful gases in the atmosphere as well as trees, which critically capture and store carbon in their trunks, branches, leaves, and roots.

 

Onondaga Earth Corps

 

Trees are inextricably intertwined with humanity’s fight against climate change

 

With conservationists and scientists desperately calling for drastic reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and the removal of carbon from our atmosphere, trees’ CO2-capturing qualities are needed now more than ever to curb the rapid rise in global temperature. Deforestation and more frequent wildfires directly are targeting trees around the globe at alarming rates, but hope is not lost in the Corps world. You could even argue that Corpsmembers are doing the exact opposite of what the boy did in The Giving Tree; thousands of Corpsmembers each year actively work to increase the number of healthy trees in nearly every state in America.

 

Montana Conservation Corps

 

Stay tuned for more content that highlights Corps’ crucial work with trees, and whenever you next come across a tree or forest, maybe think of a way that YOU can give back to trees.

 

Conservation Corps of Long Beach