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Agents of Discovery Wins 1st Place NAI Award

Agents of Discovery’s (AoD) Smokey Bear Mission was honored by the NAI (National Association for Interpretation) at their 2022 award ceremony last Thursday, December 15. NAI’s Interpretive Media Awards promote excellence in delivery of natural, cultural, and historical non personal interpretive services. Entrants are evaluated by a panel of experts, who provide valuable feedback on the projects. The Corps Network has been a longtime partner of AoD, supporting several campaigns including their D.C. Explorer Mission, this past fall, and has supported the Smokey Bear Mission since its inception.

The Smokey Bear Mission, which aims to bring Smokey’s message of wildfire safety and personal responsibility to a new generation, won a first place prize in the Digital Media category and was honored for its innovative ability to bridge the gap between screens and the environment. The mission has helped teach almost 20,000 players the importance of wildfire safety. Amtchat Edwards, Partnership Liaison, Maureen Brooks, Branch Chief from the U.S. Forest Service and Misty Mitchell, Director of Wildlife Conservation at Wonders of Wildlife received the award along with AoD’s CEO, Mary Clark.

Impact Story: Job Corps graduate discovers a career working on a Great America Outdoors trails project

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

Jacobs Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center student Michael Cruse enrolled in Jacobs Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center simply to earn his high school diploma. His father encouraged him to enroll in Job Corps after he dropped out of school in 10^th grade only to discover that his employment opportunities were limited.

“I was jumping from job-to job in fast food restaurants, and I realized that I wasn’t really getting very far in life with doing that.”

After some online research, Cruse recognized that Job Corps offered him an opportunity to turn his life around. He quickly enrolled in Jacobs Creek’s heavy construction equipment mechanics program in late 2019 only to be soon sent home the following March amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Fast forward to 2022 and Cruse had returned to Jacob’s Creek and was close to completion in education and trade when he was encouraged to accept a forestry technician internship in Idaho.

Jacob Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center graduate Michael Cruse. USDA Forest Service photo

Cruse arrived on Moose Creek Ranger District in North Central Idaho on May 20, 2022, to join one of three Great America Outdoors Act (GAOA) Forest Service trail crews. Working under GAOA Central Zone Trail Crew Lead Charles Pickett, he spent over four months working side-by-side with experienced Forest Service trail specialists tackling deferred maintenance trail projects in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area.

“I was clueless on what I would be doing,” says Cruse. Little did he know that by allowing himself to being open to a new experience outside his comfort zone would ignite a passion for building trails.

Jacobs Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center graduate Michael Cruse installs a check dam to help mitigate erosion and encourage sediment build up on the Fish Lake Crossover Trail #39. This trail serves as an access route between Fish Lake and Moose Creek administrative areas in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. The check dam will create stable tread and rehabilitate areas trenched out by water damage while preventing similar issues in the future. USDA Forest Service photo by Charles Pickett.

The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest has approximately 5,200 miles of trail of which 5,000 are in the Central Idaho Complex Priority Area under the Trail Stewardship Act. One hundred and forty-four trails across the forest are slated for deferred maintenance work over five years.

“Mike did not know what to expect or what he was getting into but he showed up with an open mind and a willingness to take whatever we threw at him. The work is challenging even for someone who’s accustomed to it,” states Pickett.

Having grown up on a Florida ranch, Cruse was familiar with the physical demands of hard labor. Still, hiking 30 miles a day, carrying nine days of food and supplies at elevation, just to get where he needed to be to perform his job was a surprise. With no aversion to hard work he threw himself into the job and by the time he left Idaho had lost 40 pounds.

Jacobs Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center graduate Michael Cruse (left) helps care for the animals that supplied his Great America Outdoors Act trail crew during the 2022 field season in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. USDA Forest Service photo by Charles Pickett.

“To come from a really different environment and push himself through that physical challenge was really huge,” says Pickett. “Since May there’s a pretty noticeable difference in in Mike’s physique and strength after pushing himself through that.”

Cruse was recruited to be a forestry technician as part of a pilot Job Corps paid work-based learning (WBL) program meant to add capacity to Forest Service trail crews. It is the first of its kind, serving as a pilot program for future WBL programs that will hopefully add much needed capacity. In addition to being able to earn some much-needed cash, Job Corps students earn Public Land Corps hours.

Along with mastering technical skills with tradition tools such as the cross-cut saw and ax and learning the dynamics of making a trail sustainable, Cruse experienced some special great outdoors moments.

A “before” photo of Lower Rhoda Trail #620. Jacobs Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center graduate Michael Cruse’s GAOA trail crew used on-site rock to stabilize the trail’s tread damaged by runoff on a steep downhill side slope. USDA Forest Service photo by Charles Pickett.

“An experience that particularly stands out is when we did a double hitch,” he says. “On our days off, we went up a trail called Moose Creek. We would wake up next to the flowing creek and it would be kind of chilly, but it was the most beautiful thing to see—the flowing creek against the rocks and the smell of the mountain fresh air.”

Cruse now has his heart set on pursuing a career in trail’s stewardship and Pickett helped Cruse set up a USAJobs account to apply for GS-3 through GS-6 forestry technician positions. There is a short window to apply for spring 2023 season trail jobs and job applicants have to apply far in advance. Then they must play a waiting game until late winter to find out if they snagged a position. Having successfully graduated Job Corps, Cruse needed a job.

Job Corps National Office Fleet Manager Cooper Brantley stepped forward with a proposition. “I heard three or four people speak up for him,” he says. “I thought to myself, ‘why would you want to lose someone like this?’”

GAOA trail crew members and Jacobs Creek Job Corps graduate Michael Cruse (far right) worked alongside his trail crew to use on-site rock to construct a rock wall to re-establish its tread and stabilize the Lower Rhoda Trail #620 trail’s tread damaged by runoff on a steep downhill side slope. The trail was sloughing away towards the north fork of Moose Creek approximately 2.5 miles from the junction of trails #618 and #620. The repair will make it passable for stock animals and resistant to further erosion. USDA Forest Service photo by Charles Pickett.

Needing help to manage Job Corps’ large fleet inventory, Brantley offered Cruse a 120-day WBL internship that could open up a second career path for Cruse as an entry level 5/7/9 transportation assistant.

Brantley is navigating Cruse through the on-boarding process and he will begin his training next January. In his new assignment, Cruse will enter data into the WEX Fleet Card program, tracking the monthly utilization data of the 24 Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers. Brantley views the arrangement as a win-win. He gets much needed assistance with the potential to entice him to stay. “If he [Cruse] goes into something else, at least we kept him,” says Brantley.

Despite his long-term goal of a career as a forestry technician, Cruse is eager to start his training and explore this new opportunity.

“It’s a good job, good pay and it’s a remote job,” he says. “Yes, I’m an outdoors person, but I am just looking for a job I can have for a year or two–just get my foot in the door with the Forest Service and move higher-up over the years.”

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Impact Story: Training Arborists in San Diego

By: Emma Fantuzzo

The Corps Network is collecting short stories from Corps about their projects and Corpsmembers that put them into action. Read our “Impact Stories” collection for a picture of the people and hard work behind the Corps movement. This story is about Urban Corps of San Diego’s Utility Line Clearance Arborist Training Program.

About the Program:

Utility Line Clearance Arborists work to clear vegetation around utility lines to maintain electrical safety, an increasingly important job as wildfires continue to worsen throughout California. This program enables Corpsmembers to gain skills to become safe and productive arborists over the course of five weeks and 200 hours. These skills would normally take six months to learn as an apprentice on the job.

This program is in partnership with the San Diego College of Continuing Education and aligns with other programs offered by UCSD. Urban Corps has received funding for a workforce program in the Urban Forestry field from CAL FIRE and San Diego Gas and Electric. CAL FIRE’s grant is paying for stipends received by Corpsmembers who are taking the training.

Corpsmember Benefit:

Corpsmembers receive training in safety and learn the industry best practices in a classroom and in the field. Students will have received training in First Aid/ CPR, OSHA 10, fire safety prevention, chippers, chainsaw, knots, climbing and more. Corpsmembers also receive certification and college credit.

Impact Story: Celebrating Three Cohorts of Build It Green Graduates

Contributed by Jaclyn Lewis
Outreach and Communications Coordinator, green|spaces

Based in Chattanooga, TN, green|spaces is one of the newer member organizations of The Corps Network. Their mission is to “work toward regional sustainability by progressing the way we live, work, and build.”

Last month, green|spaces hosted a graduation ceremony to honor 20 young adults for completing the organization’s Build It Green program. Made possible with support from The Corps Network’s AmeriCorps Opportunity Youth Service Initiative (OYSI), Build It Green is a full-time national service program that empowers young adults to make an impact in communities across the greater Chattanooga area while gaining skills in green building and weatherization.

The graduating Build It Green class completed over 12,370 service hours and supported the community through various local enrichment projects and providing home improvements at no cost to low-income households.

The June graduation ceremony at the green|spaces office on Main Street celebrated the achievements of three Build It Green cohorts, as COVID-19 had delayed the graduation ceremony for two previous cohorts.

Speakers included green|spaces Executive Director Michael Walton, Build Me a World Executive Director Chris Woodhull, and Build it Green Program Director Christian Shackleford. In addition, the Rev. Brandon Malone gave remarks about the dedication and impact each member displayed during their service commitment.

It was an especially celebratory night, as many of the Build It Green members had not seen each other in up to two years. This multi-year reunion allowed new graduates to speak with senior alumni, whereas previous team members traded stories and reconnected.

With friends and family in attendance, the celebration not surprisingly saw a full house.

Build It Green is a green|spaces program. Photos courtesy of green|spaces.

Impact Story: Utah Conservation Corps Galena Soo’nkahni Preserve Project

This story highlights Utah Conservation Corps (UCC), a program of AmeriCorps dedicated to community and the environment. UCC is committed to projects that address goals relating to environmental conservation, leadership, education, and sustainability.

Utah Conservation Corps worked with the Utah Department of Natural Resources – Forest, Fire, and State Lands (FFSL) at the Galena Soo’nkahni Preserve, along the Jordan River, to weed out invasive species, plant native trees, and improve the habitat of the wetland.

Corpsmembers waded through mud and wet grass while working with power tools. By the end of November 2021, the UCC crew was able to accomplish 1.77 acres cut and raked, 1.35 acres of native trees planted, 70 pounds of seed mix spread, and more.

Their efforts make the area more accessible. Pedestrians, dog walkers and bird watchers all frequent the area for weekend activities.

Before and After from Nov 9th, 2021

Impact Story: Cadastral Land Surveyors with Great Basin Institute

The Corps Network is collecting short stories from Corps about their projects and the Corpsmembers that put them into action. Read our “Impact Stories” collection for a picture of the people and hard work behind the Corps movement.

This story features the Great Basin Institute (GBI), an interdisciplinary field studies organization that promotes environmental research, education, and service throughout the West. Founded in 1998 at the University of Nevada, GBI advances applied research to support science-based adaptive management of public lands. The Institute is dedicated to the promotion of science through field studies programs, conservation practices, and public outreach.

From June 2021-October 2021, the crew conducted property boundary maintenance and posting for the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in the Tahoe, Plumas, Stanislaus, and El Dorado National Forests, & the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. This project has a long-term impact on these forests, as the boundary line is used for all sorts of projects within them.

For instance, a forester stumbled upon the crew placing a boundary line in the Stanislaus NF and he thanked them for their work. He was doing tree stand surveys so that a logging company could treat the area, reducing the risk of wildfires and generating revenue for the USFS so they’d have funds available for other conservation projects. He mentioned that knowing exactly where the boundary of the USFS land was made his job easier and more efficient so he could move on to other projects.

An example of tree blazing.

In a way, all USFS projects begin with what was completed; one cannot begin work if the location of the work is unknown. The crew helped delineate the location of USFS land.

This position helped Corpsmembers gain experience in land surveying that will help them to qualify for future positions. They also gained experience working independently, in small crews (2-3 people), and in remote locations. These conditions can cause confusion and disagreement, two things of which the crew learned to overcome as a team.

Impact Story: Virginia Service and Conservation Corps

The Virginia Service and Conservation Corps (VSCC), an AmeriCorps member program, has been around for 10 years and began as a way to expand opportunities given to Virginia State Park visitors. VSCC runs several programs and has a unique focus on interpretation through their ongoing Interpretation/ Trails Project. VSCC also has a more traditional Resource Management program, and popular Individual Placement Programs.

Program Overview:

VSCC is based out of Richmond, VA but has placement opportunities for Corpsmembers to serve in all VA State parks. The Corps is recruiting around fifty-two members for the upcoming season to serve in three different hour options. These include a 1200-hour option from January to September, a 675-hour option, and a 450-hour option which runs through the summer season. VSCC recruits Corpsmembers ages eighteen and older. They focus on all aspects of conservation work taking a well-rounded approach to fostering the future of environmental stewardship.

VSCC’s Resource Management Program gets into the weeds of conservation work. Corpsmembers serve in groups of two-three members assigned to a VA State Park resource management specialist. Corpsmembers travel throughout their district doing conservation work including prescribed fires, invasive species removal, habitat restoration, wildlife surveys, and more.

The Interpretation Trails Program also places Corpsmembers individually into VA State Parks to do visitor experience work. Corpsmembers engage with visitors to teach them about the park, resources, and management. The program is popular with college students and individuals looking for a career path with VA State Parks and conservation.

Corpsmembers come from all over VA. VSCC recruits from colleges and universities and does promotions at community events. They target VA’s rural areas to connect with local populations and communities.

COVID-19 Impact:

COVID-19 had a curious impact on outdoor recreation. While the rest of the world was shutting down, trails and parks were more utilized than ever before. People seeking a way to be active and social without fearing infection took advantage of their outdoor resources. This made Corps like VSCC an asset.

Kellie Mattingly, the AmeriCorps Program Coordinator for VSCC says, “I think COVID really showed the importance of outdoor recreation and being able to take advantage of that…VA State Parks saw record numbers of visitation during that time”

Due to the Park’s popularity VSCC Corpsmembers were able to keep running as normal to help increase people’s access to the natural world, and even expand the services that they offered through the help of Corpsmembers.

Corpsmember Take-away:

VSCC’s goal is to develop the next generation of environmental stewards. Corpsmembers gain a deeper understanding of what goes into running, operating, and managing a state park. Mattingly notes that while many Corpsmembers realize, after completing the program, that they want to do conservation work, others realize that while they are glad to have the experience, conservation work is not for them.

“I think a good takeaway is that this really gives a well-rounded experience of what it’s like to work in the conservation field,” says Mattingly.

A well-rounded program includes access to certifications including, wildland firefighting certifications, chainsaw certifications, CPR, First Aid, and AED. For members of the Interpretation Trails Program, there is a Certified Interpretive Guide Program or an intensive Spring Interpretive Guide Workshop, which teach members everything they need to know about interpretation in VA State Parks.

VSCC also equips Corpsmembers for their futures through interviewing workshops that teach members how to apply to VA State jobs, perform mock interviews, and give Corpsmembers tips and suggestions for success.

VSCC’s unique focus on interpretation allows Corpsmembers to be more marketable to future employers, including VA State Parks. Many members return to the parks to work after their programs. Members also go on to work for the VA department of Wildlife Resources, the VA department of Forestry, and more. Mattingly notes that every year one or two members will go on to use their fire experience and certifications in wildland firefighting positions.

“It’s a great opportunity for individuals to share and learn about conservation within Virginia” says Mattingly.

Impact Story: Restoring Trails with AmeriCorps Members from NY-NJ Trail Conference

Participants featured in this story are supported by AmeriCorps.

The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Morris County Fall Crew spent the months of November and December 2021 working on the Blue Trail at Schooley’s Mountain Park in Long Valley, NJ. The AmeriCorps members were tasked with installing stone stairs to improve a section of the Blue Trail. The existing stretch of trail, located next to a popular waterfall destination, was extremely steep and eroded, making it difficult for hikers to traverse.

Stone for the staircase was quarried from the surrounding hillside and split on site. A total of 22 stone stairs were installed, with two additional steps carved into the bedrock. The crew also closed off a stretch of unofficial trail above the existing trail that hikers were frequently mistakenly walking up.

Feedback from passing hikers was overwhelmingly positive. Many said they looked forward to returning with pets or family members who had previously been unable to hike there. Overall, this project was an excellent learning experience for the crew and allowed them to continue to hone their stone working skills.

Impact Story: Preserving Historic Sites and Trade Skills in the Upper Midwest with Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps

During the month of May, The Corps Network is highlighting historic preservation programs at Corps. Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps (NBHPC) is a Minnesota-based program supported by The Corps Network’s AmeriCorps Education Award Program.

At Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps (NBHPC), an AmeriCorps program based in Duluth, MN, their work focuses on not only preserving historic structures, but maintaining the knowledge around historic preservation trade skills.

Every year, from May – October, Northern Bedrock engages young adults ages 18-25 in preservation projects across Minnesota and Wisconsin. While the only main requirement is that participants have a high school diploma or GED, many Corpsmembers join NBHPC in hopes of rounding out their college or graduate-level studies in history.

“We’re often that bridge between academia and the workforce,” said Beatrice Dornfeld, Program Manager and a Northern Bedrock alumna. “Our Corpsmembers almost always cite significant interest in history, but they don’t have a lot of hands-on experience; we usually have applicants that are more used to the academic side of things. They have a real fondness for visiting historic places and are eager to get their hands dirty and try out the preservation skills themselves.”

NBHPC’s projects are typically collaborations with the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, or a county historical society. The work varies from season to season, but common projects include cemetery restoration, scraping and painting, window restoration, masonry restoration, and log structure maintenance. Occasionally the Corps assists with documentation of artifacts or historic buildings.

“We do a lot of scraping and painting. It might seem easy and simple, but it’s also very impactful for the building that gets painted. Really one of the easiest ways to preserve a building is to keep up on the painting,” said Sadie Young, Project Manager.

To list just a few accomplishments from 2021, NBHPC members applied over 20,000 square feet of finish, replaced more than 6,800 square feet of roofing, repointed over 1,700 square feet of masonry, installed 900 square feet of flooring, reset 85 monuments, and restored 42 windows.

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Beyond practicing technical skills, Corpsmembers also practice communal living. NBHPC follows a camping model in which members have nine days on and five days off. The experience of living and working together can be a particularly meaningful aspect of a term of service.

“Corpsmembers learn the value of team-building, communication, goal-setting, and effective conflict resolution,” said Sadie.

This current field season includes a project in rural Kittson County in Northwestern Minnesota that will involve fully replacing logs on a cabin built by Swedish settlers. The Corps has extensive experience with “chinking and daubing” – the process of filling the spaces between logs with a mortar-like substance – but entirely replacing logs will be a new experience. They are partnering with a specialist from Utah to provide technical assistance.

NBHPC has in-house knowledge to teach many technical skills, but a lot of the training Corpsmembers receive is provided by project hosts. An important element of the Corps experience is also learning the significance of the sites where they serve.

“We work with one instructor in particular who typically doesn’t use any power tools,” said Beatrice. “People are used to power drills, but with rural sites it’s not always a feasible option. He’s a great resource to explain ‘these are the tools that would’ve been used at the time,’ and ‘this is how this door might have been built back in the 1800s with this hand plane.’ The Corpsmembers get a good experience learning about the history of the skills themselves.”

NBHPC is committed to keeping trade skills alive and relevant. The Corps provides a unique opportunity for experienced craftspeople to transfer knowledge to students and young professionals.

“A big part of why Corpsmembers are interested in this program is the networking,” said Beatrice. “A lot of people with trades experience are getting to retirement age. For our project hosts, it’s really helpful for them to see young people engaged in these trades…There seems to be a false narrative around younger people not being interested in hands-on work. I think for a lot of people it just hasn’t been offered as an option. We’re kind of changing that framework to say anyone can go into the trades. These are great career paths.”

Some alums have translated their Corps experience into apprenticeships, while some have pursued jobs in outdoor guiding, window restoration, masonry, archaeology, cultural resource management, and other fields associated with preservation and conservation. As Beatrice noted, environmental sustainability is an important element of their work.

“We often say that the most green or eco-friendly building is the one that’s already built. In this era of seeing a lot of new buildings coming up, it is nice to reaffirm that we can work with the buildings we already have.”

Among other locations, this year’s AmeriCorps members will serve at Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Superior National Forest, Chippewa National Forest, Voyageurs National Park, and Grand Portage National Monument. The projects include log structure restoration, roofing, painting, cemetery preservation, and more.

“We fill a hole where there’s a historic site that may not have the money or staff required to do the preservation. That’s where we can come in,” said Sadie. “We can make it to sites that are difficult for contractors to make it to, like in the middle of the Boundary Waters. And we can do it fairly affordably for the host. These projects benefit the Corpsmembers because they’re getting a chance to learn, but it benefits the host in that the site might not have gotten the attention that it needed without our crews available.”