Learn about the nominees for the 2025 Project of the Year Award! We are inspired by all our remarkable finalists and their outstanding service to local communities and the young people they engage.
The Project of the Year Award recognizes achievements, innovation, and impact in the Corps world. Learn more about Awards here. The winners will be recognized at The Corps Network’s virtual 2026 National Conference, March 24 – 25. Stories are arranged in alphabetical order by Corps name.
American Conservation Experience
Second Responder Support – Hurricane Helene
AmeriCorps Supported – The Corps Network Education Award Program
North Carolina
In fall 2024, Hurricane Helene damaged more than 73,000 homes and devastated much of western North Carolina. In response, American Conservation Experience (ACE) mobilized their Asheville, NC hub to provide immediate and long-term support. ACE crews provided critical second responder services, including clearing debris, preventing mold in flooded homes, establishing and managing a regional donation distribution center, and restoring damaged habitats. As recovery efforts continued, ACE helped to respond to long-term ecological restoration, including trail repair, invasive species removal, stabilizing river corridors, and rebuilding damaged infrastructure in public lands.
Hurricane Helene was devastating to communities across western North Carolina. The impact of first and second responder programs like ACE cannot be understated. ACE helped community members remove debris from their homes and roads, mitigated mold and health hazards, and even helped to train community members in chainsaw safety. These experiences helped Corpsmembers to connect with the community and make a real difference. Many of their experiences translate directly to careers in natural resource management, public land stewardship, and other leadership roles.
American YouthWorks
Rebuilding Community and Hope: American YouthWorks’ Rapid Response to July 4th Floods
AmeriCorps supported – The Corps Network Education Award Program and Opportunity Youth Service Initiative
Texas
After flash flooding devastated several regions of Texas on July 4, 2025, American YouthWorks Texas Conservation Corps (AYW-CC) mobilized to provide disaster relief to the area with efforts ongoing. AWY-CC helped with volunteer coordination, managing and distributing donations, mucking and gutting, saw work, hazardous tree removal, and much more. About 50 AYW-CC members participated in the response efforts and helped to distribute more than 100,000 pounds of donations. They directly impacted more than 700 flood-affected individuals. Since the initial response, AYW-CC has continued to help with long-term disaster response–mucking and gutting homes and clearing debris.
AYW-CC’s work has accelerated recovery efforts and helped create a path forward for impacted individuals. Their efforts have resulted in a formal MOU between AYW and local and state emergency response partners. Communities have experienced firsthand the professionalism and care that AYW-CC members bring to their work. Corpsmembers were a source of hope and human connection in a devastating and dark time. The Corpsmembers themselves felt a renewed sense of purpose in the service that they are committed to and earned numerous certifications and work experience. Many Corpsmembers shared that the positive impact of their efforts marked a defining moment in their service journey and lives.
Appalachian Mountain Club, NorthWoods Stewardship Center, Student Conservation Association – New Hampshire Corps, Vermont Youth Conservation Corps
Franconia Loop Trail Restoration Project (Multi-Year Project)
AmeriCorps Supported
New Hampshire
Over the past four years, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), in partnership with NorthWoods Stewardship Center, the Student Conservation Association’s New Hampshire Corps, and the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, has worked to elevate the Franconia Loop Trail in the White Mountain National Forest to U.S. Forest Service standards. This effort includes rehabilitating and realigning the four interconnected trails that form the nearly nine-mile loop. Work has focused on mitigating erosion, armoring trail tread to improve long-term resilience, removing failed structures, and completing other essential restoration tasks. The project is expected to conclude in fall 2026.
Throughout the project, Corpsmembers had the opportunity to collaborate across organizations and witness how their contributions fit into a larger, landscape-scale effort. They learned advanced trail-building techniques and worked side-by-side, forming connections and a sense of community as they shared knowledge and skills. The project is helping ensure that access to fresh air and outdoor recreation in the White Mountains remains safe and sustainable for future generations of hikers. At the same time, Corpsmembers gained valuable experience that they will carry into their future careers. All participating Corps view this collaboration as a major asset to the Corps community and a key strength of the Franconia Loop Trail Restoration Project.
Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps
UA NNDFW Black Bear Project
AmeriCorps Supported
New Mexico
The UA NNDFW Black Bear Project is a collaboration between the University of Arizona and the Navajo Nation Department of Fish & Wildlife that engages young adults serving with Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps (ALCC) in wildlife research rooted in traditional knowledge and Western science. For over six weeks in the Chuska Mountains, ALCC crews hiked into remote terrain to construct and monitor more than 72 non-invasive hair snares used to collect samples for DNA analysis. These samples help identify individual black bears, refine population estimates, and guide long-term management strategies. The project blends ecological research with cultural teachings, honoring the significance of bears within Navajo culture while strengthening community understanding of human–bear interactions.
This project was highlighted by the National Geographic Society, emphasizing its significance as a model for Indigenous-led conservation and long-term ecological stewardship across the Navajo Nation. ALCC Corpsmembers contributed to research that previously identified 62 bears and gathered over 1,000 new samples this season, developing skills in wildlife monitoring, field data collection, and backcountry safety. Project participants gained a deeper personal connection to their homelands through meaningful encounters with wildlife and guidance from cultural teachings. Community contributions, including stories, observations, and land-based knowledge, helped shape fieldwork and strengthened trust.
Conservation Corps of Long Beach
Shore Corps Program
California
Shore Corps was launched in 2023 as part of the California Ocean Protection Council’s Ocean Corps. Operated by Conservation Corps of Long Beach (CCLB), Shore Corps helps to address pressing coastal climate and stewardship issues in Los Angeles County. Projects include wetland restoration, jetty litter abatement, lower river boom maintenance and monitoring, marine restoration, public education, and more. Corpsmembers in the program receive many training and certifications, including seamanship, swift water safety and rescue, wetlands and estuarine ecology, among others. Shore Corps is rooted in workforce development and environmental equity. The program includes an eight-month-long job training program followed by a three-month internship placement allowing Corpsmembers to be poised for a career in aquatic ecology.
25 Corpsmembers have gone through the program since it began. Corpsmembers receive more than 1,100 hours of training and participate in a 400+ hour internship. Through their training, Corpsmembers earn state and industry-recognized certifications and have had the opportunity to build relationships with local aquatic and ecological organizations. The Shore Corps has removed more than 500 pounds of invasive plants, restored over 175,00 square feet of wetlands, engaged more than 350 youth in coastal stewardship education, and more. The program has strengthened CCLB’s capacity to contribute to coastal restoration and is preparing Corpsmembers for important careers in coastline stewardship.
Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa
Trail Work Partnership with Mark Twain National Forest
AmeriCorps Supported
Missouri
The Iowa Program of Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa (CCMI) launched a new partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to address long-standing deferred maintenance needs in Missouri’s Mark Twain National Forest, which is visited by over 800,000 visitors annually and has not received heavy maintenance in decades. Many trail segments, some placed over five decades ago, require significant corrections due to erosion, outdated trail alignments, and degraded tread. Through a new multi-year agreement, a five-member AmeriCorps trail crew deployed to four wilderness areas, completing rehabilitation, reroutes, drainage improvements, and full reconstruction projects on remote trail segments where mechanized tools are prohibited. Working entirely with hand tools and traditional methods, the crew has already constructed or improved more than 13,200 feet of non-motorized trail. Their efforts will enable visitors to maintain and navigate these trails more easily and safely.
Visitors and residents now benefit from safer and more accessible trails across these heavily used recreation areas. The improvements from this project protect ecosystems, reduce erosion, and support local economies tied to outdoor recreation. For participating Corpsmembers, the experience offered advanced backcountry training, crosscut saw certification, and hands-on exposure to federal land management careers. Working in the wilderness strengthened the project participants’ technical skills, endurance, and teamwork as they gained connections to future career pathways.
Conservation Corps North Bay
Sonoma County Wildfire Resilience Corridor
California
Conservation Corps North Bay partnered with local fire-safe organizations, public agencies, and workforce development groups to create a continuous passage along two critical evacuation routes in a wildland-urban interface community. The project established a 7-mile and a 2.7-mile shaded fuel break that, together, support several hundred residents living in an area designated as a High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. For a community that has experienced multiple major wildfires and evacuations, improving these corridors is central to long-term safety.
To complete the work, crews reduced hazardous vegetation, removed invasive plants, improved structure clearance, and increased ecological resilience along the routes. By connecting with adjacent fuel-reduction projects in neighboring areas, the corridor also contributes to a larger regional network of defensible evacuation paths.
The project created meaningful training opportunities as well. Corpsmembers earned up to ten forestry-related certifications and received instruction from partner institutions, along with opportunities for career exploration and skills development.
Overall, the project strengthened community safety, improved local ecological conditions, and expanded workforce pathways for young adults preparing for forestry, fuels, and fire careers. As wildfire seasons intensify nationwide, this work shows how Corps can help protect and prepare vulnerable communities.
Franklin’s Promise Coalition
BoriCorps; Cuerpo de Conservación de Puerto Rico
AmeriCorps Supported, The Corps Network Opportunity Youth Service Initiative
Puerto Rico
BoriCorps was launched by Franklin’s Promise Coalition in 2021 to address Puerto Rico’s most urgent ecological and climate-related challenges. Built through a cooperative agreement with The Corps Network and the National Park Service and expanded through partnerships with NOAA, DRNA at Jobos Bay NERR, The Nature Conservancy, and numerous community organizations, the conservation and workforce development program engages local opportunity youth in critical restoration efforts. Crews work across the island’s vulnerable coastal and upland environments to restore native habitats, reduce sedimentation that harms coral reefs, boost coastal resilience, and improve public access. Modeled after FloridaCorps and now in its fourth year, the program has grown from its initial service sites at San Juan National Monument to a network of projects that span the island and support long-term ecosystem recovery from Hurricane Maria and recent earthquakes.
BoriCorps crews have restored over 50 acres of coastal habitat, propagated and planted more than 45,000 mangroves, improved nearly 68 acres of uplands, planted over 3,600 native trees, and contributed to crucial coral reef and seagrass conservation projects. In addition to strengthening local stewardship and resilience across Puerto Rico, BoriCorps members have contributed more than 67,800 hours of service, earned over 80 industry certifications, and completed 114 training sessions, with alumni securing jobs at agencies including the U.S. Forest Service, Institute for Socio-Ecological Research Caribe, and Para la Naturaleza. Their efforts will protect critical habitats and reduce future climate risks.
Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers
Walking in Their Shoes: Poverty Simulation & Empathy-Building Project
Georgia
In 2025, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers (GoodwillSR) launched the Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS): Walking in Their Shoes. This initiative, led by AmeriCorps members, challenges participants to shift perceptions around poverty from personal failure to systemic challenge. Throughout the simulation, participants assume family roles like unemployed parents, senior citizens on fixed incomes, and young adults caring for siblings. Participants are asked to balance work, bills, childcare, and transportation while dealing with barriers that many face every day.
So far, GoodwillSR has facilitated 20 poverty simulations, reaching more than 600 community participants. AmeriCorps members help to organize and coordinate the event, as well as facilitate the simulations. They gain skills in community engagement, public communication, and volunteer coordination – all valuable leadership skills. Feedback for the simulation has been overwhelmingly positive. 95% of participants report an increased understanding of poverty’s structural causes, 90% indicated that they would change personal or professional behavior to help low-income individuals. GoodwillSR also reports that several local agencies have adopted the simulation as part of their staff development and leadership training efforts. Walking in Their Shoes serves as an easily replicable way to bridge the gap between service and awareness.
Larimer County Conservation Corps
Cone Monitoring and Collection Individual Site Placements
Colorado
This year, with support from the National Forest Foundation, Larimer County Conservation Corps (LCCC) launched a pilot pinecone monitoring and collection team. The goal was to expand data collection, improve seed inventories, and increase post-fire recovery mapping within and around the footprints of the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires. Large burn scars often lack enough natural regeneration to return on their own, making it critical to collect seed from native trees that are adapted to local conditions. This project was a new experience for LCCC in that it was their first time operating individual placement positions instead of crews. It was also their first time doing a scientific monitoring project, a shift from their usual trail maintenance and forestry projects. The Corps had to use new tools and rethink some of its recruitment and training procedures.
From July to September, a team of just four Corpsmembers completed 1,600 hours of cone scouting and monitoring and collected 711 data points across 1,658 acres of National Forest lands. The team identified 89 viable seed collection trees and collected 106 bushels of Ponderosa pine seed, a yield expected to support reforestation across the burn scars that are respectively 700 and 900 acres. The LCCC members far exceeded the U.S. Forest Service’s goal of collecting 60 bushels. The project was a great success and expanded the Corps’ capacity to meet partner needs and Corpsmember interests.
Lomakatsi Restoration Project
Lomakatsi Restoration Project & Bureau of Indian Affairs Indian Youth Service Corps Initiative
California and Oregon
Through the Department of the Interior’s Indian Youth Service Corps (IYSC) initiative, Lomakatsi Restoration Project partnered with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to use training and workforce development as means to support Tribes and Tribal communities in building their capacity for forest restoration, post-fire reforestation, and the stewardship of ecocultural resources. A total of 21 Corpsmembers, crew managers, and project managers were recruited by Lomakatsi for work on two initial project areas: the Northern Paiute Gidutikad Band of the Fort Bidwell Indian Reservation and adjacent federal lands in northern California, and Bureau of Land Management Medford District lands in southern Oregon. All participants are enrolled Tribal members representing six regional Tribal communities.
In California, IYSC members helped complete 2,500 acres of cultural resource surveys, ecological thinning, wildlife habitat enhancement, and roadside fuels reduction. In Oregon, Corpsmembers contributed to fuel reduction and ecological thinning projects. Corpsmembers have participated in a range of ecological stewardship activities and knowledge-exchange sessions with Tribal representatives and other partners, including cultural burning practices that integrate Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK) into oak habitat restoration. The members have also worked alongside archaeologists, cultural resource specialists, and other professionals to develop a holistic understanding of restoration. This initiative has produced landscape-scale restoration outcomes while helping Corpsmembers earn certifications in cultural monitoring, crosscut saw, wildland fire chainsaw, and other skills. This work has strengthened the partnerships Lomakatsi continues to build with Tribal communities and state and federal natural resource agencies.
Los Angeles Conservation Corps
Fire Recovery Response, Palisades and Eaton Fire
California
In January 2025, the Eaton and Palisades Fires caused catastrophic damage in Los Angeles County, killing more than two dozen individuals and destroying over 16,000 structures. After the fires, many organizations stepped in to assist with cleanup and recovery. Los Angeles Conservation Corps (LACC) joined numerous California state agencies and six additional Corps–including California Conservation Corps, Conservation Corps of Long Beach, Urban Conservation Corps of the Inland Empire, San Jose Conservation Corps, Orange County Conservation Corps, and Sequoia Community Corps–to deploy more than 70 Corpsmembers and 11 staff members to support an extended watershed protection mission in the fire areas.
For several weeks, Corpsmembers focused on stabilizing burned hillsides, reducing post-fire flooding and debris-flow risks, and protecting nearby communities and habitats. Corpsmembers installed erosion-control systems, removed debris, cleared storm drains, and strengthened watershed defenses ahead of incoming storms. Before deployment, Corpsmembers completed extensive preparation, including a 24-hour HAZWOPER certification, OSHA safety courses, and hands-on instruction from various state agencies, such as the California Office of Emergency Services, CAL FIRE, and Caltrans. The deployment resulted in substantial outcomes: more than 82,000 linear feet of straw wattles installed, thousands of sandbags filled and placed, multiple storm drains cleared, hazardous trees removed, and nearly 200 structures protected. The scale, duration, and level of interagency coordination made this deployment unique, positioning LACC as a reliable partner in statewide emergency response efforts.
New Jersey Youth Corps of Phillipsburg
Project Olive Branch
New Jersey
Merrill Creek Reservoir (MCR) in Warren County, NJ, supplies water to the Delaware River. The public is welcome to enjoy the reservoir and surrounding lands for low-impact recreation. Over the past year, New Jersey Youth Corps of Phillipsburg (NJYCP) has worked with MCR to manage habitats. This has included removing invasive Autumn Olive. Rather than discard the cuttings, however, NJYCP has repurposed the plants to support aquatic life. “Spider blocks” are artificial structures that are designed to mimic brush piles and provide habitat for fish; they are traditionally made by inserting plastic pipes into cinder blocks and securing them with concrete. To date, NJYCP has made 145 spider blocks using Autumn Olive instead of plastic piping. By using natural materials, the Corps is removing the risk of plastics off-gassing or releasing microplastics into the water, while still providing better underwater structure for fish, macroinvertebrates, and other aquatic organisms to use for shelter or foraging.
This project marks the first time NJYCP has directly worked on an underwater habitat. Additionally, it offered Corpsmembers a chance to gain hands-on experience in the use of herbicides. The work was also different in that the results are not immediately apparent: once you throw a spider block overboard, it sinks down 70 to 100 feet, only to be seen again with the help of underwater cameras. Corpsmembers added a therapeutic element to the work by writing some of their troubles on the blocks, to be tossed away. NJYCP plans to continue working with MCR over the coming years to build and deploy even more blocks.
Overbrook Environmental Education Center
Philly Green Ambassadors Field and Marine Debris Assessment
Pennsylvania
This past summer, a small but mighty team of four Corpsmembers and one assistant program manager from Overbrook Environmental Education Center’s Philly Green Ambassadors program accomplished a great deal of work in Philadelphia’s Cobbs Creek Park. The Corpsmembers assessed the Cobbs Creek trail, creekbed, and aquatic conditions through a series of five assessment areas spanning seven miles along Cobbs Creek. During this time, they took note of the exact GPS coordinates, weather conditions, signage, trail traffic, recreational, ecological conditions, volume of trash, and safety issues. This baseline data was collected to determine how to improve the park experience for the 250,000 people who visit it annually and to protect the flora and fauna that abound.
In just five days, Corpsmembers removed 1,116 pieces of debris by hand, resulting in 243 pounds of trash. They also participated in a Bio-Blitz, documenting as many species as possible of birds, other wildlife, plants, and fungi. They noted places where trash cans, benches, or signage could be added or improved. Passersby thanked the crew and acknowledged their efforts, and the Corpsmembers had a chance to present their work to the community in a thirty-six-slide presentation that was very well received. All Corpsmembers were CPR, AED, and First Aid Certified. In their own unique ways, each Corpsmember has translated their experience in the Corps into opportunities for further education. This work will continue next summer with additional goals and projects based on the findings and success of the 2025 crew.
Stewards Individual Placements
Stewards HPTC Water Lab & Utility Shop
Various NPS Park Units
Stewards Individual Placements (SIP) works with the National Park Service (NPS) Historic Preservation Training Center’s (HPTC) Water Lab & Utility Shop program to provide hands-on experience in water treatment and wastewater management. This program equipped participants with the skills to maintain NPS facilities. Participants work with NPS water operators, performing system readings, laboratory tests, and assisting with maintenance and emergency repairs across park facilities. This work gives participants practical skills, supports job readiness, and supports critical infrastructure within NPS.
This program allows Corpsmembers to play a pivotal role in public safety by ensuring that water systems are functioning correctly and in compliance with regulatory standards. For many SIP participants, this internship serves as an introduction to a field they had never previously considered. Several members have earned licenses and continued into water trades. The HPTC program helps rethink traditional trades programming to address modern logistical, regulatory, and technical considerations. This allows participants to explore a new career path with high demand and has helped several members begin their careers. Three Corpsmembers have been offered positions to continue their work with NPS, and several others have had the opportunity to earn additional certifications and further explore the trade.
Student Conservation Association
Alaska Wildland Fire Program
AmeriCorps
Alaska
The Student Conservation Association (SCA) Alaska Wildland Fire Corps Team was created to open pathways for employment with the National Park Service (NPS) in wildland fire for women and non-binary individuals. The crew consists of a leader, an assistant leader, and 9 AmeriCorps members. Over the course of a 14-week season, the team develops skills in chainsaw operation, fire mitigation, and backcountry camping. This crew served a nine-day hitch in Wrangell St. Elias and a 21-day hitch in Denali National Park. The team was also deployed to an active wildfire for a 14-day assignment. This program works closely with NPS and is able to learn directly from NPS mentors.
Since their first year in 2022, SCA’s Alaska Wildland Fire Corps Team has been helping Corpsmembers to make ‘significant gains in self-confidence and improved ability to work with others.’ Team members feel that their experiences gave them valuable leadership skills, and 80% of the 2025 team reported that they wanted to continue in Wildland fire careers. During the 2024 and 2025 season, the SCA Alaska Wildland Fire Corps team thinned over 10 acres of land around structures at Denali National Park. Members also helped with structure protection and post-fire hazard mitigation when on assignment at the Bear Creek Fire. The program has been successful in helping connect young women and non-binary individuals with potential women mentors in wildland fire and has helped them in pursuing federal fire careers.
Urban Corps of San Diego
Enjoy the Great Outdoors!
AmeriCorps Supported
California
The Enjoy the Great Outdoors! program provides stipends, outdoor education, and field trips to Corpsmembers to help improve their physical and mental health. 300 Corpsmembers benefit from this program and get the opportunity to enjoy San Diego County’s cultural and natural resources. So far, Urban Corps of San Diego has had 20 Enjoy the Great Outdoors! excursions for its Corpsmembers. Trips have included hiking, rock climbing, biking, surfing, and deep-sea fishing. Many Corpsmembers have never had access to these experiences before and enjoy being able to participate in the wilderness they help to preserve.
Each outing includes an environmental learning component. Corpsmembers have helped the community with cleanups and recycling and make efforts to leave the trip location better than they found it. These outings help Corpsmembers to better understand the impact that they make through their Corps work on the environment, making them better stewards and community members. Corpsmembers report that the program helps them to relieve stress and mentally prepare for the week ahead.
Urban Corps of San Diego
Urban Corps’ Healthcare Pathways
California
Urban Corps of San Diego (UCSD) created the Healthcare Pathways program after realizing that many of their Corpsmembers had an interest in pursuing careers in the healthcare industry. UCSD applied and was awarded a grant to start a program that would provide both training and job placement opportunities in healthcare. Many Corpsmembers have children and families who they support, so the program encourages attendance by providing stipends to participants. UCSD hosts interest meetings and open houses for the program and also helps guide Corpsmembers through the process of getting involved.
Since they began, UCSD has had two cohorts go through the program. Their most recent cohort graduated six Corpsmembers in mid-November 2025 and will soon begin a recruitment process. The first cohort has already placed a couple of Corpsmembers in medical roles, while another member wishes to pursue higher education. Other Corpsmembers in the first cohort took the opportunity to explore the healthcare field and decided to continue on other paths going forward. This program allows for Corpsmembers to explore roles outside of typical “Corps Work” while still allowing them to help their communities. In San Diego, there is an urgent need for healthcare workers. The Healthcare Pathways program helps prepare potential healthcare workers for the field.
