Field News Recap- April 2025
Oregon:
young adult camping crews
Red Crew (YA 6) kicked off April partnering with the Bureau of Land Management at the Wood River Wetland. Their work focused on maintaining native vegetation and public access: they caged young cottonwoods and willows, landscaped a pollinator garden, cleared overgrown vegetation from an ADA-accessible trail, and spread mulch across key areas. Tools included fencing pliers, hacksaws, wire cutters, loppers, shovels, and brush cutters.
Later in the month, they shifted west to the Siuslaw National Forest’s Central Coast Ranger District. There, they joined efforts to remove invasive Scotch broom along Siltcoos Access Road, helping to restore balance to the coastal ecosystem. The team used weed wrenches, hand saws, and loppers to complete the project.
Yellow Crew (YA 7) spent the first part of April restoring oak savanna habitat at Coburg Ridge Preserve, just outside of Springfield. Partnering with The Nature Conservancy, they targeted invasive plants like false brome and thistle using a mix of hori hori knives, weed wrenches, loppers, and brush cutters.
For their final weeks, the crew traveled north to Yacolt Burn State Forest, working with Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WA DNR). At Three Corner Rock Trail and Dougan Creek Campground, they focused on brushing trails, clearing campsites, and restoring trail tread.
Orange Crew (YA 8) remained busy reducing hazardous fuels on private properties in rural Oregon communities near Central Point and O’Brien, using chainsaws and hand tools under the guidance of Applegate Fire District and Sams Valley Fire Station. In mid-April, some Orange Crew and Community Wildfire Protection Corps members completed the pack test for red card wildfire certification.
Blue Crew (YA 9) split the month between river and forest. In early April, they returned to McKenzie River to work with Pure Water Partners, removing invasive species in riparian areas impacted by the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire. Later, they moved north to Rock Creek Horse Camp in Yacolt Burn State Forest to resume trail brushing and maintenance with Washington DNR.
Community Wildfire Protection Corps (CWPC) crews
CWPC crews have been working throughout Oregon alongside our Oregon Young Adult Orange Crew and Oregon Urban and Community Forestry Crew. They continued to reduce fuels within the 100-foot defensible space on various private properties under the guidance of Applegate Fire District Eugene Springfield Fire, and Sams Valley Fire Station. During April, CWPC crews partnered with Umatilla Electric Cooperative and Northern Blues Partnership, Long Tom Watershed, and McKenzie River Trust.
Washington:
Northwest Youth Corps collaborated with several other conservation corps to undertake a significant trail rebuilding project on Tiger Mountain, in partnership with the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Tiger Mountain is located in King County, Washington, just a short drive from Seattle. This area is known for its diverse ecosystems and recreational opportunities, making the restoration of its trails crucial for both environmental conservation and public enjoyment.
young adult crews
Orange Crew (YA 10) started April in South Puget Sound, tackling trail restoration with Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WA DNR) at Sahara Creek Campground. They widened the tread on the Upper Elkspur Trail, addressed rutting, and installed new water bars and drainage features. Their toolkit included Pulaskis, rogue hoes, McLeods, and chainsaws.
Later in the month, they returned to Capitol State Forest for spring prep at Margaret McKenney Campground. There, they cleared and reshaped trails, making the site safer and more accessible for seasonal visitors.
Yellow Crew (YA 11) spent much of April deep in Blanchard State Forest. They partnered with WA DNR’s Baker District on backcountry projects—hauling materials by pack frame to Lily and Lizard Lakes for composting toilet installations, splitting cedar for firewood, and helping complete a rock turnpike.
In the second half of the month, they moved south to Scout’s Loop Trail at Sahara Creek. The crew focused on drainage work, brushing, and tread restoration on this well-used equestrian trail.
White Crew (YA 12) bounced between three key sites in April. First, they were at Spada Lake with WA DNR’s Natural Areas team, building bridges, anchoring gabions, and improving trail drainage using a hi-line rigging system.
Next, they headed to Middle Tiger Trail in East Tiger Mountain State Forest, collaborating with several other Conservation Corps to remove rootballs, repair erosion damage, and clear debris left by past timber harvests (see video above). They wrapped the month back at Margaret McKenney Campground, rounding out their season with tread restoration and spring maintenance.
Idaho Conservation Corps:
young adult crews
Orange Crew (YA 13) spent April tackling a variety of conservation projects across eastern Washington. After wrapping up fencing repairs alongside Red Crew at Douglas Falls Campground, they moved to the Whites Ridge Trail system, partnering with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WA DNR) Southeast Region. There, they maintained drain dips and brushed trails using loppers, trail tools, and chainsaws. Mid-month, the crew traveled to Upper Dry Gulch Natural Area Preserve to construct fencing using fencing pliers, wire cutters, post pounders, and wire stretchers, helping protect the sensitive habitat in this designated preserve. They returned to Whites Ridge for additional trail maintenance before finishing April back at Douglas Falls Campground, where they transitioned between fencing using post hole diggers and trail work.
Red Crew (YA 14) continued their fuels reduction project at Umatilla Forks Campground, working with the U.S. Forest Service to clear hazardous vegetation across 85 acres. The crew used chainsaws to thin the forest and reduce fire risk in this popular recreation area. The following week, they joined WA DNR at Douglas Falls Campground to build wooden 3-rail and wire fencing using post hole diggers. In late April, they partnered with Spokane County Parks and WA DNR at Bear Lake Regional Park to complete thinning and fuels reduction, using chainsaws, loppers, limb pruners, and a tracked chipper. They closed out the month at East Tiger Mountain State Forest’s Tiger Summit Trailhead. There, they took on storm damage cleanup along the Seattle View Trail, where a recent windstorm had downed trees and left long stretches of the trail unrecognizable. Using chainsaws, tread tools, and buckets, the crew cleared debris, repaired tread, and restored access to the recreation area.
URBAN & COMMUNITY fORESTRY (ucf) CREWS
Our Urban and Community Forestry Crew joined the City of Nampa, College of Western Idaho, and several other local partners to plant 40 trees on CWI’s Nampa Campus in celebration of Arbor Day. This collaborative event highlighted the importance of expanding urban canopy and involving community members in local climate resilience efforts.
Internship Programs: Twin Rivers Charter School
Celeste: Outdoor Educator/Youth Development Specialist Field Coordinator - AmeriCorps
Meet Celeste! Celeste is in her second year as an AmeriCorps Outdoor Educator with our Twin Rivers Charter School. In addition to teaching cartography and farm electives in the classroom, she joins students on their multi-day “Spike” camping trips. Her Red and Yellow student crews recently took on conservation projects at Log Jam State Park, including storm cleanup in remote areas following the January 2024 ice storm.