News articles

Students tackle invasive plants in 24-hour Eugene Weed-a-Thon

News articles, Northwest Youth Corps /

https://youtu.be/QbiXrQ6N1Rs?si=l-dZNiBxGRn8nqHm (Originally posted on KEZI on April 24, 2026) By Eli Kuhn EUGENE, Ore. – High school students in Eugene are rolling up their sleeves to restore local parks during the sixth annual Weed-a-Thon. As part of their curriculum, students from Twin Rivers Charter School spent 24 hours at Logjam State Park removing invasive species to protect the area’s natural habitat. About 40 students began their hard work at 9 a.m. Friday in southeast Eugene. “Clearing out this environment and taking it back to what it’s supposed to look like,” said student Jaxson Maude. “You can see all of the changes that we’re making. It’s really been like a boost of confidence.” Twin Rivers is a career and technical education school that prioritizes small class sizes and outdoor projects with a focus on outdoor conservation. For this project, students worked to make a difference in their community. “Whether it’s forestry or habitat restoration, we just hope that our students walk away from here feeling like they have some skills built up in those careers,” said Vice Principal David Knox. This year, students focused on removing Scotch broom and Himalayan blackberry, two invasive species spreading throughout the park. Knox explained the […]

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Eugene Springfield Fire crews participate in controlled burn exercise

News articles, Northwest Youth Corps, UCF, Wildfire Prevention /

https://youtu.be/6sPbea9X2XA?si=6cuQwuFmyQZ2fuFM (Originally posted on KEZI on April 14, 2026) By Eli Kuhn SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – Eugene-Springfield Fire held a controlled burn exercise Tuesday off Virginia Avenue in Springfield. The burn pile served dual purposes for the department. It reduced wildfire risk while providing hands-on training to young firefighters. “This is for wildfire risk reduction efforts,” said Hannah Shafer, wildfire planning and fuels management manager. “There were some trees and vegetation that was removed from this property. So this is just one way to kind of reduce that vegetation and reduce fire risk in the area.” Eugene-Springfield Fire warned a dry winter with little snowpack will allow fires to spark earlier this year. The department urged residents to mitigate risks on their properties. “Springtime is a great time to kind of get outside and reduce some of that vegetation on your property,” Shafer said. “We like to recommend really focusing on the first zero to five feet around your home to create a buffer so that if any embers or fires were to reach that area, it wouldn’t spread to your home.” The burn pile also served as a training exercise for participants from the Northwest Youth Corps. Young adults learned directly

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“Dear Civilian Conservation Corps…”

News articles, Northwest Youth Corps /

(Originally posted on The Science Survey  on February 3, 2026) By Bea Sireci A few meters from our tent-site, in Reiter Foothills, was a view of the Cascade Mountains. I had never seen a mountain that looked quite like this before, let alone this frequently. Under this path was the creek, where we got our water from and occasionally cleaned off in. (Photo Credit: Jordan Fisher; used by permission) Dear future self, how was your trip? I am currently lying on a bed for the last time in five weeks. Tomorrow I will be in Washington, meeting teens from across the country, all who had some reason to want to camp and work eight hours a day – clearing trails, removing invasive species… Well, I hope it all works out.  My story is part of one that began ninety-two years ago. The roaring twenties was a ghostly era, and you did not have to look far to see it. Around fifteen million people were unemployed. Even the land couldn’t hold onto itself – the Southern Plains of America were running away from the ground, dust pushing over two-and-a-half million people out of their homes.  In March of 1933, Franklin D.

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Northwest Youth Corps helps clear the way

News articles, Northwest Youth Corps, Partners, Young Adult Programs /

(Originally posted on Methow Valley News on July 24, 2025) By Marcy Stamper Photos courtesy of Tim Van Beek .The route to Black Lake is now clear for hikers and horses, thanks to a dozen young people with Northwest Youth Corps, who spent two weeks clearing dense vegetation and fallen trees from the trail. Lake Creek Trail project assists USFS At a time of major cutbacks for trail work, a popular route in the Chewuch is now cleared 5 miles to Black Lake, thanks to a crew of young people armed with clippers, shovels and abundant energy. The robust crew of 16- to 18-year-olds from Northwest Youth Corps (NYC) just wrapped up two weeks of clearing downed trees and 8-foot-high ceanothus and other vegetation along the Lake Creek Trail. The relatively level trail, which melts out fairly early, was a priority because it’s a great entry-level route for beginning hikers and riders, Back Country Horsemen of Washington (BCHW) Trail Operations Manager Tim Van Beek said. The trail also boasts an impressive wildflower display. Money for trail work has been scarce for years. But the need grew after the U.S. Forest Service banned hiring of seasonal workers last fall to address

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Eugene youth spend summer working community conservation

News articles, Northwest Youth Corps, Partners, UCF, Wildfire Prevention, Young Adult Programs /

(Originally posted on KLCC on July 17, 2025) By Gabriella Sgro For five weeks this summer, six teenagers arrived at the Northwest Youth Corps headquarters on Augusta Street in Eugene’s Laurel Hill neighborhood at 7:30 a.m.. Each morning, they piled into a Sprinter van packed with shovels, Hori Hori knives, and weed-wrenches and headed off to a work site, where they spent eight hours working with their hands and learning about ecological restoration. Though summer break usually means sleeping in, these teens used their holiday to work as part of an Urban and Community Forestry crew for the Northwest Youth Corps, a Eugene-based organization that offers youth and young adult residential conservation programs in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Some programs have specific concentrations that change seasonally, like wildfire protection, backcountry leadership, and wilderness camping. Urban and Community Forestry crew members are between the ages of 15-18 and are hired to work in developed parks and spaces around Eugene. At the end of the program, the teens receive a stipend and high school credit. From June 23 to July 25, the crew cleared nonnative plant species, helped create resilient urban ecosystems, and collaborated as a team on hands-on projects. “Everything we do feels

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Northwest Youth Corps demonstrates importance of indigenous plants at Wildlife Center

News articles, Northwest Youth Corps, Partners, UCF, Wildfire Prevention, Young Adult Programs /

(Originally posted on the Suburban Times on December 3, 2024) By Clover Park Rotary   Last week was a big week once again for the South Sound Wildlife and Interpretive Center on Phillips Road. Clover Park Rotary along with The Northwest Youth Corps, who has been very active with the Wildlife Center for a number of years, once again spent the week improving the Wildlife center. The Northwest Youth Corps began in 1984 and was the brainchild of Art Pope, who earlier worked for the seasonal “Youth Conservation Corps”. Its first office was in a defunct gas station in Eugene Oregon. With youth unemployment hovering at 50% at the time, NYC’s goal was (and remains) to educate and engage young people and teach them important life skills, while improving the natural environment and paying the youth stipends for their work in some cases. Northwest Youth Corps (NYC) provides a challenging education and job-training experience that helps youth and young adults from diverse backgrounds develop the skills they need to lead full and productive lives. Several Youth Corps Groups worked to place indigenous plants in the “Prairie Restoration” area of the park and in the “Endangered species study pond.” Plants included:

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Eugene Springfield Fire, Northwest Youth Corps host free fuels reduction drop-off site

News articles, Northwest Youth Corps, Partners, UCF, Wildfire Prevention, Young Adult Programs /

(Originally posted on KVAL on December 3, 2024) By News Staff (Photo courtesy Eugene Springfield Fire)   EUGENE, Ore. — Eugene Springfield Fire and Northwest Youth Corps are hosting a free drop site for woody yard debris to help Eugene and Springfield residents reduce vegetation that can create fuel for wildfires. The drop site, located at Northwest Youth Corps (2621 Agusta St, Eugene OR 97403), will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on December 9, 10, and 12. It will not be open on December 11. Woody debris such as tree branches, brush, vines, or other such yard debris that can create fuel for wildfire in warmer months will be accepted. Other yard debris (such as leaves, grass clippings, dirt etc.) will not be accepted and must be disposed of elsewhere. Limited pick-up will also be offered for residents who need help transporting woody debris from fuel reduction projects. To check your eligibility and sign up, visit here or contact Deputy Fire Marshal Althea Sullivan at (541) 799-5942. Fuels Reduction Project Ideas Remove tree limbs touching your home Remove tree limbs touching the ground (try to limb them up 6 feet) Remove shrubs that are touching your home Remove shrubs that

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Local youth org works on wildfire containment in Eugene

News articles, Northwest Youth Corps, Partners, Wildfire Prevention /

(Originally posted on Daily Emerald on August 19, 2024) By Joseph Chiu Photos by Alexander Hernandez As Oregon enters another wildfire season, the importance of local organizations throughout the state focusing on wildfire prevention is amplified. Northwest Youth Corps is a youth organization based in Eugene that performs conservation projects and partners with organizations across the Pacific Northwest, including those focused on wildfire prevention.  NYC is the parent organization of Twin Rivers Charter School, which has been involved with vegetation management projects in Eugene, most recently on June 24 at Skinner’s Butte. As part of the project, a crew of two leaders and five students performed invasive species removal and removed dry vegetation to decrease the severity of possible wildfires. One week later, a half-acre brush fire broke out at the top of Skinner Butte on July 2 and was quickly contained by Eugene-Springfield Fire. Sarah Worthington, Community Wildfire Protection Corps director, said she believes the school’s efforts helped contain the fire and ensure that it didn’t spread quickly.   “Wildfire vegetation management is extremely important,” Twin Rivers Charter School Principal Kristin Humphrey said. “Our students are very dedicated, they work very hard, they are invested, they understand how important fire

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Eugene-area teens get hands-on skills with summer work program

News articles, Northwest Youth Corps, Partners, UCF /

(Originally posted on The Register-Guard on July 25, 2024) By Miranda Cyr Photos by Josiah Pensado Northwest Youth Corps’ Urban Community Forest Program goes beyond teaching young people about careers in urban forestry. This summer, 48 teens are participating in the five-week work and educational session. The program has guided hundreds of youth into their careers, but not just in forestry. “I’m getting really good at communication and really good at working with strangers and people who are different than me,” said Autumn Thessen, one of the Urban Community Forest Corps crew members. Each year, nearly 1,000 young people participate in Northwest Youth Corps programs in Eugene/Springfield, Tacoma, Washington, and Boise, Idaho. The summer program invites youth ages 15 to 18 to join. Participants receive a stipend of up to $2,500, depending on their attendance, and can receive high school credit. Recently, NYC received a $12 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Inflation Reduction Act, which is intended to engage youth and young adults in urban forestry stewardship. This grant will help fund the program for the next five years. “NYC has been around for 40 years, and we’ve always been, first,

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Fire atop Skinner Butte raises fireworks concern in Eugene

News articles, Northwest Youth Corps, Wildfire Prevention /

(Originally posted on The Register-Guard on July 2, 2024 – Photos from Eugene Springfield Fire Department and Eugene Parks and Open Space) By Haleigh Kochanski A half-acre brush fire erupted at the top of Skinner Butte in Eugene early Tuesday morning and fire officials think it may have been caused by fireworks. According to the Eugene Springfield Fire Department, firefighters were called to the butte at 12:15 a.m. where they worked quickly to contain a fire estimated at half an acre. It took first responders about two hours to fully extinguish hot spots. The site of the fire had just undergone vegetation management by Eugene Parks and Open Space in partnership with the Eugene Rotary Club and Twin River Charter School. On June 24, workers trimmed grasses in the area, which Eugene officials say likely reduced the intensity of Tuesday’s fire. “This timely action underscores the importance of ongoing maintenance and hazard reduction in preserving the safety of our natural areas,” Kelly Shadwick, spokesperson for Eugene Parks and Open Space, said in a news release. According to Shadwick, fuel mitigation efforts at the park have focused on removing non-native shrubs and small trees that have invaded a significant portion of

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Crews extinguish early morning fire atop Skinner Butte

News articles, Northwest Youth Corps, Wildfire Prevention /

(Originally posted on KLCC on June 27, 2024 – Photos from Eugene Springfield Fire) By Love Cross Eugene Springfield Fire responded to a brush fire at the top of Skinner Butte in Eugene early Tuesday morning. Firefighters were called to the butte at 12:15 a.m. and contained the fire, estimated at half an acre. It took two hours to fully extinguish hot spots. There were no injuries reported. Witnesses said fireworks may have been the cause. In a news release Tuesday, Eugene Parks officials said the area had recently been treated for fuels reduction by Parks and Open Space in partnership with the Eugene Rotary Club and Twin Rivers Charter School. “On June 24, grasses in the area were trimmed, a preventative measure that likely reduced the intensity of the fire. This timely action underscores the importance of ongoing maintenance and hazard reduction in preserving the safety of our natural areas,” the press release said. With the Fourth of July holiday approaching, the public is reminded fireworks are not allowed within Eugene city limits, including parks and natural areas.

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A Summer of Service at Grays Lake

about, News articles, Northwest Youth Corps, Partners /

(Originally posted to CaribouCountyNews.com on June 27, 2024) The Grays Lake Refuge includes both riparian areas, which are muddy and wet, and these meadowlands, which are where the cattle are part of a management strategy. This summer, the Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge 30 miles north of Soda Springs had a new group of visitors.  While the area is set aside as a refuge for wildlife with, in many cases, seasonal migratory habits, it also hosted a group of young people from around the country for several weeks.  In cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Grays Lake Wildlife Specialist Dana Duran, the Idaho Conservation Corps sent a group of seven individuals to help with projects related to the area’s mission to preserve the local ecology and wildlife. Conservation is also something that Fish and Wildlife’s Dana Duran places a high value on.  As the primary overseer of the Grays Lake area, she’s committed to making sure that the area stays well managed for both human and wildlife needs.   Dana Duran began her work at Grays Lake last October, and she’s still getting to know the Gray’s Lake Marsh and the ecosystem, though she seems to have

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Leave It to Beavers – Renewing rivers one rodent at a time

about, News articles, Northwest Youth Corps, Partners, Young Adult Programs /

Originally from: https://www.patagonia.ca/stories/leave-it-to-beavers/story-149108.htmlBy: Amanda Monthei All photos by Greg Mionske It’s barely above 50 degrees in a mountain meadow at the headwaters of the John Day River, deep in the Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon. Dew soaks the ground, and the consensus is that today’s work conditions are already significantly better than yesterday’s. “It was the hardest day this year,” says Alex, a 19-year-old Northwest Youth Corps crew member sipping coffee from a mug covered in faded stickers. A random thunderstorm blew through yesterday morning and caught him without his rain jacket. Weather and morale have improved significantly in the last 24 hours. Alex and the rest of the four-person crew from the conservation service and job-training program, as well as three Trout Unlimited employees, pull on mud-caked boots and waders, finish coffees and collect their tools—chainsaws, an errant bundle of shovels, towers of five-gallon buckets, branch loppers and wooden posts shaped like enormous pencils, shouldered two at a time. “If all goes according to plan, a passing beaver might see these human-made dams, complemented by the soft, pooling water they love, and think, ‘This is nice … but I could do better.’” Shifts start at 7 a.m., and although

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Youth crews help protect homes from wildfire thanks to state-funded training

News articles, Northwest Youth Corps, Wildfire Prevention /

Originally from: https://www.oregonlive.com/education/2022/10/youth-crews-help-protect-homes-from-wildfire-thanks-to-state-funded-training.htmlBy: Sami Edge | The Oregonian/OregonLive Lindsay Nava hauled branches up a long wooded driveway near Grants Pass under the burning midday sun on Tuesday. Her blonde hair, tucked into braids and bound back with a bandana, poked out from underneath her orange hard hat while she felled trees and limbs, building a pile to turn into wood chips. Nava, 22, is on a five-person team of young people working to clear fire hazards from around homes and buildings in Southern Oregon, through a new effort funded by the Legislature in 2021 as part of a sweeping $195 million package to boost Oregon’s wildfire preparedness. The Oregon Conservation Corps program allows young people to develop the skills to become wildland firefighters and land managers while helping vulnerable communities mitigate fire risks. The Higher Education Coordinating Commission, which distributes the funds, expects nearly 400 corps members ages 16 to 26 to work on crews overseen by tribes, schools and nonprofits around the state. Crew members on Nava’s Northwest Youth Corps crew receive a $4,235 stipend and $1,678 for school costs during their 10-week assignments, during which they camp near their worksites. The crews learn to use chainsaws and power tools and take courses that

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