Young Adult Programs

Field News Recap- Fall 2024

Oregon: camping crews – young adult In October, Red crew spent two weeks working alongside Bureau of Land Management (BLM) interns in Coos Bay, improving the habitat for native Phacelia plants. November saw them seeding native species in post-fire areas of the Willamette National Forest with the BLM and United States Forest Service. In December, they partnered with the Washington Department of Natural Resources to plant over 3,000 native plugs.  Orange crew spent two weeks at Thomas Creek Aspen Meadow in Fremont-Winema National Forest using chainsaws to reopen meadow habitat, followed by two weeks removing invasive species in post-fire zones of the Willamette National Forest. Their efforts concluded with two weeks of fuels reduction at Smith Rock State Park, creating nearly 200 slash piles for prescribed burns. Blue crew started October with Snowy Plover habitat restoration through beach grass removal in Northern California. They also removed invasive species in post-fire zones of the Willamette National Forest, constructed trails in the Columbia River Gorge at the Tom McCall Preserve, and supported developed recreation sites at Diamond Lake in the Umpqua National Forest. To cap off the season, they collaborated with the Army Corps of Engineers in Cottage Grove for two weeks of invasive species […]

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Northwest Youth Corps demonstrates importance of indigenous plants at Wildlife Center

(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

(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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Field News Recap- September 2024

Oregon: camping crews Oregon Programs launched three young adult crews in September. 14 crew members began their season at HQ on Sep. 4 before heading out to a training site in the Umpqua National Forest. From there, the three crews split up to begin project work across the region. Red crew stayed in the Umpqua for the first week, working on the Yellow Jacket Trail Loop. From there, they went backcountry in the Steens Mountains for the next three weeks of their season. They wrapped up September by brushing and levelling multiple backcountry trails in this beautiful and unique part of Oregon. Orange crew spent their first week in Northern California, removing invasive European beach grass from the Lake Earl Wildlife Area with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Their next two weeks were in the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest, where they restored tread after a forest fire impacted the trail system. They then finished out the month in the Fremont Winema National Forest, removing competing tree species from an aspen meadow to allow for more aspen growth. Our Women’s Blue crew’s first week was with the Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative, removing invasives in the Siuslaw National Forest.

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Field News Recap- August 2024

Oregon: young adult camping Orange crew maintained trails in Siuslaw National Forest, covering more than six miles on the Drift Creek Wilderness and Sweet Creek trails. They then shifted gears to work along the Illinois River, completing fence projects and removing invasive plants in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Red crew began the end of their session by working on a 15-mile trail in Mount Hood National Forest and helping maintain the Old Cabin Loop trail. They had the opportunity to work with the Forest Service on logout work (removing fallen trees and debris from trails) before finishing in the Mt. Hood Wilderness on the Timberline #600 trail. Their final week took them to the Steens Mountains, where they put their backcountry skills to the test. Rainbow crew spent three weeks collaborating with the Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group. They focused on beaver dam analogs, riparian zone restoration, and trail maintenance. Wrapping up their session, they worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Celilo State Park, tackling vegetation removal, followed by a visit to The Dalles Dam. Washington: urban and community forestry Urban and Community Forestry crews 23 and 24 (UCF) crews partnered with the Tacoma Tree Foundation

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Field News Recap- July 2024

Oregon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2OyCj7tkI8 Orange crew (YA 10) has been hard at work alongside Portland General Electric at Timothy Lake, south of Mount Hood. They have restored miles of trails and rejuvenated campsites, ensuring they are safe and enjoyable for visitors. Additionally, the crew has naturalized over 50 trails, helping to preserve the natural beauty and integrity of the area. Red crew (YA 11) focused on aquatic restoration in Sheep and Kelsey Creek in Northeast Oregon. Collaborating with Trout Unlimited, they constructed nearly 60 beaver dam analogs and post-assisted log structures, crucial for enhancing local aquatic habitats. In week seven, they moved west to avoid fires and worked with Mount Hood National Forest on a trail project in the 15-Mile Recreation Area. Rainbow crew (YA 12) was engaged in various projects in Mount Hood National Forest. Recent fires have made Lost Lake Campground and the White River Trail system inaccessible. Their efforts here included installing culverts, drains, and water bars to improve trail infrastructure. In week seven, the crew shifted their focus to aquatic and riparian zone restoration across the Columbia River in Vancouver, WA. Blue crew (YCC 06) worked with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department in South Willamette, maintaining 4.5 miles

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Field News Recap- June 2024

We are excited to share the latest updates from our Northwest Youth Corps crews for the month of June. Our members have been hard at work on various projects, developing skills and making significant contributions to our public lands. Here’s a detailed look at what our crews have accomplished this month: Oregon:   In the first week, Orange Crew began their journey with a developed recreation project, cleaning up a campground in southern Oregon in partnership with the Roseburg Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to ensure it was ready for the summer season. During the second week, they ventured into the backcountry of the Umatilla National Forest with the Blue Mountain Land Trust. Here, they learned to use crosscut saws alongside volunteers, logging out the trail and enhancing their trail maintenance skills. In the third week, continuing their backcountry adventures, the crew worked in the Siuslaw National Forest, performing tread repair along the North Fork Smith River, helping to preserve these beautiful natural areas for future visitors. Red Crew dedicated the first three weeks of June to working in the Mount Hood National Forest. They focused on the Camas Creek and Clear Creek trails, as well as the McCubbins Gulch OHV

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Field News Recap- May 2024

Oregon:   May was an exciting month in Oregon with the graduation of four Young Adult crews on May 18th and the launch of the first Youth crew on May 24th. The Blue crew improved trails and recreation areas in the Siuslaw National Forest. The Yellow crew completed invasive plant removal near the John Day Dam with the Army Corps of Engineers before transitioning to developed recreation work in the Umpqua National Forest. The Orange crew improved developed recreation facilities in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and later worked on invasive plant removal along the McKenzie River with the Pure Water Partnership. The Red crew finished their season at the Biocycle Farm and partnered with the Nature Conservancy in the Columbia Basin for invasive plant removal. The Tribal Stewards crew, comprised of students from the Chemawa Indian School in Salem, OR, also began their program. After finishing classes on May 24th, eight participants joined the Eugene headquarters for orientation before starting trail work at Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve. This crew will continue until July 20th, graduating alongside five other youth crews launching in June. Oregon Program Leader Amanda Wallace says, “We were incredibly fortunate to have worked

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Field News Recap- April 2024

Oregon:   Oregon’s spring young adult blue crew started the month with two weeks of work along the McKenzie River with the Pure Water Partners (PWP). Northwest Youth Corps has worked with Pure Water Partners to restore habitat that was destroyed by the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire since PWP’s inception. Blue crew later served with the Siuslaw National Forest, where they improved recreational facilities for a week. For the final two weeks of April the crew served with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department at Cape Falcon State Park where they restored tread along the Oregon Coast Trail. Yellow crew started their month with the Medford Bureau of Land Management (BLM), rerouting the Upper Table Rock Trail. They then improved campsites and other developed recreation sites at the Eel Creek Campground with the Siuslaw National Forest. They spent one week with Oregon Equestrian Trails brushing and widening their trail system. And for the last two weeks of April, Yellow crew removed Russian olive, black locust, and other invasive tree species with the Army Corps of Engineers at Irrigon Parks and Recreation District.   Orange crew began their month working with the City of Springfield at The Biocycle Farm, planting and maintaining poplar trees that will eventually

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Field News Recap- March 2024

Oregon: This month, Northwest Youth Corps’ (NYC) newest program, the Urban Community Forestry (UCF) program, has worked long days cutting, hauling and chipping debris left over from the devastating ice storm that hit Eugene and the lower McKenzie River Valley from January 13th-17th. Their worksites have included many local parks in Eugene and Springfield as well as residential areas that were hit particularly hard. Many of these community parks and recreation spaces have been closed off to the public do to the dangerous scattered debris. Though this storm clean up can be monotonous and grueling work, the crews have kept after it, often returning to NYC’s headquarters at the end of a long day tired but propped up by enormous gratitude from the community.  One UCF crew was assigned to assist with park cleanup efforts at the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum and Howard Buford Recreation Area. With help from local volunteers and Mt. Pisgah staff, these parks were able to reopen March 15th. Members of the public were thrilled to see the parks reopened, and their enthusiasm helped to keep the crew’s morale high as they cleaned up the final section of the parking lot. Most of the work was chipping

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

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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Field News Recap- August

Oregon: Our Blue crew spent the first four weeks of their five month term they were at Crater Lake National Park, where they cleared 13.25 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail of downed trees using crosscuts. For their final week Blue was in the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest working on the Hanging Rock trail, where they improved 1.31 miles of trail. Red crew worked all over the state. Their first week was spent at Loon Lake, improving campgrounds and doing light trail maintenance. They then worked in the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest, removing 12.76 acres of invasives and collecting seeds. Their final two weeks were at Saddle Mountain State Park, where they completed gabions baskets at the end of a challenging hike in. This wonderful work was fueled in part by 126 Kinder eggs. Our Yellow crew spent their first week removing invasive plants at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area near Reedsport, then removing more invasive plants in the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest. Their final two weeks were spent working on the Pacific Crest Trail in the Umpqua National Forest, where they did 3.5 miles of trail maintenance and cleared 50 drainage structures. Orange crew began

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Project Spotlight – Olympic National Forest

In partnership with the Olympic National Forest, our summer Youth Camping Washington Orange Crew completed a number projects from August 14-18th, 2023.  Some of the projects included:  2 Bathroom Interiors painted. 2 Bathroom doors painted. 2 picnic tables assembled. 2 old picnic tables disassembled. 4 Old fire rings removed (with concrete anchoring them) 4 New fire rings installed. Half a load of gravel approximately 7 tons of gravel spread throughout campground (Klahowya) and Trail (Bogachiel) Brushed approximately .25-acre Amphitheater (deferred maintenance) in Klahowya Campground as well as brushed around the exterior of both vault toilets. All tasks were completed by a crew consisting of 4 members and 2 crew leads of the Northwest Youth Corps. Before After Quotes from the crew members:  “Being at the heart of the ecology in Washington is amazing. This is such a unique system. Plus seeing the old trees has been pretty cool.”  -Lucas, Crew Lead   “Finishing a project. There is a feeling of accomplishment and gratitude for the work done. In 5 years you could go back and say that you helped get this place to a better state and it feels good to know I did something to help conserve the natural

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Field News Recap- Youth Camping Crews Session One

Oregon: Our Youth Camping Crew 7, Red Crew 1 spent their first three weeks in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest before heading out to central Oregon and finishing in Coos Bay. Throughout the session they pulled invasives, fixed trails and even maintained campgrounds. The work included installing 12 fire rings, clearing over 5 acres of invasive plants and maintained over 6.5 miles of trail. YCC 8, Blue Crew started in the Fremont-Winema National Forest in the south, moved to the Malheur National Forest in eastern Oregon and finally finished up north in the Mt Hood National Forests, fixing trails the whole way. They maintained over 12 miles of trail over 5 weeks and cleared 35 logs with crosscut saws. YCC 9, our red 2 crew started the season working with a couple other youth crews in the Fremont-Winema National Forest clearing trails before finishing near the coast with some invasive removal. They were able to maintain over 2.5 miles of trail in two weeks before clearing well over an acre of invasive species. YCC 10 Orange  crew also worked in the Fremont-Winema National Forest for 3 weeks before tackling a couple weeks of invasive removal, ending the season in Northern

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Field News Recap – May

Oregon Update: In May, Oregon graduated one crew, the blue crew!  Two of our other Oregon crews partnered with the Hood River and Barlow Ranger Districts. They worked alongside recreation staff. Crews tackled maintenance projects around the districts including removing graffiti from Little John warming shelter, repainting forest boundary signs, and removing trash left after the winter snowmelt. Crews also assisted the trails program in restocking the Fivemile Butte Lookout with firewood.  Our Expedition Crew ending the month working out at Diamond Lake with the Umpqua National Forest helping to get the campgrounds ready for the summer season.  Previous image Next image Washington Update: Washington’s first Young Adult Spring program successfully graduated 12 members and leaders at then end of May. Crews rounded out the season working with the Washington Department of Natural Resources, Cascadia Conservation District, and the Siuslaw National Forest completing projects ranging from campground and recreation area maintenance and preparation for the summer season, and trail maintenance.   “During my term I realized I am stronger than I thought. I definitely didn’t realize how mentally hard it is rather than physically. I grew a lot as a person and hope to continue to use the knowledge I have

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Field News Recap – April

Oregon Update: Oregon graduated its first young adult crew for the season in April. The winter silviculture crew in Eugene graduated 6 members, and throughout the whole session they planted nearly 19,000 poplar trees. The winter camping crews have finished their season and completed 9 weeks of campsite restoration, 7 weeks of invasive plant removal, and 3 weeks of trail maintenance. Our Oregon program has launched a combo Leadership Development Program with future youth crew leads for our Washington, Idaho, and Oregon programs. They’ve started their session with getting Wilderness First Aid certifications and will be moving on to chainsaw certification in the coming weeks. The spring crews are cruising along and just completed their 6th week at the end of April. One crew has been working at Silver Falls this whole month, and the other crew has been working on a combination of campsite restoration, invasive plant removal, and Douglas Fir habitat restoration where a fire came through a few years ago. Previous Next Washington Update: Washington currently has three young adult crews. One of them partnered with Cascadia Conservation District and the Washington Department of Natural Resources to help clear out fire breaks in the community of Plain,

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Internship Opportunities in Idaho

Northwest Youth Corps’ Conservation Internship Program provides training and hands-on experience with land and water resource management agencies, such as the National Park Service, United States Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, State Organizations and Non-Profits, in Idaho, Northern California, Oregon and Washington. The Conservation Internship Program is a cooperative effort between Northwest Youth Corps and partner agencies to provide our participants paid opportunities to acquire the skills needed to qualify for permanent and seasonal employment opportunities while living near and working on public lands.  https://youtu.be/i7vnpDqQmjE Video showcasing Northwest Youth Corps internship experience and partnership with Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.   Payette National Forest Opportunities The Payette National Forest consists of over 2.3 million acres, with everything from the deep recesses of Hells Canyon to peaks reaching elevations of almost 9,500 feet. The dry desert grasslands compliment heavily forested acres. Gateways to the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness reach trails that are seldom traveled.   Forestry Technician Internship: Northwest Youth Corps is recruiting two interns for the Payette National Forest, McCall Ranger District from May-September 2023 for a total of 680 hours (17 weeks). Interns will assist the trails program on the New Meadows and McCall Ranger Districts.

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Field News Recap – March

Oregon Update: Oregon currently has five active young adult (YA) crews out in the field. Our three winter crews have been out since February and the two spring crews kicked off in March.  The winter camping crews have been working hard in Oregon state campgrounds to get them ready for the upcoming summer months by making them accessible for as many people as possible. Another of our winter crews has been working on a poplar farm in Eugene with the goal of planting 26,000 trees. These crews are approaching their final weeks for the season.  Our two spring crews are in their third week and have been focused on developed recreation projects in campgrounds. This is the first week of trail work for crew 5 and they will be in Silver Falls State Park for the next four weeks helping maintain the highly popular Canyon Trail. Poplar Project Register guard article read Here Checking the Phacelia to make sure it has plenty of room to grow and flourish. Our Oregon Expedition crew teamed up with our blue crew. Expedition crew working on the fire pits at Driftwood Campground. Previous Next Washington Update: For the first time, Washington launched three young adult spring

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Project Spotlight

In partnership with Oregon  Bureau of Land Management , our fall young adult crews have been working at Twin Prairie Meadows (near cottage grove, OR ) removing conifers to allow for the madrones and oak trees to thrive. These meadows offer essential habitat for plants and animals amongst the otherwise thick tree canopies of the area. The project provided an excellent opportunity for the crew to practice bucking logs into decomposition piles, after getting their saw certifications the week prior. While working on a steep incline made for an intense and physically demanding project, it offered the crew epic views that they will not soon forget.

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