Red Crew (YA 6) began their first week at Silver Falls State Park. Partnering with Oregon State Parks, they focused on trail restoration efforts essential for the state’s outdoor recreation economy. They worked on dry-stacked rock walls, improved drainage, and repaired trail tread. Using hazel hoes and grubbers, they focused on moving large rocks and using mortar to build the rock wall. After two weeks, they traveled north to Rock Creek Campground in Yacolt Burn State Forest. Partnering with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, they tackled a range of trail maintenance projects. They brushed and cleared the Tarbell Trail, and laid new gravel on the trail before installing a new manure bin. They also rotated a horse mounting box, repaired wooden horse corrals, patched concrete picnic pads, and assembled new picnic tables. For their final week of March, they brushed the Silver Shadow Trail, making it safer for hikers and horseback riders. The crew used extra high-reach saws, brush cutters, and string trimmers.

Yellow Crew (YA 7) kicked off March at Cascade Head, partnering with The Nature Conservancy to restore habitat along a coastal trail corridor. They cleared overgrown vegetation, removing salmonberry, elderberry, blackberry, and spruce tree limbs from the trail. The site, a 270-acre headland overlooking the ocean, required a two-mile hike with 600 feet of elevation gain. The crew used loppers, folding hand saws, shovels, and other grubbing tools. Later, they moved to private properties along the McKenzie River. Partnering with Pure Water Partners, they worked on invasive vegetation management for the next three weeks. This involved removing invasive species in riparian areas throughout the McKenzie watershed. Their efforts supported private landowners in preventing natural disasters like the Holiday Farm Fire in 2020. They used hazel hoes, McLeods, spade shovels, hand saws, hand pruners, and loppers.

Orange Crew (YA 8) spent March working in Southern Oregon with the Applegate Fire District, alongside one of the Community Wildfire Protection Corps Strike crews. They learned how to operate a woodchipper and reduce fuels on private properties (see details about CWPC projects below).

Blue Crew (YA 9) started the month at Schwarz Campground and Pine Meadows Campground near Dorena Reservoir. They partnered with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to clear vegetation, clean up park areas, and remove small, downed trees around Dorena and Cottage Grove Reservoirs. These improvements made these popular recreation areas safer and more accessible for visitors. Crew members also toured the Cottage Grove Dam & Reservoir, gaining insight into local water management infrastructure. They used hazel hoes, grubbers, McLeods, Pulaskis, shovels, hand saws, and loppers. In the latter half of the month, they moved north to Silver Falls State Park. There, they continued the Red Crew’s work on building dry stacked rock walls, repairing drainage systems, and improving tread surfaces.