Utah Conservation Corps Partners With USU Uintah Basin on Youth Conservation Corps

The Utah Conservation Corps, an AmeriCorps program based out of Utah State University’s Center for Community Engagement, is partnering with USU Uintah Basin to re-launch a Youth Conservation Corps program out of the Vernal Campus.

The program will offer 17- and 18-year-old high school students an opportunity to gain hands-on conservation skills with local public land managers this summer while participating in a one-credit USU wildlife class taught by Assistant Professor Mark Chynoweth. Youth Conservation Corps members will be enrolled in an eight-week AmeriCorps term of service, receiving a $3,260 living allowance and a $1,347.60 education award upon completion of service.

The application deadline has been extended to May 19, and interested candidates can apply at https://www.usu.edu/ucc/positions.

“The YCC program is extremely valuable for high school students who are interested in natural resource management,” Chynoweth said. “Students learn about potential career paths, network with local professionals, and get their foot in the door for future employment. I am very excited that the program will be active again at the USU Uintah Basin campus.”

The Youth Conservation Corps season will run from June 19 through Aug. 11, with projects including trail construction and maintenance, invasive species management, habitat restoration, recreation facilities maintenance and construction, and recreation signage repair. These projects sites will be located at Dinosaur National Monument, BLM Vernal Field Office, and Ashley National Forest.

This YCC program is the reimagining of an older award-winning program that was run out of the Ashley National Forest in partnership with USU Uintah Basin. Funding for the program is provided through AmeriCorps, USU Uintah Basin and public land management agencies.

The UCC was formed in 2001 with a mission to develop the conservation leaders of tomorrow. Since 2001, more than 2,500 UCC AmeriCorps members have served over 1.7 million hours creating or maintaining more than 4,300 miles of trail and 500 miles of fence, restoring 62,700 acres of public land and reaching nearly 460,000 students with environmental education. More information on UCC can be found at http://www.usu.edu/ucc.