CONSERVATION LEGACY FY2020 REPORT NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTACT INFORMATION
page one
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
page one
CONSERVATION LEGACY OVERVIEW
page two
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
page three
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
page three
OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM SUCCESS
page five
DEMOGRAPHICS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
page six
PARK LOCATIONS
page six
PROGRAM & PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
page seven
PARTICIPANT AND PARTNER EXPERIENCE
page twenty CONCLUSION
page twenty-one APPENDIX A: PRESS AND MEDIA
page twenty-two
APPENDIX B: PROJECTS
page twenty-two
APPENDIX C: OTHER DOI PROGRAMS
page twenty-four APPENDIX D: FUNDING
page twenty-four APPENDIX E: COVID-19 MITIGATION
page twenty-five
CONSERVATION LEGACY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FY2019 REPORT Report Term: October 2019–September 2020 CONTACT INFO FOR CONSERVATION LEGACY: Ron Hassel, Development Director 701 Camino del Rio, Suite 101 Durango, Colorado 81301 Email: ron@conservationlegacy.org Phone: 970.749.3960 www.conservationlegacy.org
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Conservation Legacy would like to thank the National Park Service staff, Cooperators and Partners who make our shared vision, mission and programming a continued success. We absolutely could not positively impact these individuals, communities, and treasured places without you! NPS STAFF AND UNITS: NPS Washington Office NPS Youth Programs NPS Rivers and Trails Conservation Assistance Program NPS Historic Preservation Training Center Region 1 North Atlantic Appalachian Region 2 South Atlantic Gulf Region 3 Great Lakes Region 4 Mississippi Basin Region 5 Missouri Basin Region 6 Arkansas Rio Grande Texas Gulf Region 7 Upper Colorado Basin Region 8 Lower Colorado Basin Region 9 Colombia Pacific Northwest Region 10 California Great Basin Region 11 Alaska Region 12 Pacific Islands
OVERVIEW
FOSTERING CONSERVATION SERVICE IN SUPPORT OF COMMUNITIES & ECOSYSTEMS
LOCAL ACTION. ENDURING IMPACT.
CONSERVATION LEGACY IS NOW IN ITS 21ST YEAR of operation, supporting local programs that provide conservation service opportunities for youth, young adults and veterans to work on public lands and in their communities. Conservation Legacy supports autonomous local conservation service programs under the leadership of a national organization. Conservation Legacy has six key programs that engage youth, young adults and veterans from twelve locations nationwide. Continuing the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps and in the spirit of national service, Conservation Legacy regional programs include: Arizona Conservation Corps (Flagstaff, Tucson and Pinetop, AZ), Conservation Corps New Mexico (Las Cruces, NM), Conservation Corps North Carolina (Raleigh, NC), Appalachian Conservation Corps (Harrisonburg, VA), Southeast Conservation Corps (Chattanooga, TN), Southwest Conservation Corps (Durango and Salida, CO; Albuquerque, Gallup, Zuni, Acoma and Hopi, NM), Stewards Individual Placements (National; Durango, CO and Beckley, WV) and Preserve America Youth Summit (National). In addition to these programs, Conservation Legacy manages signature program models such as Ancestral Lands and the Veterans Fire Corps. The organizational structure is designed for maximum impact to capture the strength and knowledge of local leadership and management with the sharing of central support and best practices. Projects are identified, developed and implemented locally and there is oversight and alignment with key areas that can be shared including risk management, quality assurance, finance and administration.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
LOCAL ACTION. ENDURING IMPACT. Providing supported opportunities to serve communities and work on public lands, partnered with personal and professional development—authentic on-the-job experience—has proven to be successful in building a foundation for program participants. Conservation Legacy engages young people and veterans on high priority projects in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) to increase access to the great outdoors while conserving our natural resources for current and future generations to use and enjoy. Projects strengthen America’s most treasured resources—our National Park Service lands and sites—by increasing recreational access, addressing the backlog of deferred maintenance, supporting local economies, modernizing infrastructure and restoring community and cultural assets. Preparing the next generation for careers, providing job training and facilitating individual growth are also critical components in all Conservation Legacy partnerships and programs.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The objective of this partnership is to complete important conservation projects while providing young adults with structured, safe and challenging work and educational opportunities through service that promote personal growth, economic opportunity, the development of life skills and an ethic of natural resource stewardship. Conservation Legacy works toward making these opportunities available to a consistently diverse group of young people and veterans and to those who could most benefit from the experience.
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NATIONAL PROGRAMMING ANCESTRAL LANDS The Ancestral Lands model is rooted in the culture and heritage of local tribal communities. The power and impact of Ancestral Lands programming is due to the community investment and support for each program tribally and locally, combined with the network of operational support from Conservation Legacy. Ancestral Lands engages Native youth and young adults in meaningful conservation projects on Native Lands and through individual placements and Tribal Resilience AmeriCorps VISTA positions. COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADOR PROGRAM The Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) program is a 50-week professional internship experience managed in partnership by the National Park Service, the Stewards Individual Placement Program and Northwest Youth Corps. CVA members support volunteer programs by expanding volunteerism, service-learning, community engagement efforts and increasing the sustainability of established programs. Ambassadors focus on a number of core objectives, including building enduring relationships with local communities, increasing park volunteerism opportunities, improving disaster response processes and helping to organize community stewardship days. VETERANS FIRE CORPS The Veterans Fire Corps (VFC) engages recent era veterans on priority hazardous fuels and prescribed burn projects while developing the next generation of wildland firefighters.
GEOSCIENTISTS-IN-THE-PARK The Geoscientists-in-the-park (GIP) program works with partners to match college students and recent graduates age 18 - 35 years old with short-term, paid, internships with the National Park Service. Participants may assist with research, synthesis of scientific literature, geologic mapping, GIS analysis, site evaluations, resource inventorying and monitoring, impact mitigation, developing brochures and informative media presentations, and educating park staff and park visitors. HISTORIC PRESERVATION TRAINING CENTER The Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC) and Stewards Individual Placement Program partnership provides training and experience for young adults and veterans interested in the historic preservation trades. Members gain skills while helping to preserve the historic structures, monuments, and memorials throughout the park system, as well as addressing the backlog of deferred maintenance projects. Through three signature programs—the Veteran Trades Apprenticeship Program, the Traditional Trades Youth Initiative and the Preservation Work Experience—the HPTC and Stewards are helping to train a future workforce in specialized building trades and historic preservation. RIVER, TRAILS AND CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE The National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program supports community led natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation projects across the nation. Our national network of conservation and recreation planning professionals partners with community groups, nonprofits, tribes, and state and local governments to design trails and parks, conserve and improve access to rivers, protect special places, and create recreation opportu4 nities.
PROGRAM SUCCESS
Conservation Legacy’s evolution as an organization has been in direct conjunction with our growing partnership with the National Park Service. As the NPS works towards preserving the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of this and future generations, we are honored to play a role in the fulfillment of that effort. In 2020, we recruited and selected over 587 youth, young adults and veterans from a wealth of diverse backgrounds as we continued grow our service and conservation programs in cooperation with NPS to expose new segments of the population to public service and conservation careers while furthering their understanding and appreciation of our Nation’s natural and cultural resources. We continue to provide high quality training, personal and professional growth and real on the job work experience through meaningful conservation opportunities. In addition to the significant amount of work our participants completed, we also provided educational programs to increase knowledge of the environment and to develop the next generation of stewards with a deep appreciation for our public lands.
COVID-19 Mitigation The safety of our participants, staff, and partners has been our utmost priority. In March of 2020, we quickly activated an Incident Response Team dedicated to addressing the impact of COVID-19 on our organization. After pausing our programming this spring and earlier in the summer, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our staff, participants and partners, we were happy to begin putting boots on the ground in early July. As an organization, we have spent time working remotely to pivot and innovate in the face of a pandemic, and we continue to do so, adapting as needed. Through a huge effort on behalf of our staff, we have successfully implemented virtual orientations and trainings for our participants, as well as modified field protocols to mitigate risks. Our Incident Management Team continues to monitor and update safety policies as we move forward. Conservation Legacy programs are up and running at 100% through the summer and into the fall. To date, we have not had a positve case of COVID-19 amongst our serving members or staff. COVID-19 forced a shift in operations for Conservation Legacy but also presented an opportunity to come together for collaboration, innovation and future development. During the pandemic, our corps programs had the opportunity to strengthen connections with local project partners through collaborative planning and adapting to ever-changing circumstances. With our partners, we have been able to support telework and remote service positions, have improved risk management at site facilities, and offered professional development opportunities that continue to offer impact and meaningful experience to our. We recognize that we still have an important role in reducing the spread of COVID-19 and are paying careful attention to the guidance, policies and procedures that we are implementing during this time, working with our partners to maintain the safety of our participants and staff. 5
BY THE NUMBERS
TOTAL PARTICIPANTS: 587
CONSERVATION CREW PARTICIPANTS: 163 INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENTS: 424
DEMOGRAPHICS Gender Female: 52.40% Male: 44.91% Other: 1.67% N/A: 1.02% Age 14-18: 9.93% 19-25: 60.86% >25: 29.15% N/A: 0.19% Ethniciticy Hispanic/Latino: 12.75% Non-Hispanic/Latino: 82.77% Prefer not to answer/blank: 4.48% Race American Indian or Alaskan Native: 9.42% Asian American: 3.27% Black/African American: 3.72% More than One of the Above: 3.27% Other: 4.10% Pacific Islander: 0.26% Prefer Not To Answer: 2.24% White: 73.67% Education Associates Degree: 4.42% Bachelors Degree: 48.62% Do not have a High School Diploma or GED and are not enrolled in HSD or GED programs: 2.24% Enrolled in High School or GED program: 5.19% Have a GED: 1.02% Have a High School Diploma: 11.34% Masters Degree: 7.05% Prefer Not To Answer/Blank: 0.64% Professional Degree: 0.64% Some College:18.83%
ACCOMPLISHMENTS CREWS:
INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENTS:
83,371 TOTAL HOURS WORKED 228 MILES OF TRAIL CREATED/MAINTAINED 15,395 FEET OF NEW TRAIL BUILT 7,426 ACRES RESTORED OR IMPROVED
97,808 TOTAL VOLUNTEER HOURS LEVERAGED 151 MILES OF TRAIL CREATED/MAINTAINED 740,850 ACRES OF LAND SURVEYED 692 ACRES RESTORED OR IMPROVED
PARK LOCATIONS AND PROJECT SITES Agate Fossil Beds National Monument Alaska Public Lands Information Center Alaska Regional Office American Memorial Park Amistad National Recreation Area Anchorage AK Andrew Johnson National Historic Site Antietam National Battlefield Appomattox Court House NHP Assateague Island National Seashore Atlanta GA Aztec Ruins National Monument Badlands National Park Bandelier National Monument Big Bend National Park Big Cypress National Preserve Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area Big Thicket National Preserve Biological Resources Division Biscayne National Park Blue Ridge Parkway Boston Buffalo National River C&O Canal National Historical Park Cabrillo National Monument Cache la Poudre Canyonlands National Park Capitol Reef National Park Cape Cod National Seashore Cape Hatteras National Seashore Cape Lookout National Seashore Capitol Reef National Park Carl Sandburg Home NHS Carlsbad Caverns National Park Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Catoctin Mountain Park Central Alaska Network Central High School National Historic Site Chaco Culture National Historical Park Channel Islands National Park, Interpretation Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Chattanooga Tennessee Chesapeake & Ohio Canal NHP Chickamauga and Chattanooga NMP Chinese Historical Society of New England Chiricahua National Monument Colonial National Historical Park Colorado National Monument Coltsville National Historical Park Conagree National Park Coronado National Memorial Craters of the Moon NM&P Curecanti National Recreation Area Death Valley National Park Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Denali National Park and Preserve Denver Devils Tower National Monument Dinosaur National Monument El Malpais National monument El Morro National Monument Fire Island Nation Seashore First State National Historic Park Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Fort Matanzas National Monument Fort Monroe National Historic Site Fort Pulaski National Monument Fort Sumter National Monument, Interpretation
Fossil Butte National Monument Ft. Collins Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve Gateway National Recreation Area Geologic Resources Division George Washington Memorial Parkway Gettysburg National Military Park Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Glacier National Park Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Golden Gate National Recreation Area Grand Canyon National Park Grand Portage National Monument Grand Staircase-Escalante National Park Grand Teton National Park Great Basin National Park Great Sand Dunes Park and Preserve Great Smoky Mountains National Park Guadalupe Mountains National Park Gulf Islands National Seashore Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Historic Preservation Training Center Home of FDR Honolulu, HI Hopewell Furnace Hot Springs National Park Hovenweep National Monument Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site Indiana Dunes National Park Intermountain Region Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve Jewel Cave National Monument John Day Fossil Beds National Monument Joshua Tree National Park Kaloko-Honokhau National Historical Park Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Keweenaw National Historical Park Kings Canyon National Park Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Lake Mead National Recreation Area Lakewood Lassen Volcanic National Park Lava Beds National Monument Lincoln Home National Historic Site Los Angeles Lowell National Historical Park Lyndon B Johnson National Historic Park Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site Mammoth Cave National Park Manassas National Battlefield Park Manzanar National Historic Site Mather School Mesa Verde National Park Minute Man National Historic Park Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Mojave Desert Network Monocacy National Battfield Montezuma Castle National Monument Mormon Pioneer Mount Rainier National Park Muir Woods National Monument Natchez Trace Parkway National Capital Region National Mall and Memorial Parks National Parks of New York Harbor New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park New Hampshire
New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park New River Gorge National River North Cascades National Park North East Region Cultural Resource Division Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network Ocmulgee National Monument Office of Public Health, Health Promotion Branch Olympic National Park Omaha Midwest Regional Office Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Pacific West Region Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park Pecos National Historical Park Petrified Forest National Park Petroglyph National Monument Pinnacles National Park Point Reyes National SeashorePortland President’s Park Prince William Forest ParkRedwood National Park Richmond National Battlefield River Raisin National Battlefield Park Rock Creek Park Rocky Mountain National Park Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Saguaro National Park San Antonio Missions National Historical Park San Juan Island National Historical Park Sangre de Cristo Santa Fe County National and Scenic Trails Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Seattle Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park Shenandoah National Park Sierra Nevada Network South Carolina National Heritage Corridor Southeast Regional Office Southwest Alaska Network Springfield Armory National Historic SiteSt. Paul Stones River National Battlefield Sunset Crater National Monument Timucuan Ecological and Historic PreserveTule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument Tuzigoot National Monument Valles Caldera National Preserve Valley Forge National Historical Park Vanderbilt National Historic Site Vicksburg National Military Park Virgin Islands Waco Mammoth National Monument Walnut Canyon National Monument War in the Pacific National Historical Park Washington Support Office Water Resources Division Weir Farm National Historic Site White Sands National Monument Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts Woodstock, VT Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Wright Brothers National Memorial Wupatki National Monument Yellowstone National Park Yosemite National park Zion National Park
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Conservation Legacy Program Highlights
APPALACHIAN CONSERVATION CORPS & CONSERVATION CORPS NORTH CAROLINA HOURS WORKED
8,678
ACRES OF LAND IMPROVED
954
TRAILS IMPROVED
38 MILES
The Appalachian Conservation Corps (ACC) and Conservation Corps North Carolina (CCNC) move forward from the tradition of the Civilian Conservation Corps to engage young people in conservation service projects and is based in Harrisonburg, Virginia. In FY2020 ACC and CCNC received $344,020 in funding from the National Park Service, which supported adult and youth programming and projects in VA, WV, NC and DC areas.
“Serving in a
National Park has given me the direct opportunity to teach the next generation of park stewards why this wild place is valuable to our nation.” –Crew Member Appalachian Conservation Corps
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS WEROWOCOMOCO ANCESTRAL LANDS INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT The Werowocomoco Ancestral Lands Individual Placement is based at Colonial National Historical Park (Colonial NHP) in Yorktown, Virginia. The National Park Service staff at Colonial NHP and the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail are responsible for the protection of Werowocomoco in Gloucester VA. National Park Service staff in consultation with seven tribal partners is gathering information about Werowocomoco, understanding it as a Native place, and preparing Werowocomoco to open to the public. Werowocomoco is an internationally significant Native place where the leader Wahunsenacawh, also known as Powhatan, lived and received the newly arrived English leaders. Archeology shows that Native people had been
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coming to Werowocomoco for thousands of years, and that by the year 1200, many homes were placed there along the river bluff. The interior of the site included landscape features that marked it as sacred. Beginning in early August 2020, the National Park Service began hosting two Native Americans in this Individual Placement program focused on introducing the participants to major aspects of national park operations. Cheyenne Sherwin and Connor Tupponce, the current IPs, have begun to train with staff from four divisions at Colonial NHP— Interpretation & Education, Law Enforcement, Facility Management, and Resource Management, and are serving with staff to apply new skills at and for Werowocomoco as circumstances allow.
Already, the Individual Placements have participated in Tribal Consultations, worked with Facility Management on projects including dock repair, tree work, and facility support, and Resource Management with a focus on cultural resources in processing and curating artifacts. Examples of future training and projects may include: developing educational programs such as a Junior Ranger activity book and curricula, surveying and estimating the deer population at Werowocomoco, inventorying native and invasive plant species, assisting with archeological monitoring, observing patrols of Werowocomoco by law enforcement rangers, caring for the grounds and buildings at Werowocomoco. This is a representative list and will vary depending on the needs of the property at the time. The long-term goal is for the participants to develop career paths leading to opportunities at Werowocomoco.
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION EXOTIC PLANT MANAGEMENT The National Capital Region (NCR) manages more than 48 separate sites across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. This includes parks, forest parks, monuments, memorials, battlefields, historic sites, scenic trails, parkways, and much more. Through these many locations, the NCR offers a variety of recreational activities as well as natural, cultural, and historic wonders that draw visitors locally, nationally, and internationally to our Nation’s Capital. Appalachian Conservation Corps (ACC) is proud to partner with the National Park Service to complete important conservation projects as well as to provide young adults with structured, safe, and challenging work, educational opportunities and an ethic of natural resource stewardship. From October 1, 2019 through September 20, 2020, seven Individual Placements from ACC have worked to provide invasive plant management support to the parks and partner across the NCR. Individual Placements are working side-by-side with trained staff to conduct invasive plant control treatments as well as developing tools and conducting species prioritization for non-native species present or with the potential to be introduced in region. The National Capital Region encompasses several major metropolitan areas including Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia and is close in proximity to Richmond, VA, and Baltimore, MD. These parks and NPS-supported sites provide endless recreational opportunities for individuals, families, and focus groups to enjoy public lands and step away from the pressures of an urban environment. They also provide the economic benefits (employment opportunities, support to local business, overall monetary income, and more) of tourism to communities in the area. Invasive or non-native plants are plant species that are often intentionally
or unintentionally moved by people to places outside their known natural range where they would not likely have been dispersed by wind, water, or wildlife. Invasive species become invasive when they grow abundantly and in a way that causes habitat degradation, displacement of native plants and animals, and disruption of ecological processes. As a result, invasive plant species threaten infrastructure protection. Through monitoring, inventory, prioritization and treatment of invasive species,
ACC Individual Placements with IPMT are striving to restore natural balance in local ecosystems. By protecting infrastructure in this way, ACC IPMT Individual Placements are supporting resiliency in these sites and communities as well as revitalizing ecosystems across the parks and properties to welcome visitor use for years to come.
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Conservation Legacy Program Highlights
ARIZONA CONSERVATION CORPS & CONSERVATION CORPS NEW MEXICO HOURS WORKED
42,660
MILES OF TRAIL MAINTAINED
106
ACRES RESTORED
2,078
Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC) provides young adults with challenging service and educational opportunities throughout the full calendar year from the White Mountains, Flagstaff and Tucson, AZ. Conservation Corps New Mexico, AZCC’s sister program, operates from Las Cruces, NM and works regionally throughout Southern New Mexico. In FY2020, Arizona Conservation Corps and Conservation Corps New Mexico received $498,083 in funding from the National Park Service, which supported conservation corps crew projects throughout the Southwest, serving youth, young adults, veterans and native communities, and improving recreational access, tackling infrastructure and maintenance projects and preserving cultural resources in some of the country’s most stunning parks.
lized 32.76 miles of trail and cleared .6 miles of waterways. In partnership with the National Park Service (NPS), Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC) brought on an Ancestral Lands Trail Crew and one Ancestral Lands Intern to assist NPS staff with accomplishing important work at the Grand Canyon National Park. The main objective of this project was to engage American Indian youth from eleven tribes traditionally associated with Grand Canyon National Park, and provide them with challenging, service-based work opportunities in a culturally significant landscape. The Ancestral Lands program at GRCA serves Indigenous youth by providing culturally meaningful connections to their ancestral homelands through conservation corps experiences, natural and cultural resource stewardship, preservation trade skill development. They gain “real world” or hands-on experience outside of the classroom, with the added benefit of creating meaningful connections for tribal youth to places of cultural, spiritual, and historic significance to their tribes.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC) in partnership with the National Park Service engaged a crew of young adults in the fall 2019 winter of 2020 to complete work in Southern Arizona. This partnership allowed for this group to gain knowledge and experience of maintenance and repair of roads, trails, buildings and historic structures, habitat restoration, seed collection, removal of invasive plants, wildlife monitoring, crosscut saw work, and interpretive work with members of the public. This work was completed at Chiricahua National Monument, nearby Fort Bowie National Historic Site and Coronado National Memorial, for a six-month term of National Service. The crew learned about the natural and cultural park resources as well as life skills such as 9
teamwork and disciplines in trade skills such as how to use tools, effective communication, risk management, logistics. The overall goals of this agreement uses these experiences as a means of exposing the youth to natural and cultural resource programs and the environment in a land management agency. All trails within the Chiricahua National Monument were maintained, in addition to sections of the Butterfield trail within Fort Bowie NHS and sections of trail on the Coronado National Memorial. The staff at the Monument were instrumental in the development of our members and involved them heavily in educational components of the work as well as providing opportunities for trainings within the park. In total the crew improved and restored 17.74 acres of land, maintenance and stabi-
A Conservation Corps New Mexico (CCNM) Crew has been working at the Guadalupe Mountains National Park on projects to repair, restore, and maintain approximately six miles of backcountry hiking trails in the park. The trail work consists primarily of vegetation trimming, boulder pulverizing for tread material, trail tread restoration, and drainage maintenance on the Frijole and Juniper Trail systems. The work this crew has completed will ensure safe trails for visitors and employees that hike the trails. This project provides the opportunity for youth to contribute to the improvement of a significant cultural and natural resource area; educates the participants to the value and importance in caring and preserving cultural and natural resources; allows youth to work on a major community service project; fosters the development teamwork and self-confidence through completion of these challenging work projects. The exposure participants receive helps cultivate a positive relationship between youth and the Park and builds a constituency of advocates who support the NPS mission and create awareness of career opportunities within various field of resource management.
Conservation Legacy Program Highlights
SOUTHEAST CONSERVATION CORPS HOURS WORKED
5,025
MILES OF TRAIL MAINTAINED
20
BRIDGES BUILT
1
Southeast Conservation Corps (SECC) operates conservation service programs throughout the Southeast that focus on empowering young people to cultivate compassion, responsibility and grit through community service, hard work and environmental stewardship. SECC is based in Chattanooga, TN. In FY2020, Southeast Conservation Corps received $462,417 in funding from the National Park Service and continued a strong partnership, placing crew members and individual placements in positions working on projects in nearby parks, spanning Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi, Kentucky, Alabama and Virgina.
“The professionalism of this crew and of Southeast Conservation Corps, in general, is always top-notch.” –Chris Young, Partner, Chickamauga and Chattanooga NMP
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS VEGETATION MONITORING INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT PROGRAM Southeast Conservation Corps’ (SECC) vegetation monitoring interns work alongside Park Service staff to inventory and monitor vegetation located within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM). One of the main projects that our interns have been working on this year is assessing the “Vital Signs” of the Park’s ecology. This includes evaluating air quality, water chemistry, fisheries, vegetation, soil, and climate of various vegetation plots.
Data collection within the plots mostly focuses on the species richness and abundance of the vegetation found there. To successfully gather data to record for this project, one must be able to identify tree species, setup plots using compass and bearings, identify seedling species, and identify woody stem species. One must also record several other indicators of forest health including analysis of soil samples, analysis of dead and decaying wood, and analysis of tree cores, amongst others. Photographs are usually taken in each plot to visualize the plant community structure and composition of the area. Photos can be used as a comparison when these vegetation plots are revisited every 5 years as a part of this long-term study.
GRSM has set up a total of 32 plots (each plot amounts to 10,000 square meters) that are to be assessed by the end of the summer season. Once these 32 plots are inventoried, then the first 5 years of this project will have been completed! This is a huge accomplishment considering that the fieldwork completed during these past five years gives the Park the baseline data they will use to monitor any changes to those Vital Signs listed above.
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Conservation Legacy Program Highlights
SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION CORPS HOURS WORKED
27,007
MILES OF TRAIL MAINTAINED
13
ACRES IMPROVED
5,208
Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) operates conservation service programs across Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico with offices in Durango and Salida, CO, Gallup, Acoma, and Zuni, NM. In FY2020, Southwest Conservation Corps received $1,663,193 in funding from the National Park Service for regional projects that engaged youth, young adults, veterans and native communities in the Southwest.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Southwest Conservation Corps, (SCC) has been running a long-term crew at Great Sand Dunes National Park working on trails, and that same crew went to Florissant Fossil Bed National Monument for a two week period to remove invasive vegetation. At Great Sand Dunes National Park, the crew has been working on the extensive trail system beyond the Dunes, working largely out of Music Pass. The crew has reestablished tread, reinforced drains, and cut out some felled logs blocking the trails. In addition, the physical work they’ve been doing, they’ve also been inventorying the trail system using GPS apps so that the park has updated data on trail conditions throughout the park. At Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, the crew applied herbicide for Canadian Thistle and hand pulled Pennycrest covering 98.9 combined acres. Despite the challenges Covid19 has presented, SCC has found that this crew, as well as our additional crews, have followed our protocols with fidelity, incorporating them into the culture and general operations of the crew. It has been meaningful to be able to offer this opportunity to young adults during these particularly challenging times and SCC is grateful to the National Park Service for their support and dedication. “After this experience and the next internship, I hope to officially start working for the National Park Service. During graduate school, people would always ask me, “what’s your end goal” or “where do you want to end up”, and I always gave them an answer along the lines of “some federal or state agency.” It was more of a generic answer at the time because truly I would have been fine with either as long as I get to work with nature or conservation in some aspect and a bonus with wildlife. Working at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve really helped solidify my choice of working for an agency but I have learned that there is something special about being able to work for the National Park Service. This experience really helped me to see the value in places like this, the people who keep these sites beautiful, and the importance of protecting and preserving the history and resources of these parks and that really made me want to be able to contribute to that going forward. To keep this momentum going once I am done with Southwest Conservation Corps, I will work diligently on applying to positions in national parks in many states and work to keep my resume updated.” –Holly Anderson, SCC Crew Member
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Conservation Legacy Program Highlights
ANCESTRAL LANDS
FY 2020, has been a year of flexibility, a year to be resilient, and a year of perseverance under very difficult circumstances. Despite the COVID19 Pandemic’s major impacts to the Native Nations that we serve and subsequently to our program, Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps will complete more than 23 projects, totaling over 30 weeks, at 23 different NPS units throughout the Southwest through direct support from the National Park Service’s Youth Programs Division (WASO).
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS: El Morro National Monument Headlands Trai Four Ancestral Lands crews worked at El Morro National Monument to help reconstruct the Headlands Trail, a 2-mile loop that takes visitors past petroglyphs and more modern inscriptions as well as to the top of the bluff, past the Atsinna historic site, where nearly 600 people lived from 1275 to 1350 AD. Leveraging funds from the Youth Programs Division, crews constructed over 2 miles of new trail. Total nonWASO dollars = $87,300 from El Morro NM in 2020, plus additional work planned for 2021.
“Partnering with Ancestral Lands has given Glen Canyon National Recreation Area the ability to rehabilitate damaged and degraded areas that we otherwise could not have rehabilitated. ” –Tatiana Smail, Range Technician, Glen Canyon NRA
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Horseshoe Bend Rehabilitation Four Ancestral Lands crew members will support planting efforts alongside Glen Canyon Biology staff. The crew will be charged with planting low growing shrubs, upland species and cacti near and along Horseshoe Bend parking lot and trail. The crew will support for a total of four weeks improving approximately 6.66 acres of disturbed land within GLCA. The planting will create habitat for wildlife, as well as to restore desert slopes from prior construction that was done to improve visitor use. High School Equivalency Degree program One AL crew consisting of 5 Native American young people are completing this inaugural program in which they will earn their HSED (GED) while completing important conservation and stewardship projects at Petroglyph National Monument, the City of Albuquerque’s BioPark and Open Space, Bernalillo County Open Space, La Plazita Institute. In addition to their HSED, participants will complete financial literacy and other professional development trainings to prepare them for long term success. Total non-WASO dollars = $105,500 from Bernalillo County, City of Albuquerque, PETR, Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, and the Albuquerque Community Foundation.
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Conservation Legacy Program Highlights
STEWARDS INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT PROGRAM Stewards Individual Placement Program places AmeriCorps Members in communities across America for up to a year of volunteer service by facilitating partnerships between federal agencies and community-based nonprofit groups. Based in Beckley, WV and Durango, CO, Stewards serves local communities across the nation. Stewards Individual Placement Program supported AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA placements with programs such as the Historic Preservation Training Center, the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, Geo-Scientists-in-the-Parks and Community Volunteer Ambassadors and received $7,695,135 in funding from the National Park Service.
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS
VOLUNTEER HOURS
300,672*
VALUE OF VOLUNTEER HOURS
$8,178,278
TOTAL FY20 CVAS
60
Stewards Individual Placement Program (Stewards) is excited to have completed our second year in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) to facilitate the Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) Program. The CVA Program combines the strength of a national leader in conservation service with the National Park Service in order to train a diverse group of emerging leaders to assist park units in building lasting connections to local communities. Sixty young professionals served as CVA members for 50 weeks at NPS sites across the country, from Saipan to Florida.
*Total hours to date for the CVA Program
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“You don’t all have to be employees or uniformed park rangers. We are more inclusive of other people in other organizations, and [the] Parks belong to us all.” –Charles Beall, Superintendant, Seattle Area National Park Sites
BRENDA PADILLA, MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK Brenda Padilla is a Community Volunteer Ambassador at Mammoth Cave Park and is serving an AmeriCorps term from February 10, 2020-January 22, 2021. Her projects focus on assisting the park Volunteer Coordinator in expanding outreach and to support volunteerism in the local communities, schools, civic organizations, youth organizations such as YMCA, and local veteran’s organizations. Her projects began with an archeological rock shelter restoration located in a very remote area of the park which required help from law enforcement to bring all necessary equipment and personnel in. Despite the difficulties of getting the equipment and personnel situated, they managed to have a team of archeologists restore the rock shelter that had been vandalized. Amazingly, their efforts revealed many animal bones and remnants of Native Americans from the late Archaic Period.
SETAREH NOURIBOSHEHRI, CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT “With the rise in volunteers, our park is noticing a trend in younger individuals looking to get a deeper experience in the mission of the National Park Service. As a result, I have created two programs: 1) the Conservation & Environmental Stewards Apprentice Program and 2) the Interdisciplinary Apprentice Program. The first program has recruited three minors—who have participated in our park’s EcoLogik Summer Camp—to conduct educational programs, conduct invasive species removal efforts, publish field notes, and be mentored alongside our science educator and biologist. The second program has recruited two college students to expand on the former program’s scope by creating a lasting interpretive program for our park. My vision is to see these roles encourage longterm volunteerism and support my previous deliverables. These students—ages 12 to 21—have since accrued a collective 363 hours (a little less than 10% of the overall hours for this quarter) removing invasive species, interpreting our park resources to the public during community outreach events, protecting our tide pools, teaching our visitors through science modules, planting and watering new plants, and swearing in Junior Rangers.”
Other project highlights Brenda and her team have been able to accomplish include the restoration of the Bransford Cemetery. She recruited 15 volunteers who worked a total of 6.17 hours lopping, sawing, and weed whacking until they reached the end of the .31 mile corridor to the cemetery. Plans for the obelisk delivery are still in the process but have been slowed down due to COVID. Lastly, Brenda assisted with a major successful project to clean up the Turley Cave entrance which had over the years, accumulated a significant amount of trash. Through extensive planning and collaborations with neighbors to the Park, the project was completed in a little over four days with 10 sporadic volunteers, who worked a total of 177.75 hours combined. The amount of debris they collected was 9,955 lbs. and found 3,740 lbs. of scrap metal Lastly, this project will be showcased at our virtual field excursion for the Conservation of Fragile Karst Resources Workshop hosted for UNESCO.
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Conservation Legacy Program Highlights
STEWARDS INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT PROGRAM HISTORIC PRESERVATION TRAINING CENTER 2020 marks Conservation Legacy’s Stewards Individual Placements second year of supporting the Traditional Trades Apprenticeship Program (TTAP). With the longstanding HPTC partnership, the success of the project is contributed to Stewards understanding in working within the Youth Corps model to perfectly complement HPTC’s unique work in the field of Historic Preservation. The partnership is one that recognizes the values and goals of programming and that the desired outcome is a meaningful experience for a young adult and ideally the member obtains a full-time position. Stewards works with HPTC staff to ensure that the experience of the Stewards TTAP members was rewarding and productive. The Traditional Trades Apprenticeship Program will provide long-term training opportunities to young adults and veterans to learn and develop the hands-on skills of preserving and maintaining cultural resource infrastructure while supporting an effort to decrease deferred maintenance at National Park Service sites across the country. The Traditional Trades Apprenticeship Program’s main goal is to retain the working knowledge of the preservation trades within the National Park Service. TTAP supports and stimulates deferred maintenance and preservation trades work while providing hands-on transferrable skills training, an introduction to the National Park Service, and an ethic of resource stewardship to young adults and post-9/11 veterans, as participants of youth and veteran service oganizations. This program enabled the initial participation of six veterans and 12 young adults and allowed for four term extensions. The collective 2020 Traditional Trades Apprenticeship Program cohort will have safely completed over 17,945 hours of work on NPS Preservation Projects. This work contributes toward reducing the deferred maintenance backlog in the National Park Service. EMILY FORLENZA, FORT PULASKI NATIONAL MONUMENT “This program has provided members that have held critical roles in the preservation crew at Fort Pulaski National Monument. This program gives individuals with no trades experience all of the skills and tools they need to pursue a future career in preservation-related trades such as masonry, carpentry, and metal working. At Fort Pulaski, our primary focus has been masonry since our primary asset is our third system brick fortification. Members have completed projects having to do with preserving and stabilizing the masonry walls, repairing and rebuilding a historic drainage system, and various other projects that have been important for the preservation of the park.” EMILY HART, FORT PULASKI NATIONAL MONUMENT “Here at Fort Pulaski we have benefited tremendously from the TTAP program. We have been able to accomplish preservation projects while still being flexible with the nuances and unforeseen conditions that preservation projects tend to produce. Additionally we have been able to hire some of the interns for term positions. We have hired 4 of 13 trained interns that have completed the program. The TTAP program gives us the opportunity to enrich the lives of youth, help them to develop an interest and passion about our mission and produce a quality deliverable that benefits our cultural resources. We appreciate the continued opportunity to participate.”
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“This
program gives individuals with no trades experience all of the skills and tools they need to pursue a future career in preservation-related trades.” –Emily Forlenza, HPTC Member
RIVERS, TRAILS AND CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE The National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program supports community-led natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation projects across the nation. In 2019, 33 RTCA Individual Placements served with the Stewards program. ROLANDO HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ, RTCA OFFICE, WASH. D.C.
GEOSCIENTISTS-IN-THE-PARKS The Geoscientists-in-the-Parks (GIP) program provides college students and recent graduates with short-term, paid, internships with the National Park Service. In 2019, there were 181 GIP Individual Placements serving with Stewards. JOHN EHRENBERG, KALOKO-HONOKAOHAU Megan Gross recently wrapped up her second term at Joshua Tree National Park (JOTR) as a Paleontology Assistant with the Geoscientists-in-the-Parks (GIP) program. Megan’s favorite activities as a GIP were assisting in the Abandoned Mineral Lands (AML) projects that were scheduled for fall 2019 and spring 2020. “I assisted in closing 2 fairly big mine projects. The first one was El Sid and involved lots of camping, lots of evolving ideas on how to close the mine, and lots of physical labor, which I love. The second closure, Golden Bell, ... became a central part of my duties during the final 3 months of my term with GIP at JOTR. This allowed me to spend time using my knowledge of mine closures, geology, and my critical thinking skills in the field with [one of my supervisors], Stacy.” During her time at JOTR, Megan worked on a wide range of projects, both small and large. She was most proud of her final project for her paleontology research, which was completing and getting her paleontology map published and online with ArcGIS.
Lucy Portman- Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, Seattle, WA Lucy Portman is all-star Steward serving with the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) Program in Seattle, Washington. Throughout her first 47-week term, Lucy has had the opportunity to initiate, develop, and complete a number of exciting conservation projects. Lucy helped plan and facilitate two design charrettes with projects in Eastern Washington and Central Oregon. She and her team will be using the concepts and materials sourced from these workshops to develop concept plans for the projects, which will be adopted into local jurisdiction and allow the trail and recreational projects to move forward. Working with several different partners, Lucy had the opportunity to support the Wild and Scenic Rivers program on the completion and release of a River Access Planning Guide, a framework document to assist planners in enhancing river access.
“I am most proud of this project because I only knew the basics about ArcMap and ArcCollector prior to coming to JOTR. I am proud to say that with training from [my supervisor], Stacy, I was able to produce a map that is well organized and perfectly understandable. The map I produced includes all the paleontological data that I collected. The data collection, data management, and metadata management is thorough and concise so that the future possibilities of this map are endless. It will allow the next person to swiftly start conducting paleontological reconnaissance from where I left off and will allow this person to easily step in and update the map, their data and all of their metadata.” Megan’s time at the Joshua Tree overcame several obstacles. Megan’s initial position was delayed due to the 5 week government shutdown of 2018-2019. Megan’s second term wrapped up just as restrictions started to ramp up because of COVID-19 and as the situation evolved, Megan and her supervisors developed ways for her to complete her projects while still being safe. “I really enjoyed my 2 terms as a Geoscientist-in-the-Parks intern at Joshua Tree National Park. I feel very proud to have been able to complete this program.”
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Conservation Legacy Program Highlights
LEVERAGED FUNDING HIGHLIGHT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION Conservation Legacy is proud to be one of the leading corps partners of the National Park Foundation in their $3.7 million initiative to expand young diverse leaders’ capacity to help protect national parks, lift up communities, and gain in-demand job skills training through service corps programs.
CONSERVATION CORPS NORTH CAROLINA WOMENS CREW LINVILLE TRAILS, BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY A six member all-female Conservation Corps North Carolina (CCNC) crew did eight weeks of work between June 29 and August 13 to improve the Linville Falls Trail. Thousands of visitors traverse the easy walking trail each week to see and photograph Linville falls through four different overlooks. The trail accessing these overlooks showed heavy erosion due to heavy foot traffic and water. The crew’s focus was improvements to a steep and heavily eroded trail section between Upper Falls Junction and Gorge View Overlook that had large, exposed tree roots and braided sections where water and foot traffic had widened and deepened the trail tread. The crew removed or repositioned locusts rounds, constructed grade dips and other drainage features, rehabilitated the trail tread, reframed the trail edge, placed several hundred pounds of gravel on the trail, and obliterated areas that had widened beyond acceptable boundaries. CCNC supported a crew of six members rather than eight to allow for COVID-19 policies and protocols, which included more supervision, sanitization and social distancing. CCNC equipped the crew with two vehicles rather than one to allow for social distancing. A second six member all-female CCNC crew is now completing eight weeks of work between August 31 and October 14 to finish the Linville Falls Trail and make improvements to the Linville Falls Wilderness Trail. The crew will address eroded trail sections and a deteriorating staircase and fence.
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SOUTHEAST CONSERVATION CORPS WOMENS CREW CHICKAMAUGA AND CHATTANOOGA NATIONAL MILITARY PARK In partnership with both Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park and the National Park Foundation, Southeast Conservation Corps fielded its second Women’s Conservation Crew in the Summer of 2020. All members of this crew were local participants from Chattanooga and surrounding towns, including two young women returning to Southeast Conservation Corps from the 2019 Summer season. Over the course of five weeks they repaired and reset bog bridges damaged during a catastrophic storm in Spring 2020 and performed extensive repairs to a pedestrian bridge that connects the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center to the park’s trail system. Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park provides an incredible mix of education and recreation opportunities to Chattanooga and surrounding communities, as well as to the greater Southeast region. The site reflects the history of this area as a key part of the Civil War and provides a glimpse into the lives of those who lived on those lands before it took on any historic significance. The crew then turned their attention to a heavily trafficked bridge that had seen a lot of love over more than twenty years. They initially planned to remove and replace planking from the walking surface of the bridge, but soon set loftier goals. Rather than simple repairs, the crew set about the hard work of constructing large retaining walls to protect the foundation of the bridge from the threat of erosion, ensuring its safety for years to come. They then replaced the bridge’s decking and constructed new railings for visitor safety and ADA compliance. National Park Service staff were highly complementary of the work performed, as were the many visitors who crossed the bridge after construction was completed. Yet, the highest praise for members of this crew came from two surprise guests on different days – members of the local running club who had constructed the previous bridge as a volunteer project in 1997. The bridge will provide safe access to Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park’s extensive trails system for years to come, enhancing visitor experience for both tourists in the area and local community members who hike those trails daily.
AMERICORPS VISTAS The National Park Foundation (NPF) awarded a grant agreement to Conservation Legacy in support of the Strong Parks, Strong Communities Initiative. The goal is to provide capacity to national park philanthropic partner organizations (Friends Groups) across the country by placing 20 AmeriCorps VISTAs in one-year terms. Recipient organizations receive $6,500 in funding from this grant to provide partial funding support towards the cost of a VISTA, as placed by Conservation Legacy’s Stewards Individual Placements. To date, Stewards has placed twelve (12) AmeriCorps VISTA Members whose projects range from fund development and grant writing to strategic plan implementation. Stewards is currently supporting national recruitment efforts for an additional four (4) Friends Groups with AmeriCorps VISTA Projects These projects will focus on increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion to increase park visitation among people of color, engaging the next generation in environmental stewardship, and building overall capacity for newly established Friends Groups.
JEFF BABIK, GLACIER NATIONAL PARK CONSERVANCY Serving in one of our most remote NPF VISTA service sites, Jeff is currently seven months into his service year. He recently submitted his biggest grant to date, available through the Montana State Historic Preservation Office. If the grant is awarded, Glacier will be able to receive about $500,000 in grant funds, hoping to use this award to help fully restore the Historic Burton and Lulu Wheeler Cabin in Glacier National Park. Everyone at Glacier is very optimistic about the grant, and appreciative of Jeff’s efforts in tackling such a large ask. Beyond this monumental feat, Jeff focuses most of his time on sustainability through grant writing and funding efforts, supporting outreach efforts to private foundations in the hopes of starting relationships that might lead to funding opportunities, and directly reporting his efforts and outcomes to the Conservancy’s board members. Jeff is looking forward to the rest of his service year and is very thankful for the professional development opportunities his VISTA term has afforded him.
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Conservation Legacy Program Highlights
PRESERVE AMERICA YOUTH SUMMITS
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Preserve America Youth Summit programming was cancelled for 2020. The program wanted to keep the participants active during the summer, lauching a Virtual Field Trip campaign on their social media sites. Over the course of 60 days, 180 places were presented to over 800 PAYS audience members. Information about each site as well as links to resources and further exploration was part of each post. Alumni created over 150 Instagram, Facebook and Twitter posts that highlighted historic places that are registered in CO, TX, MT, WA, CA, NM. Students launched a social media campaign in place of the traditional Field School Summit that occurs every summer. Participants were looking for ways to advocate for parks and historic places since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 postponed the planned summits to 2021. The virtual highlight started on June 15, 2020 and included one Colorado historic site, one National Park, and one out of state location which were highlighted at minimum to match a theme of a day or a topic at hand.
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PARTNER AND PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCE CREW MEMBER,
CREW MEMBER,
SOUTHEAST CONSERVATION CORPS “It can take a long time to identify the experiences that will shape you, that will change your life. After just a few days spent on the trail, I was awakened to the spirit of our mission by the significance of our impact, unfolding before my eyes with every stroke of our tools; the value of team-building with our crew, and the dedication of our team leaders to education and fostering an environment of mutual respect.
SOUTHEAST CONSERVATION CORPS
I am incredibly lucky and excited to continue this journey for the next three months. I can’t wait to continue contributing in big and small ways to the mission of conservation.”
CREW MEMBER,
INTERN,
APPALACHIAN CONSERVATION CORPS “Serving in a National Park has given me the direct opportunity to teach the next generation of park stewards why this wild place is valuable to our nation. It’s proved that what I do makes a difference. It matters.”
CREW MEMBER,
CONSERVATION CORPS NEW MEXICO “This experience changed me completely. I understand how important National Parks and conservation are to the local community and the world as a whole. I no longer see myself working in a typical office job.”
CREW MEMBER,
CONSERVATION CORPS NORTH CAROLINA “This project was amazing because it encouraged teamwork and strong crew bonding. It also taught the value of hard work and perseverance, which I love. This program is absolutely amazing.”
“Our second project of this season was rebuilding the bridge near the visitors center in the Chickamauga Chattanooga National Military Park. The past few weeks we have been working to rebuild the support structures which is very particulate and time consuming but this week we started rebuilding the bridge and we could finally see how much work we really did and it was very rewarding.” SOUTHWEST CONSERVATION CORPS “The Dunes work is great backcountry work. We’ve been doing a lot of saw work and hiking and scouting. It’s difficult yet rewarding. I really like the opportunity to be in a wilderness setting and working with others to improve the land for everyone to enjoy.”
LORIN FELTER,
SUPERVISOR, FIRST STATE NHP “The work that Liz (intern with Stewards) creates, builds, and facilitates directly impacts the park and the community since she is the bridge between engaged citizens and work that needs to be completed to continue to protect public lands.” – Lorin Felter, Supervisor, First State National Historic Site
MATTHER HALL,
SUPERVISOR, GULF ISLANDS NS “Dillion (intern with Stewards) shepherded thousands of guests to Gulf Islands National Seashore to a better understanding of the National Park Service site, American history, and shared stewardship of public lands.”
INTERN,
STEWARDS INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENTS “My work absolutely contributed to the mission of the National Park Service. I see the fruit of my contribution towards the mission of the National Park Service every week mostly through our apprenticeship programs. We are supporting and building the next generation of National Park Service stewards, and they are worth every logistical effort.”
KRISTEN ALLEN, SUPERVISOR, RICHMOND NB
“As a result of Community Volunteer Ambassador position, the park gained 1,355 volunteer hours in 2019 and 143 hours so far in 2020. The CVA planned, recruited for and carried out 23 volunteer events in 2019, including National Public Lands Day, Park Day and a Bioblitz, and six so far in 2020.”
ALEX EDDY,
PARTNER, SIERRA NEVADA INVENTORY NETWORK “I appreciate that the management of the program is generally supportive of participants. I also appreciate all the responsible actions that the program took to manage the COVID-19 response. Communication surrounding COVID-19 response has been clear.” - Alex Eddy, Sierra Nevada Inventory Network
ALEX HERNANDEZ,
SUPERVISOR, YUMA CROSSING NHA “Given there were community impacts to COVID-19, the intern worked on virtual programming that assisted with continuing conservation education and served as a vital resource to the NHA as many of the state parks were closed during this period of time.”
CHRIS YOUNG,
SUPERVISOR, CHICKAMAUGA AND CHATTANOOGA NMP “The professionalism of this crew and of the SECC, in general, is always top-notch. I could not ask for a more friendly and professional crew to work with to accomplish the tasks set forth by the park. In addition to the leadership presented by the SECC staff, Hannah did very well in leading this crew, especially when dealing with the new addition of having to work a crew during the COVID-19 pandemic. I was impressed by the leadership exhibited by her during this season.”
“After just a few days spent on the trail, I was awakened to the spirit of our mission by the significance of our impact, unfolding before my eyes with every stroke of our tools.” –Crew Member, Southeast Conservation Corps
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CONCLUSION
FOSTERING CONSERVATION SERVICE IN SUPPORT OF COMMUNITIES & ECOSYSTEMS
LOCAL ACTION. ENDURING IMPACT.
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Participation in corps programming has a long track record of success resulting in young people developing professional and life skills as well as an increased awareness of environmental and resource stewardship. These activities promote the mission and vision to which both the National Park Service and Conservation Legacy are committed. The physical and financial support from the National Park Service, the interns, crews, communities, partner agencies, staff and partner conservation corps in this effort have been remarkable. Conservation Legacy and partner corps are humbled to continue to learn and grow together and to continue to provide systems, administrative and coordinating services that can build capacity at the local level to engage youth and young adults with public lands, for the betterment of our shared future. Conservation Legacy is extremely enthusiastic about the opportunity to continue its partnership with the National Park Service to expand opportunities for young people to serve on public lands and to provide much needed services in the areas of land restoration, trail maintenance and construction, vegetation management, historic preservation, wildfire prevention, community development and other critical needs.
APPENDIX A:
APPENDIX B:
VIDEO: A LOOK BACK AT YESTERYEAR ANCESTRAL LANDS STAFF
Crew Projects
PRESS AND MEDIA
https://www.facebook.com/ancestrallands/videos/603213306964679
FOREST, TRIBAL PARTNERSHIP SUPPORTS FIREWOOD TO HOPI, NAVAJO KNAU NPR https://www.knau.org/post/forest-tribal-partnership-supplies-firewood-hopi-and-navajo?fbclid=IwAR0lGNunIOt04bHcudk0ci0JFD7YEo2KEfaTkeNgBRw_q5mGLBFcwsDoTSY
FOREST, TRIBAL PARTNERSHIP SUPPORTS FIREWOOD TO HOPI, NAVAJO KNAU NPR https://www.knau.org/post/forest-tribal-partnership-supplies-firewood-hopi-and-navajo?fbclid=IwAR0lGNunIOt04bHcudk0ci0JFD7YEo2KEfaTkeNgBRw_q5mGLBFcwsDoTSY
SPARKING HOPE: FIREFIGHTER TRAINING HELPS VETS TRANSITION NAVAJO TIMES
FULL PROJECT LIST Ancestral Lands Grand Canyon National Prk Improve recreational access P19AC00942 Joshua Tree National Park Support local economies and restore community/cultural assets P19AC00007 AL19 NPS WASO Restore, protect and improve habitat P19AC00178
Shenandoah National Park Youth Improve recreational access P20AC01031 New River Gorge Improve recreational access NPF-ACC-2020-NRG-71400 Arizona Conservation Corps Grand Canyon National Park Improve recreational access P19AC00301 Montezuma Castle National Monument Restore, protect and improve habitat P19AC00680
Hubble Trading Post NHS Support local economies and restore community/cultural assets P19AC00518
Southern Arizona National Monuments Improve recreational access NPF-2019-$92,500
El Morro National Monument Improve recreational access P18AC00805
Intermountain Region Protect communities from wildfire and mitigate climate related impacts P19AC00158
Aztec Ruins National Monument Support local economies and restore community/cultural assets P19AC00548
Chiricahua National Monument Restore, protect and improve habitat P19AC01013
El Morro National Monument Improve recreational access P19AC00924
AZ19 1960 WASO Improve recreational access P19AC00178
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Restore, protect and improve habitat P19AC00876
Saguaro Natioal Park Restore, protect and improve habitat P19AC00591
AL19 NPS SWEPMT Restore, protect and improve habitat P19AC00455
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Restore, protect and improve habitat P19AC00849
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Restore, protect and improve habitat P19AC00984
Guadalupe National Monument Restore, protect and improve habitat P19AC01151
Canyon de Chelly National Monument Improve recreational access P19AC00421
Sunset Crater National Monument Improve recreational access P19AC01062
AL19 NPS SWEPMT Escalante Restore, protect and improve habitat P18AC00591 AL
Petrified Forest National Park Restore, protect and improve habitat P20AC00631
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EfLv6Obm5c
El Maplais National Monument Restore, protect and improve habitat P18AC00828
Flagstaff Area National Monuments Improve recreational access P20AC00622
NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION AND PARTNERS INCREASE INVESTMENT IN SERVICE CORPS PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY CISION PR NEWSWIRE
Tuzigoot National Monument Restore, protect and improve habitat P20AC00607
AZ20 2040 A-S Exclosure Crew Restore, protect and improve habitat 20-PA-11030100-071
Hubble Trading Post NHS Improve recreational access P20AC00442
AZ20 2043 NPS WASO Improve recreational access P19AC00178
AL20 NPS WASO Improve recreational access P20AC00397
Conservation Corps New Mexico Carlsbad Caversns National Park Improve recreational access P18AC00644
https://navajotimes.com/ae/people/sparking-hope-firefighter-training-helps-vets-transition-to-civilian-life-launch-careers/
VIDEO: CONSERVATION CORPS NORTH CAROLINA WOMEN’S CREW CONSERVATION LEGACY https://youtu.be/0syVMcVcR1E
SOUTHEAST CONSERVATION CORPS ENGAGES TEENS, YOUNG ADULTS IN OUTDOOR SERVICE PROJECTS CHATTANOOGA TIMES FREE PRESS https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/life/entertainment/story/2020/aug/29/ southeast-conservation-corps/530970/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_ Chattanooga_Times_Free_Press&fbclid=IwAR2NFK8TizqXKqhgygxpe3Cru892M-7x7rk_ cg28vERX_JIf51ztcCdIFs0
PHOTOS: SOUTHEAST CONSERVATION CORPS BUILDS BRIDGE AT CHICKAMAUGA PARK CHATTANOOGA TIMES FREE PRESS https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2020/aug/09/southeast-conservaticrops-builds-bridge-chick/529423/
VIDEO: CATCHING UP IN QUARANTINE CONSERVATION LEGACY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb_FArRKwmE&t=31s
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS BLOG CVA WEBSITE https://www.cvainternships.org/blog
VIDEO: THE DISTINGUISED LADIES OF LINVILLE CONSERVATION LEGACY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FQx6YetKTU
VIDEO: SECC AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INCLUSION CREW CONSERVATION LEGACY
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-park-foundation-and-partners-increase-investment-in-service-corps-programs-across-the-country-301140070.html
VIDEO: COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS CELEBRATE NPLD NATIONAL PARK SERVICE https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=429984707965186
Petroglyph National Monument Improve recreational access P20AC00727 Petrified Forest National Park Restore, protect and improve habitat P19AC00870 Appalachian Conservation Corps Blue Ridge Parkway Improve recreational access P19AC01049 Shenandoah National Park Improve recreational access SNPT-ACC-Crew-2020-$60,000
NM19 1916 NPF NPS GNP $82,500 Improve recreational access NPF-2019-$82,500 Conservation Corps North Carolina Blue Ridge Parkway Improve recreational access P20AC00761 Southeast Conservation Corps Great Smoky Mountains National Park Improve recreational access NPF-2019-$50,000
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APPENDIX B:
FULL PROJECT LIST Southeast Conservation Corps Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Improve recreational access P19AC00960 Natchez Trace Parkway Improve recreational access P19AC00762 South Carolina Heritage Corridor Improve recreational access P17AC01599 Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Improve recreational access NPF-East-2020-Womens’Crew-152500 Southwest Conservation Corps Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Improve recreational access P19AC01073 Mesa Verde National Park Improve recreational access P19AC00575 Hovenweep National Monument Support local economies and restore community/cultural assets P19AC00287 FC 19 NPS VFC Restore, protect and improve habitat P19AC00158 Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and Florissant Fosil Beds National Monument Restore, protect and improve habitat P20AC00535 Intermountain Region Protect communities from wildfire and mitigate climate related impacts P19AC00158 Chaco Culture National Historical Park Improve recreational access P20AC00665
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INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENTS: Community Volunteer Ambassadors Alaska Public Lands Information Center American Memorial Park Antietam National Battlefield Assateague Island National Seashore Big Cypress National Preserve Big South Fork NR&RA Big Thicket National Preserve Blue Ridge Parkway Cabrillo National Monument Catoctin Mountain Park Central High School National Historic Site Channel Islands National Park Chesapeake & Ohio Canal NHP Coltsville National Historical Park Congaree National Park Cuyahoga Valley National Park Delaware Water Gap NRA Fire Island National Seashore First State National Historical Park Fort Monroe National Historic Site Fort Sumter National Monument George Washington Memorial Parkway Glacier National Park Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Golden Gate National Recreation Area Grand Canyon National Park Great Smoky Mountains National Park Guadalupe Mountains National Par Gulf Islands National Seashore Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Hot Springs National Park Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Jean Lafitte National Historical Park Jewel Cave National Monument Joshua Tree National Park Keweenaw National Historical Park Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Business Center Lava Beds National Monument Lincoln Home National Historic Site Lowell National Historical Park Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, Interpretation Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site Mammoth Cave National Park, Science and Resources Management Division Manhattan Project National Historical Park Manzanar National Historic Site Mesa Verde National Park Minute Man National Historical Park Mississippi National R&RA Mount Rainier National Park National Mall and Memorial Parks National Parks of New York Harbor New Bedford Whaling NHP New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park Office of Public Health, Health Promotion Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park Pinnacles National Park Point Reyes National Seashore President’s Park Prince William Forest Park Richmond National Battlefield River Raisin National Battlefield Park Rock Creek Park Sagamore Hill National Historic Site San Antonio Missions NHP Santa Monica Mountains NRA Springfield Armory National Historic Site Stones River National Battlefield Valles Caldera National Preserve Valley Forge National Historical Park icksburg National Military Park Washington Support Office Weir Farm National Historic Site Yosemite National park Zion National Park Vicksburg National Military Park
Geoscientists-in-the-Parks Fossil Butte National Monument Agate Fossil Beds National Monument laska Regional Office Amistad National Recreation Area Assateague Island National Seashore Badlands National Park Bandelier National Monument Big Bend National Park and Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River Big Thicket National Preserve Biological Resources Division Biscayne National Park Buffalo National River Canyonlands National Park Capitol Reef National Park Cape Cod National Seashore Cape Hatteras National Seashore Capitol Reef National Park Carlsbad Caverns National Park Central Alaska Network Chaco Culture National Historical Park Chattahoochee River NRA Chesapeake & Ohio Canal NHP Colonial National Historical Park Colorado National Monument Conagree National Park Coronado National Memorial Craters of the Moon National Monument Curecanti National Recreation Area Death Valley National Park Delaware Water Gap NRA Denali National Park and Preserve Devils Tower National Monument Dinosaur National Monument El Morro National Monument Fire Island National Seashore Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Fort Matanzas National Monument Fort Pulaski National Monument Fossil Butte National Monument Gates of the Arctic National Park Geologic Resources Division Glacier National Park Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Grand Canyon National Park Grand Portage National Monument Grand Teton National Park Great Basin National Park Greater Yellowstone Jewel Cave National Monument John Day Fossil Beds National Monument Joshua Tree National Park Kaloko-Honokhau National Historical Park Kings Canyon National Park Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Lake Mead National Recreation AreaLassen Volcanic National Park Mammoth Cave National Park Manassas National Battlefield Park Mesa Verde National Park Minute Man National Historic Park Mount Rainier National Park North Cascades National Park Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network Northeast Region Archaeology Program Olympic National Park Oregon Caves National Monument Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Redwood National Park Rocky Mountain National Park Saguaro National Park San Juan Island National Historical Park Shenandoah National Park Sierra Nevada Network Southwest Alaska Network Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve Fort Carolina National Memorial Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument Waco Mammoth National Monument Water Resources Division White Sands National Monument Wolf Trap National Park Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Yellowstone National Park Zion National Park
Buffalo National River Gateway National Recreation Area Great Basin National Park Joshua Tree National Park
Historic Preservation Training Center Carpentry Fort Pulaski National Monument Gettysburg National Military Park Masonry Media Olympic National Park Antietam National Battlefield Carl Sandburg Home NHS HPTC Headquarters Lyndon B Johnson NHP Mather School Chickamauga & Chattanooga NMP HPTC Headquarters Woodcrafting, Home of FDR Manassas National Battlefield Park Antietam National Battlefield Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Buffalo National River Denver Anchorage Chattanooga Chinese Historical Society of New England Honolulu Los Angeles New Mexico Omaha Portland Seattle St. Paul Atlanta, GA Woodstock, VT National Capital Region Boston Rock Creek Park & City Kids Washington Washington D.C. Omaha Midwest Regional Office Ft. Collins New Hampshire Pacific West Region The Nature Conservancy
Other
APPENDIX C:
ADDITIONAL DOI PROGRAMMING BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS (BIA) Conservation Legacy partners with the BIA to implement two key initiatives that engage Native youth across the country: the Ancestral Lands Program and the Water Resources Technician Training Program. Both programs engage Native youth and leaders on conservation projects in tribal communities with leadership and support from local tribes and staff. This year BIA participants completed projects including fence repair, invasive species removal and assisted with the management of critical water resources.
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) In partnership with the BLM, Conservation Legacy programs complete projects across the west including fire fuel mitigation, trail maintenance, trail construction, campground and recreational access improvement, habitat restoration and resource management. Individual participants also assisted with mapping, resource assessments and recreation access. Andrew Johnson National Historic Site Antietam National Battlefield Big Bend National Park Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area Biological Resources Division Blue Ridge Parkway Cape Lookout National Seashore Chaco Culture National Historical Park Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Dinosaur National Monument El Morro National Monument First State National Historic Park Golden Gate National Recreation Area Great Smoky Mountains National Park Gulf Islands Natioanl Seashore Intermountain Region, Planning and Compliance Division Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve - JELA Joshua Tree National Park Lake Mead National Recreation Area Lyndon B Johnson National Historic Park Mammoth Cave National Park Monocacy National Battfield National Capital Region Officeof Communications National Capital Region-East New River Gorge National River North East Region Cultural Resource Division Antietam National Battlefield Bandelier National Monument Blue Ridge Parkway C&O Canal National Historical Park Fire Island National Seashore Gettysburg National Military Park Gulf Islands National Seashore Katahdin Woods and Waters NM Lava Beds National Monument
Mojave Desert Network National Capital Region Cache la Poudre Mormon Pioneer Sangre de Cristo Indiana Dunes National Park Pacific West Region Pinnacles Santa Monica Mountains NRA Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park Southeast Regional office Lava Beds National Monument Valley Forge National Historical Park Washington Support Office Wright Brothers National Memorial Yosemite National Park Lakewood Fire Island Nation Seashore Hopewell Furnace Hot Springs National Park Virgin Islands Pinnacles National Park Ocmulgee National Monument Pinnacles National Park Valley Forge National Historic Site Vanderbilt National Historic Site War in the Pacific National Historical Park Weir Farm National Historic Site
BUREAU OF RECLAMATION (BOR) Conservation Legacy programs partner with the BOR to engage young people on crews and as individual placements to meet high priority needs. Crew based projects focus on erosion control, wildland fire management, park improvements, vegetation removal and fence repair. Participants placed individually focused on research activities such as tracking of invasive Zebra mussels, assisting with river modeling and learning about safety requirements and needs for dams.
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (FWS) The projects implemented in FY19 engaged participants to help with fish monitoring and conservation through the removal of non-native species, field surveys and research on effectiveness of fish barriers. Participants also helped with the improvement of an urban refuge and engaged local youth to help mobilize additional volunteers in recreation, education and service opportunities.
OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING, RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT (OSMRE) In partnership with OSMRE, Conservation Legacy implements two key programs, the OSMRE VISTA Team and the OSMRE AmeriCorps Team. The VISTA Team places individuals in communities affected by mining to promote economic development, community development and stewardship through the development of additional community resources, mobilization of volunteers and through other locally-based strategies. The OSMRE AmeriCorps team places members at the state level nationwide to provide opportunities for participants to assist with reclamation activities.
APPENDIX D: FUNDING
FUNDING AMOUNTS:Â Arizona Conservation Corps: $498,083 Appalachian Conservation Corps: $289,620 Conservation Corps North Carolina: $54,400 Southwest Conservation Corps: $1,663,193 *Ancestral Lands within SCC: $1,384,629 Southeast Conservation Corps: $462,417 Stewards Individual Placements: $7,695,135 Preserve America Youth Summit: $60,000 Other: $435,345 Cash Match: $1,005,812 In-Kind $5,449,925
TOTAL NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FUNDING:
$11,158,193
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APPENDIX E:
COVID POLICIES AND PROTOCOLS Conservation Legacy re-engaged in field work during the summer as policies and protocols were developed to keep members safe, and as local communities allowed such activities to resume. There are four conditions in the Pandemic Policies document, all of which must be met to start or continue programming in an area. To date, we have not had a positive case of COVID-19 in the field. As conditions continue to change across the country—with great speed in some areas—the following process has been developed to monitor whether the gating criteria are still being met and our field operations can continue. We will look at three different metrics to guide where we “dig deeper” to re-assess those four gating criteria for both crews and individual placements. A re-assessment will be prompted when any of the following conditions are met in any area where our members are serving. A re-assessment does not mean automatically pulling members from the field but an investigation into the conditions to make sure the conditions are still safe for our members to continue field work. Conditions for re-assessment: 1. State-wide inpatient bed occupancy is 75% or greater 2. State-wide ICU bed occupancy is 75% or greater 3. County has a 7-day rolling average new case growth rate of 25 cases per 100,000 residents or greater To aid in monitoring these conditions, the IMT will provide a set of maps and a spreadsheet each week showing the counties and states which meet the criteria above and the affected members/crews working in those locations. The maps will be provided every Wednesday, and if the follow-up described below is prompted, it should be reported to the Regional Executive Director by Friday at noon if possible. If there is difficulty getting a timely response from partners or members on the ground, information should be provided as soon as it is received. Program Staff Action: When any of the above thresholds have been reached, program staff should reach out to our partners, members or program staff who might be in the specific areas. The intent is to revisit the initial gating criteria which allowed the members or crews to operate to make sure that conditions haven’t changed in a way that those criteria are no longer met. This can be completed with a conversation which “ground truths” the situation to make sure that everything is still safe, rather than an exhaustive search for more detailed data which has proved hard to find. If an area is flagged where more than one intern or crew is operating, staff should coordinate with each other to answer the questions below and avoid duplicating work. Where there is overlap between crews and IPs, the local program staff can often be a great resource as they are living in that area already. Program staff should report back to the Regional Executive Director the results of these conversations for final determination or further exploration. Specifically, staff should consider the following questions:
1. Have any of the four gating criteria changed since the position/crew was resumed or started?
2. Is there something about this location that the three thresholds don’t reflect? For example, a major hospital nearby but across a state line?
3. Are there any other relevant details about this area, the position, or the conditions that should be considered? 4. Are the members/is the member comfortable continuing given the conditions on the ground and the protocols in place? Suggestions on approach with partners:
- We’d encourage you to take the need for a reassessment as an opportunity to continue to build relationships with site supervisors and partners which you might not normally have as frequent communications with.
- As part of this reassessment, we’re not questioning their judgement or attempting to micromanage them.
- We’d encourage you to approach these conversations more as “checking in” and to explain that we’ve seen some data which shows that the conditions on the ground might be cause for concern and we wanted to see how things are going and make sure that we’re still safe to be operating.
- Utilizing a phone call rather than email may be the best way to build these relationships and make sure that what we’re asking is not misconstrued in a negative way.
- Finally, we’re partners in supporting the IPs or crews, but ultimately ultimately these are Conservation Legacy’s participants and it’s our responsibility to ensure their safety.
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COVID-19 Impacts on Positions by Program Program
Positions Cancelled
Positions Delayed in FY2020
Positions Delayed until 2021
Southwest Conservation Corps 16 0 1 Ancestral Lands 131 10 12 Arizona Conservation Corps 23 17 14 Cons. Corps New Mexico 6 6 6 Stewards East 0 18 15 Stewards West 4 28 32 Appalachian Cons. Corps 2 11 8 Southeast Conservation Corps 0 6 12 Cons. Corps North Carolina 0 6 0 TOTALS 182 102 100
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APPENDIX E:
COVID POLICIES AND PROTOCOLS The safety of our participants, staff, partners, and communities is the utmost priority for Conservation Legacy. In response to COVID-19, Conservation Legacy activated an Incident Response Team and engaged staff in task forces to identify changes necessary in program design, risk management, logistics, training, administration, and support of individual placement positions. These changes have been implemented through new pandemic specific policies and procedures. All pandemic specific policies and procedures will be updated to remain consistent with federal, state, and/or local guidance and as risks associated with COVID-19 are further clarified, identified, and/or change. Conservation Legacy also established key benchmarks that must be met for the organization to safely resume or continue field operations. Pandemic Changes, Policy and Procedure Highlights: - Increasing leadership in the field - Implementation of pre-screening - Daily health screens - Increasing physical separation between individuals - Increasing opportunities for sanitization and rest - Increasing personal protective equipment and expectations for cleanliness. Benchmarks for Field Operations: - Current restrictions allow for the resumption of our activities - Local medical facilities have capacity to handle care - Partners approve of our operations and operational plans - Conservation Legacy resources, policies, and procedures are in place to safely guide and support our programming
CREW BASED PROGRAM – CHANGES, POLICES AND PROCEDURES OVERVIEW Leadership and Crew Size Conservation Legacy recognized that these unprecedented times place significant additional responsibility on the leadership of our programs and crews. The threat of COVID-19 requires us to re-think our crew programming to ensure that we can best ensure personal health, safety, and efficacy during the pandemic. We have identified a structure that allows for more personal space, opportunities for distancing, and which decreases the number of close personal contacts. We also recognize that crews will need to have stronger leadership and more autonomy when operating during this time.
- Our traditional conservation corps camping crews have consisted of two Crew Leaders (one leader and one assistant) and six participants. This traditional structure will be reduced during the pandemic. Camping crews will be restricted to no more than six total individuals and serve together during their service with Conservation Legacy (day crews may remain larger, with other mitigation measures in place).
- Each crew will still be supported by one Crew Leader and one Assistant Crew Leader, thus reducing the ratio of leaders to participants. This will also allow us to minimize changes to current financial expectations with partners, other than a decrease in the total service hours identified in any specific agreement.
Pre-Screening and Health Checks Conservation Legacy staff will work closely with incoming participants, pre-screen all participants, identify travel plans, and ensure that participants receive daily health checks
- All participants will be pre-screened based on CDC guidelines for COVID-19, including the potential contact with COVID-19 positive individuals.
- All participants will be required to conduct daily health checks.
- Staff and participants will also carefully review and adhere to any local or state guidelines that are in place and work closely with partners if this guidance requires additional measures to be put into place.
Physical Distancing Conservation Legacy is requiring physical distancing measures in many instances and implementing mitigation measures where physical distancing is not possible.
- Specific policies requiring the use of face coverings when staff and participants are in place in vehicles, confined spaces, camp kitchens, and other circumstances where six-foot distancing is not possible.
- If interaction with the public is required where physical distancing requirements may not be met, face coverings will be required. Each participant of a camping crew will have their own tent.
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Transportation Transportation presents a high level of risk during this pandemic and Conservation Legacy will be placing restrictions on number of individuals in vehicles.
- All vehicle occupants must wear face coverings unless traveling alone.
- All camping crews over the size of four will be provided two vehicles so the crew can split into two smaller pods and to assist with any evacuations if needed.
- Windows will be kept open whenever possible and recirculation settings on the vehicles air condition will be kept off.
- Vehicles will also be sanitized regularly and between uses.
Work and Service Conservation Legacy is adjusting crew schedule to ensure there is enough time for self-care, rest and to reduce the amount of time participants spend in local communities.
- Conservation Legacy will increase the number of days that crews spend in the field while requiring that all partic ipant serve no more than eight hours a day at work and have ample time for personal hygiene, rest, and sanitizing shared gear and equipment.
- Traditional hitch schedules will be adjusted, decreasing the time spent out of the field and in communities while increasing the time spent in the field with the crew.
- A specific hitch schedule will be determined in close collaboration with project partners based on local needs. Examples include 5 days on and 2 days off, 10 days on and 4 days off, or 30 days on and 5 days off.
Training Conservation Legacy traditionally implements large group trainings for crew leaders and participants. In lieu of these large trainings, Conservation Legacy will be moving training online wherever possible and will be training leader and participant cohorts via Google classroom.
- Specific curriculum is being developed and leaders will receive immersive training through this technology.
- The organization is also reviewing and developing protocols for trainings that can only be completed in-person including CPR/First Aid, WFA and chainsaw trainings.
- Additional protocols will be put in place for these trainings and group sizes will be limited to less than 10.
INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT PROGRAM - CHANGES, POLICES AND PROCEDURES OVERVIEW Remote Service Conservation Legacy supports and encourages participants to engage in service remotely if work plans allow for this flexibility. - If a participant is starting service remotely, staff will work with partners to determine what support, equipment and administrative items need to be completed to ensure service can start on time. Pre-Service Support Conservation Legacy staff will work closely with incoming participants, pre-screen all participants, identify travel plans, and ensure that housing arrangements are suitable for all participants.
- All participants will be pre-screened based on CDC guidelines for COVID-19, including the potential contact with COVID-19 positive individuals.
- Staff and participants will also carefully review and adhere to any local or state guidelines that are in place and work closely with partners if this guidance requires additional measures to be put into place.
Housing As the availability of housing for participants and partner restrictions are evolving, Conservation Legacy staff are working to determine what support is needed for incoming participants.
- Staff will work directly with participants to best address any changes in housing, including loss of planned housing due to COVID-19.
- If a participant has lost housing, staff will work with the partners to identify suitable alternatives and identify associated costs and support needed.
Physical Distancing Conservation Legacy will be working closely with partners to reduce and eliminate opportunities where participants will be regularly engaged with the public without proper physical distancing.
- The organization will be providing a cloth face covering for use in situations where physical distancing is not possi ble and will be asking that partners also provide any additional PPE for the work plan that is being implemented.
- Conservation Legacy will be working closely with partners to review safety protocols to ensure participants are given sufficient space to work and serve. 28
Additional support for Conservation Legacy programs is provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Conservation Legacy is proud to partner with AmeriCĂĽorps and the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps to provide national service opportunities for young adults and veterans on public lands.