Conservation Corps

As a Corps member, you’ll live and work with like-minded individuals who share a connection to the land and the people who live there. Corps members have the same application process and benefits as Conservation Interns. The main difference is that Corps members are usually in teams and directly supervised by SCA Staff.

To Apply: login or sign up to MySCA!

Corps members spend 3-10 months devoted to critical environmental issues such as wildfire management and education, trail restoration and maintenance, environmental education, and invasive species eradication. This is a great opportunity to give back while you learn from the land on the land. Join the many SCA Corps volunteers who know there’s work to be done. This is real get-your-hands-dirty conservation.

Programs

• SCA Hudson Valley
• SCA Massachusetts
• SCA New Hampshire
• SCA Adirondacks
• SCA Idaho
• Native Plant Corps
• Desert Restoration Corps
• Trail Corps
• Sustainability Corps
• Fire Corps

SCA Hudson Valley

Created in 1999, the SCA Hudson Valley is dedicated to recognizing, preserving and interpreting the nationally significant historical, cultural and natural resources of New York's Hudson Valley. The Hudson Valley spans over 200 miles from NYC to the Adirondacks. The program is a unique blend of SCA's Conservation Internship model and its Conservation Corps model. Interns are individually placed at state agencies and local non-profits and work one-on-one alongside conservation professionals. Interns also participate in trainings, service projects and celebrations with 35+ fellow corps members once each month. Between the personalized attention of site supervisors and the general support of the SCA Hudson Valley intern community, we like to say our program offers you the best of both worlds! Ten month positions start in January and five month positions start in May. Examples include Environmental Education, Stream Management, Invasive Species, and Trail Stewards.

Native Plant Corps

SCA's Native Plant Corps engages young adults in meaningful service learning opportunities to support resource managers in the restoration of native plant communities. Native Plant focuses on many different aspects including: inventory & monitoring, invasive plant control, seed collection, propagation, revegetation, herbaria and public outreach. Positions start in February, May and September.

SCA Adirondacks

The Adirondack Residential program focuses on trail work throughout the Adirondack region. This program is over 10 years old and partners with AmeriCorps and the State of New York. The team consists of between 10 and 20 members. Positions start at the end of May each year.

SCA Massachusetts

SCA Massachusetts in Kenneth Dubuque State Forest, in partnership with AmeriCorps, is currently in its fourteenth year of programming. Over the course of the 10-month program, SCA Massachusetts corps members will teach and mentor over 1,000 students and complete over 70 high priority conservation service projects across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The positive impact that their work will have on the land and people's lives, including their own, will be unquantifiable. Positions start in October, March and May.

SCA New Hampshire

The SCA New Hampshire program in Bear Brook State Park is SCA's oldest residential program. Starting in January each year, 30 members serve in local schools teaching environmental education. When winter wanes and summer begins, the group starts the field season. Members travel and camp for extended periods doing conservation work throughout New Hampshire. 

SCA Idaho

The Idaho program is SCA's newest residential AmeriCorps program. Next season 20 members will start in May and serve for 5 months addressing a range of trails, wildlife and vegetation projects throughout the Salmon-Challis National Forest.

Desert Restoration Corps

The Desert Restoration Corps (DRC) began in 1999 as a five week high school program conducting desert restoration in Wilderness areas of Southern California. Since then, the DRC has grown and now we work with up to seven field offices for the Bureau of Land Management throughout the California Desert District. With volunteer members in the field year round we have facilitated the processes of natural regrowth of thousands and thousands of acres of desert habitat. Positions start in September and May.

SCA Trail Corps

The Goal of the SCA Trails Corps is to provide meaningful opportunities to volunteers, while effectively preserving and enhancing trail corridors and historic sites on our public lands. We do the dirty work. We build turnpikes and bridges, water bars, and check steps, retaining walls and stairs, all so that others may have the opportunity to share our enjoyment of the natural world, while minimizing their impact on these precious lands. We do this so future generations can safely enjoy these areas, just as we have. Positions start in January/February, May and September.

Sustainability Corps

Creating better community with the environment in mind is what the Sustainability Corps is all about. For 2012 we will have two SCA sustainability projects: the Green Cities Project, based in Pittsburgh, PA and the Pennsylvania Trail Towns Corps, working with towns, businesses and residents along the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail to become greener and grow. Positions start in February.

Fire Corps

Fire consists of two programs: Education and  Monitoring. The Fire Education Teams provide Fire Education and Wildland Fire Prevention eduation in communities. SCA FIREMON teams use FIREMON protocols, basic vegetation identification techniques, GPS, and GIS to complete an array of projects aimed at protecting natural resource areas. Positions start in May.

For more information, please contact Admissions or search for more positions online.