For nearly two decades, members of the SCA’s Idaho Corps have worked alongside federal and state agencies in the Gem State to deliver essential land management services while serving from the Salmon-Challis AmeriCorps Forest Training Center.
The Idaho Corps is one of the SCA’s many grueling programs and was made up this year of three teams that worked on a variety of service projects throughout the season, including fence construction, assembling beaver dam analogs (structures) to restore vital habitat in and around streams, trail maintenance, historic preservation, fuels reduction, invasive species management and more.
The Salmon-Challis National Forest covers more than 4.3 million acres in east-central Idaho. Remote and rugged, corps members primarily lived off the grid and spent significant time camping in both backcountry and front-country locations.
Members of the SCA’s Idaho Corps clearing a felled tree in the Salmon-Challis National Forest, which spans more than 4.3 million acres in east-central Idaho. (Photo Credit: Nathan Tucker)
“The first practice hitch was hard. My tent leaked, I was freezing, and I had to sleep in a work truck. I tried not to complain or act like I was miserable, but I was miserable,” said crew member Joey Scharmer, 20, of Grantville, Pennsylvania. “I never went camping before. If I didn’t take a job like this, I wouldn’t have learned this skill. Ever since that first camping experience, it has been great.”
Once finished with homeschooling, Scharmer took the second plane trip of his life and arrived in Idaho brimming with anticipation. He spent the majority of his time with the Corps working with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) constructing jack fences and other wire fencing to prevent cattle intrusion.
“This is the kind of job where you learn way more about yourself in a short amount of time. It shows you the value of being part of a team, the value of good communication, and that you can be independent while still being yourself,” he said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and without [donors], I would not be able to be here doing this. There’s an Idaho-shaped patch sewn onto my heart now.”
The teams complete multiple hitches, or blocks of work, for anywhere from 4 to 12 days at a time, depending on the project. Following their service, corps members emerge with real-world experience, which helps them develop a strong base of knowledge and skills, enabling them to become professional-level field staff for conservation organizations across the governmental, non-profit, and private sectors.
“It’s an adjustment, but you figure it out. It definitely increased my tolerance for being outdoors. This taught me that I could live in the woods off the grid and I would be okay,” said crew member Megan Brown, 23, of Bel Air, Maryland. “I always loved being outdoors and enjoying the weather. I did not want an office job, and I like working with my hands. I feel as if I’m making a difference doing what I love to do and am passionate about.”
In addition to building fences, Brown assisted in creating beaver dam analogues to mimic real ones to enhance a local stream. Having graduated from the University of Maryland last year with a degree in Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, she is interested in working with the National Park Service researching the impact of wildfire smoke.
“It’s a tough world in conservation now with all the budget cuts. But it means a lot to me that I am helping a little bit to solve [environmental] problems. It makes me feel alive because I know that what I am doing is important,” Brown said. “Working in conservation has changed my career path and brought things into perspective. Thank you to everyone who helps out. It means a lot.”
The Idaho Corps is one of the SCA’s many grueling programs and was made up this year of three teams that worked on a variety of service projects throughout the season. (Photo Credit: Nathan Tucker)
The crew’s leader, Nathan Tucker, 24, of Norman, Oklahoma, first joined the SCA as a crew member with the 2024 Los Padres Fire Recovery Crew. During a second term of service with the Los 2025 Los Padres National Forest Backcountry Trails Crew, he was tapped to lead crews with the Idaho Corps.
After graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in public relations, he worked in marketing while assistant coaching swim at OU when another coach told him about the SCA.
“The rest is history. My Dad always took me hiking as a kid and was my main influence for developing a love of the outdoors. I’ve always been active, swimming, jiu jitsu and hiking,” Tucker said. “I’ve learned that I am much more adaptable than I thought I was. I had routines and was very set in them, and was sometimes afraid to veer off from that. But the unpredictability of this job has allowed me to be at peak performance no matter where I am.”
Although Tucker is unsure of his future career path, he said he wants to work with more conservation crews, travel more, and see more places.
“The SCA changed the literal course of my life and the work that I am doing. I’m so grateful and happy that I get to be here and do these things even in the moments when it’s challenging,” he said. “I feel I am where I am supposed to be. I can’t wait to see what happens next.”
Join our community of supporters who care deeply about preserving America’s parks, public lands, and urban green spaces.
Protect What You Love widget on website
"*" indicates required fields
