Five students from four Atlanta-area high schools have completed a month-long internship maintaining trails and greenspace in the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area and other sites around Atlanta.
The Student Conservation Association (SCA) paid internships, sponsored by the Nature Conservancy of Georgia’s CITY Program, provided students with practical job training while working with park rangers.
Guided by crew leader Susan Caolo, the students cleared trails, removed invasive species, cleaned up picnic areas, picked up litter, and more, all while learning about the nature, history and culture of the National Heritage Area.
“These students don’t just see it as a summer job, they go beyond that. It’s an experience to connect students with the outdoors, to create stewardship for future generations,” Caolo said.
Atlanta this year joined a roster of nearly a dozen U.S. cities in which SCA offers hands on conservation opportunities for local high school aged youth.
