The SCA’s Western Conservation Corps helps young adults develop the critical skills needed to begin a career in conservation through hands-on experiences in beautiful and rugged locations throughout the American West. Crews work in diverse environments, from planting Joshua trees in the Mojave Desert to restoring trail structures among coastal redwoods.
Program participants will give back to the land while learning lifelong skills that will make them ideal candidates to further their careers in conservation through nationally recognized training, conservation work skills and leadership development.
Western Corps teams work on various projects, including desert restoration, trail improvement and fuels reduction projects in National and State Parks and Forests in the Western United States. Participants complete meaningful work that preserves and protects public lands for generations to come.
Western Conservation Corps program participants emerge with increased environmental awareness, technical skills, social responsibility and leadership skills.
Get Paid: Earn while learning valuable green job skills.
Gain Experience: Explore career pathways in conservation.
Make a Difference: Help care for public lands throughout the American West.
Now Hiring - Join The Crew
The SCA is seeking Crew Members (age 18+) for its Summer 2026 Western Corps Trail Corps to embark on a journey that blends purpose with adventure in the backcountry. Crew members will work on trail maintenance projects to promote safe recreational experiences on public lands, including clearing trail corridors, logging out trails with crosscut saws, rock work, and maintaining tread and drainage features. Project sites for Summer 2026 may include national forests in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah or Colorado.
Expected Dates: June 1 – Aug. 29, 2026
Pay: $300 – $450/wk.+ $650 travel allowance
The SCA is seeking Crew Members (age 18+) for its Summer 2026 Western Corps Trail Corps to embark on a journey that blends purpose with adventure in the backcountry. Senior Members of trail crews wear many hats, including worksite manager, reporter, community organizer, cheerleader and more. The crew will work on trail maintenance projects to promote safe recreational experiences on public lands, including clearing trail corridors, logging out trails with crosscut saws, rock work, and maintaining tread and drainage features. Project sites for Summer 2026 may include national forests in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah or Colorado.
Expected Dates: June 1 – Aug. 29, 2026
Pay: $450 – $550/wk. + $650 travel allowance
The SCA is seeking Field Leaders (age 21+) to supervise and train the Summer 2026 Western Trail Corps. As Field Leader, you will guide a team of 4-6 passionate crew members through trail maintenance projects, including clearing trail corridors, logging out trails with crosscut saws, rock work, and maintaining tread and drainage features. Project sites for Summer 2026 may include national forests in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah or Colorado. Strong candidates will have a good foundation in backcountry living and experience working outdoors.
Expected Dates: April 5 – Aug. 29, 2026
Pay: $850/wk. + $1,000 travel allowance
The SCA’s Western Conservation Corps helps young adults develop the critical skills needed to begin a career in conservation through hands-on experience in beautiful and rugged locations throughout the American West. Crews work in diverse environments, from planting Joshua trees in the Mojave Desert to restoring trail structures among coastal redwoods.
CPR & Wilderness First Aid Certification
Chainsaw Operator Certification
Environmental Education
Trail Maintenance
Habitat Restoration
Project Management
Yes. All crew members should expect to camp in either front country, backcountry, or a combination of the two throughout the season, both while working and during time off. Although housing varies by worksite, most crews will camp for a significant portion of their work season, if not all.
The SCA provides each crew with communal camping equipment, such as stoves and cookware. Crew members will be outfitted with a personal tent. The SCA will also provide a small uniform package, including a sun hat, long sleeve work shirt, sweatshirt, hydration bladder and a 30-liter daypack. Crew members are required to provide all other gear and equipment, such as sleeping bags and pads, work boots and pants, a personal mess kit and a backpacking pack, if applicable.
The conditions that crews will be exposed to throughout the season are as varied as California’s landscapes. Some crews will work in high altitude conditions in the mountains. Some crews will work in wet and snowy conditions, while others work in very hot and exposed locations in desert and chaparral landscapes. Crews are exposed to a number of weather conditions, such as heatwaves, thunder and lightning storms, snow, rain and high temperatures. Crew-specific information will be relayed to candidates throughout the hiring process.
• Although members may have limited access to electricity and modern comforts, this exciting opportunity provides able time to connect with nature and each other.
• While scenic, crews will often work in remote and rugged areas across the West and in special cases, on extended backcountry projects.
• Throughout the season, each crew will be presented with a range of environmental and social experiences that reflect the ever-changing world of conservation work, gaining a hands-on perspective that will prepare program participants for a future career in the field.
• A strong sense of crew- community and shared responsibility while living and working in a cooperative environment is a central part of this program.
• Guided by a crew leader, crew members will be responsible for building and maintaining their base camp outside of the workday, which may include shelter-rigging, cooking and communal space upkeep.
Western Corps Program Team
Email: scawesterncorps@thesca.org
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