Friday, July 5, 2013

Agencies Seek to Engage Youth and Veterans in Protecting Public Lands


On behalf of the America’s Great Outdoors Council, Secretary Jewell, of the Department of the Interior (“DOI”), formed a Federal Advisory Committee (“FACA”) to develop recommendations for the establishment of the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (“21CSC”) National Council.  The 21CSC is a “bold national effort” to give America’s “youth and veterans” important work “protecting, restoring, and enhancing” America’s Great Outdoors.  This effort will help preservation service work on public lands and promote a “new generation of natural resource managers. . . .”  The 21CSC goals are to “build America’s future, put Americans to work, and preserve, protect, and promote America’s greatest gifts.”

On behalf of the 21CSC National Council, the USDA Forest Service (“FS”) is publishing a notice requesting letters of interest from all “conservation and youth corps programs” wishing to be identified as a “21CSC member organization.”   21CSC member organizations must be in alignment with the following 21CSC principles:

1) Population served:  young people ages 15-25 and/or military veterans up to age 35,
2) Participant eligibility: U.S. citizens, nationals, or lawful permanent residents,
3) Emphasis on diversity and inclusion: outreach to underserved communities,
4) Term of service: compensated minimum of 140 hours and maximum of 3,500 hours,
5) Organization of work: crew-based or individual/small team-based,
6) Types of work: outdoor and/or “hands-on” direct impact,
7) Participant outcomes: job skill development, community skill development, and connection to environment and/or resources, and
8) Leveraged investment: leveraged public investment via financial or in-kind support.

The purpose of this outreach is to “engage young Americans and returning veterans in public lands and water restoration.”  Letters of interest should include: the name of the organization, an outline of the organization’s and/or program’s criteria, the address, a point of contact, and email, and a description of the organization or program.

Interested organizations should submit letters of interest before August 1, 2013 and may be submitted in the following ways:

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