Partners

Young Adult Camping Crews All ICC crews are currently wearing yellow hard hats despite the crew names due to a supplier shortage.  Red Crew (YA 37) spent both weeks of November on Trout Unlimited’s restoration project at Zumwalt Prairie, where they supported ongoing efforts to rebuild natural hydrology and improve habitat along Camp Creek. The crew constructed Beaver Dam Analogues that slow water flow and create healthier riparian conditions for native fish and wildlife. Their work included limbing and bucking small trees, digging sediment from the floodplain, and installing wooden posts with a gas-powered post pounder. The crew also constructed additional wood habitat structures and supported early phases of riparian hardwood planting. The crew completed two miles of creek restoration activities during their time there. Orange Crew (YA 38) began November on The Nature Conservancy’s Juniper Hills Preserve near Prineville, where they reduced wildfire fuels by cutting and piling juniper using chainsaws, loppers, pruners, mattocks, and shovels. Their work prepared the preserve for future burn operations and supported ongoing grassland restoration efforts in the region. During their second week, the crew transitioned to the US Forest Service’s Lucky Peak Nursery, assisting nursery staff with seasonal tasks that help prepare native seedlings for […]

All ICC crews are currently wearing yellow hard hats despite the crew names due to a supplier shortage.  Idaho’s Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) crews spent the month of October doing a mix of planting, tree inventory, and community engagement projects across the Treasure Valley. Partnering with the Treasure Valley Canopy Network (TVCN), Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), City of Meridian, and College of Idaho, crews worked to expand tree canopy coverage and restore native habitats in local parks and neighborhoods. On October 25th, UCF crews supported TVCN by delivering and distributing 180 trees to community members across the region who could not plant the trees themselves. The crews also partnered with the City of Meridian to conduct tree inventories at Kleiner Park, Settlers Park, Fuller Park and Discovery Park, gathering data that will guide future planting and maintenance efforts. With IDFG, crews planted more than 300 native saplings to restore riparian and wildlife habitat, and supported additional planting and removal projects with Boise Parks and Recreation and in the Emmett area. Read the full northwest youth corps field update! Full, monthly recap of all crews from Oregon, Washington, and Idaho Click Here

All ICC crews are currently wearing yellow hard hats despite the crew names due to a supplier shortage.  Red Crew (YA 37) began their program with technical training before partnering with the Nez Perce–Clearwater National Forest to work along the Lewis & Clark Trail’s West Side. There, they cleared downed trees, brushed overgrown tread, and repaired sections of the historic route. Later, they joined the Idaho Panhandle National Forest to maintain the Skitwish Ridge Trail #2320, completing bridge repair and additional brushing to improve safety and access for recreation users. Orange Crew (YA 38) spent their training week learning trail construction and fireline techniques before partnering with the Idaho Panhandle and Boise National Forests. Their projects took them to St. Joe Lake, Prince Peak, and Clear Creek Road, where they maintained trails and built firelines to improve both recreation access and wildfire preparedness. Blue Crew (YA 39) trained alongside Yellow Crew (YA 40) before beginning projects with the Payette, Caribou–Targhee, and Boise National Forests, and the Central Idaho Mountain Bike Association. The crew maintained trails around Payette Lake, Big Creek, and Curtis Creek, and conducted forest and fish surveys to support ongoing habitat monitoring. They also practiced advanced trail design

young adult camping crews All ICC crews are currently wearing yellow hard hats despite the crew names due to a supplier shortage.  Red Crew (YA 25) partnered with the Boise National Forest – Mountain Home Ranger District on fuels reduction projects to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk. Orange Crew (YA 26) partnered with Boise National Forest – Idaho City Ranger District to construct bridges, supporting trail access and safety for the public. Blue Crew (YA 27) began the month working with Boise Bureau of Land Management (BLM), where they repaired barbed wire fencing and set up steel fencing to protect riparian habitat. Before wrapping up their session, they went to the Payette National Forest in the New Meadows and McCall Ranger Districts to conduct forest surveys. youth camping crews All ICC crews are currently wearing yellow hard hats despite the crew names due to a supplier shortage.  Blue Crew (YCC 16) served in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and on trails managed by Idaho Fish and Game. These projects included trail clearing in the West Fork Buckhorn Creek area. Red Crew (YCC 17) partnered with Idaho Fish and Game on trails in the Salmon-Challis and Payette National Forests. Their projects included clearing the Six

young adult camping crews All ICC crews are currently wearing yellow hard hats despite the crew names due to a supplier shortage.  Red Crew (YA 25) began July in the Boise National Forest – Cascade Ranger District, where they completed forest thinning. In the second and third weeks of the month, they continued thinning work, then moved to the Payette National Forest – New Meadows and McCall Ranger Districts to conduct forest data surveys. They ended the month with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Mill Creek, where they focused on invasive plant removal and trail maintenance. Orange Crew (YA 26) worked with the Payette National Forest – New Meadows and McCall Ranger Districts to perform forest data surveys. They then partnered with the Nez Perce–Clearwater National Forest, clearing trails by bucking logs. To close July, they joined the Caribou-Targhee National Forest – Ashton and Island Park Ranger Districts for trail maintenance. Blue Crew (YA 27) started the month with the Payette National Forest – New Meadows and McCall Ranger Districts, where they conducted forest data surveys. For the next three weeks, they partnered with the Idaho Falls Bureau of Land Management to spray herbicide for invasive species management east of Idaho

young adult camping crews June 4 – august 15 All ICC crews are currently wearing yellow hard hats despite the crew names due to a supplier shortage.  Red Crew (YA 25) spent two weeks in Halfway, Oregon with Pine Valley Firewise conducting fuels reduction on private land. In their third week, they worked with the Boise National Forest at Clear Creek Meadow on forest thinning in a sensitive floodplain area. Orange Crew (YA 26) began the session at Mill Creek with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, clearing woody debris and improving riparian areas. In week two, they worked at Hyatt Hidden Lakes Reserve in Boise removing invasive plants from this urban natural space. Blue Crew (YA 27) contributed to fuel break maintenance and vegetation management in southern Idaho, reducing wildfire risk and improving ecological resilience. youth camping crews may 31 – july 5 All ICC crews are currently wearing yellow hard hats despite the crew names due to a supplier shortage.  Blue Crew (YCC 1) spent the first two weeks at Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Idaho, installing and repairing more than seven miles of fencing to protect wetland habitat from cattle intrusion. They then went on to partner with the

Idaho Conservation corps Young Adult Camping Crews Orange Crew (YA 13) and Red Crew (YA 14) both spent their active weeks in May at Douglas Falls in northeast Washington, partnering with Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to continue a project from the previous week. The crews built three-rail wood fencing, installed wire fencing, and completed general trail maintenance to support safe recreation and protect adjacent natural resources. Internship Programs: Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument Meet Macie! This summer, Cultural Resources AmeriCorps Member Macie is supporting collections management and fossil preservation at Hagerman Fossil Beds in Idaho. She is pictured here holding a rare set of fossils from Paenemarmota barbouri, an extinct “giant ground squirrel” species that lived 3–4 million years ago. These animals were the largest known members of the squirrel family. Macie’s primary focus is rehousing and reorganizing hundreds of microfossil specimens, such as fish scales and rodent teeth.  This work is part of a larger effort to care for the park’s paleontology collections, improve storage systems, and ensure long-term access for researchers and staff. So far, she’s relocated over 500 microfossil vials to their proper homes. Macie’s internship duties include training in museum collections care, digitization, and cultural resource preservation. Training

Idaho Conservation Corps Update: young adult camping program Orange Crew (YA 13) began their season at City of Rocks National Reserve (CIRO), where they partnered with CIRO to clear and repair roughly one mile of fencing using loppers, grubbers, fencing pliers, and wire stretchers. They were strapped up with utility belts with replacement materials to maintain the integrity of the fence. They also spliced and re-tensioned the fence where it had been damaged by weather erosion over time. These fences reroute livestock away from more recreational areas and vulnerable environments. After training, the crew traveled to Beverly Dunes Off-Road Vehicle Park, partnering with Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WA DNR), to apply their skills by constructing and reinforcing 5-wire smooth fencing. Over the next three weeks, they focused on building off existing fences and installing new H-braces. This work is essential for managing off-road vehicle access and protecting surrounding habitats. Crew members used post hole diggers, post pounders, fencing pliers, and fence stretchers to complete the work. The crew then continued repairing fencing in Douglas Falls Campground, joining Red Crew. Red Crew (YA 14) began their first week at McKay Creek in Pendleton, Oregon, partnering with Umatilla Electric Cooperative on fuels reduction alongside Northwest Youth

Idaho Conservation Corps Update: Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Crews UCF leader training for two leaders and one Woodsboss took place in Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park from February 19th to March 1st. The training covered saw use, fencing, trail maintenance, leadership, and day-to-day program operations. Both Blue Crew (YA Comm 6) and Yellow Crew (YA Comm 7) launched following two weeks of training, which covered structural tree pruning, irrigation techniques, and resume-building sessions. The crews received training from Nampa and Boise city arborists and attended presentations by local municipalities about seasonal job opportunities. Click Here for updates from northwest youth corps washington & Oregon!