Field News Recap- November 2025
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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 distribution to restoration projects across the Northwest.
Blue Crew (YA 39) partnered with Idaho Fish and Game across several sites, including Dick Knox Pond, Star Lane Pond, Seven Mile Slough, Plaza Bridge, and Marsing Job Corps. Their project focused on removing kochia, an invasive species that threatens habitat quality. The crew hand-pulled and piled kochia under large bags in staging areas where partner staff will later conduct controlled burns. Throughout the project, the crew also worked alongside Urban and Community Forestry crews operating in the same areas.
Yellow Crew (YA 40) spent both weeks of November at Zumwalt Prairie with Trout Unlimited, supporting the same Camp Creek Beaver Dam Analogue (BDA) project as Red Crew. Their work included constructing BDAs, installing wooden posts, limbing and bucking small trees for structural material, digging sediment to reconnect floodplain processes, and preparing sites for future riparian hardwood plantings. The crew’s work contributed to multi-week efforts to restore habitat for native fish, plants, and wildlife along two miles of the creek.
Urban & Community Forestry Crews
All ICC crews are currently wearing yellow hard hats despite the crew names due to a supplier shortage.
Blue Crew (YACom 11) worked across multiple sites in Canyon and Owyhee Counties throughout November. For the first two weeks of the month, the crew partnered with Idaho Fish and Game to remove invasive Kochia at Dick Knox Pond, Star Lane Pond, Seven Mile Slough, Plaza Bridge, and Marsing Job Corps. They hand-pulled the plants and piled them under large bags so partner staff can later complete controlled burns. In the third week, the crew partnered with the City of Nampa at College of Western Idaho and Osborne Park to mulch and plant trees, and they concluded the week with a Boise WaterShed tour. During Thanksgiving week, Blue Crew transitioned to the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge by installing fencing to better protect wildlife from nearby roadways.
Yellow Crew (YACom 12) began November with the City of Nampa and the Harris Ranch HOA, planting native species to support local habitat restoration. In the second week, the crew partnered with Idaho Fish and Game to remove invasive Kochia across several pond and river sites. Their work included using saws and a wood chipper to remove vegetation and pile materials for later burning. The following week, Yellow Crew partnered with Boise Parks and Recreation and Ada County Noxious Weeds to remove invasive Phragmites at Hyatt Hidden Lake before beginning Scotch broom removal along the Boise River. They also completed a Boise WaterShed tour on November 21. During Thanksgiving week, the crew returned to the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge to repair fencing designed to keep wildlife away from high-traffic roadways.
Orange Crew (YACom 18 Long-form) spent November on long-form UCF projects across Caldwell and Nampa. The crew began their session with orientation week at the College of Idaho, where they learned structural pruning techniques and practiced caring for established trees on campus. In the second and third weeks, the crew worked with the City of Caldwell at Rotary Pond Park to remove invasive Russian olive using saws, pole saws, and a chipper. Their work supported ongoing habitat improvements at the park. They also attended the Boise WaterShed tour on November 21. During Thanksgiving week, Orange Crew partnered with the City of Nampa’s Forestry and Parks and Recreation staff on a major roadside tree removal project, assisting with cutting, staging, and processing large trees along Nampa roadways.
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