Youth Conservation Corps at Hanford Reach

The Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) is a summer employment program for young persons from all segments of society, who work, learn and earn together by doing projects on public lands. Young men and women, 15 through 18 years of age, who are citizens of the United States, its territories, or possessions, are eligible for employment without regard to social economic, racial, or ethnic backgrounds.

YCC Objectives:
The stated purpose of the YCC is to further the development and maintenance of the natural resources of the United States by America's youth and in doing so, to prepare them for the ultimate responsibility of maintaining and managing these resources for the American people.

At Hanford Reach National Monument, we selected two young men and two young women for the 2005 YCC to serve from June 27th to August 19th. The selections were made via a random drawing.

The requirements are:

1. Must be at least 15 years of age before or on the first day of work and not have reached 19 years of age during the duration of the program.
2. Must be a citizen of the continental United States, its territories, possessions, or trust territories.
3. Must possess a social security card and have a work permit (if required) before first working day of the YCC.

Potential projects for the summer include fence pulling, trash pick-up, vehicle washing, invasive species control (pulling weeds and/or bio-control,) 8 hours of environmental education per week (such as field trips to other national wildlife refuges or a visit to Ginko Petrified Forest,) improving wildlife habitat, and many more projects that will assist in the mission and goals of the Monument, ultimately improving the natural resources found here.

Work projects are planned, directed, and executed in such a way as to give the enrollees an understanding of their tasks and how to perform them, their part in the overall management of the Monument, and how their work contributes to the enhancement of the environment. YCC participants are given the opportunity to accept all of the responsibility they can assume in the completion of the project.

Safety is of primary concern for all of our employees, including the YCC enrollees. The enrollees discuss potential safety hazards presented by the job and ways to avoid or reduce them. Enrollees receive instruction on the safe way to handle various tools. Personal protective equipment, such as safety eyewear, steel-toe boots, leather gloves, and hard hats, are provided and worn when required by the activity.

Questions? Please contact us at:

• FWS Home
• Pacific Region Home
• USGS Hydrograph Station: Columbia River Below Priest Rapids Dam

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