This program utilizes qualified non-profit youth- and veteran-serving organizations to carry out appropriate natural and cultural resource conservation, education, volunteer service and education…

The National Park Service awarded Conservation Legacy (operating as Southwest Conservation Corps) a Cooperative Agreement totaling $215,333.33 under the Youth and Veteran Organizations Conservation Activities program (CFDA 15.931) for trail rehabilitation and restoration work at Prince William Forest Park in Virginia. Under this award, which commenced June 6, 2025, and concludes March 31, 2026, the organization will deploy interns to execute comprehensive trail system improvements including vegetation and debris clearing within trail prisms, trail tread restoration, drainage system and step installation/replacement, and trail bridge replacement. These conservation activities will enhance safety and accessibility throughout the designated trail system while providing youth participants with hands-on career development and workforce training in natural resource conservation and management.

The project directly benefits multiple stakeholder categories, including non-profit institutions, academic institutions, state and local government agencies, and the general public. By combining critical resource management needs with structured conservation corps programming, this cooperative agreement fulfills the dual mandate of the Youth and Veteran Organizations Conservation Activities program to address deferred maintenance on Department of the Interior lands while simultaneously providing professional development and service opportunities for young adults interested in environmental stewardship and conservation careers.

This program utilizes qualified non-profit youth- and veteran-serving organizations to carry out appropriate natural and cultural resource conservation, education, volunteer service and education projects on department of the interior lands through authorized national park service programs. This project will engage interns to rehabilitate and restore the trail systems and structures within prince william forest park. Vegetation and debris will be cleared within the trail prism, the trail tread will be replenished and restored, drainage systems and steps will be replaced and installed, and trail bridges will be replaced, providing improved safety and ease of access through this portion of the trail system. Beneficiaries include private non-profit institutions and organizations public and private non-profit academic institutions state and local government agencies quasi-public non-profit institutions and organizations that support youth and young adult career training and development, and education in the areas of natural and or cultural resource conservation and management. Individuals families students and the general public will receive a benefit from the development and execution of these programs and projects.