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 (NPS) awarded the California Conservation Corps $241,740 under the Youth and Veteran Organizations Conservation Activities program (CFDA 15.931) on June 20, 2025, with completion targeted for September 30, 2025. The cooperative agreement funds trail maintenance and rehabilitation work in Yosemite Valley, engaging youth and young adults in hands-on conservation activities. Participants will perform critical infrastructure work including trail repair, drainage system cleaning, and vegetation removal to enhance visitor safety and park conditions while gaining professional experience in natural resource management.

The project leverages the California Conservation Corps' established capacity to deploy trained crews for conservation work on Department of the Interior lands. Beyond the direct trail improvements, the cooperative agreement generates secondary benefits through environmental education and workforce development, positioning participants for careers in natural resource conservation and environmental stewardship. The award exemplifies the federal program's dual-purpose model: addressing urgent resource management needs on public lands while simultaneously providing meaningful employment, technical training, and career development opportunities for young adults.

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 aims to engage youth and young adults in trail maintenance and rehabilitation in yosemite valley, enhancing their work and educational experiences. Participants will perform various tasks, including repairing trails, cleaning drainage systems, and removing vegetation, ultimately improving trail safety for visitors. The project will benefit the community by fostering environmental stewardship and providing valuable skills to participants.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.