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

Conservation Legacy, operating as Southwest Conservation Corps, received a $165,440 cooperative agreement awarded on July 25, 2025, by the National Park Service (NPS) under the Youth and Veteran Organizations Conservation Activities program (CFDA 15.931). The award funds internship positions within the Chihuahuan Desert, Sonoran Desert, and Southern Plains Inventory and Monitoring Networks through December 31, 2027. Interns will conduct long-term ecological monitoring across 29 national parks in the Southwest, performing field sampling of vegetation, springs, and stream systems while engaging in water quality and wildlife monitoring activities. The program delivers workforce development and skills training to interns through hands-on fieldwork instruction in various sampling methodologies.

In addition to field conservation work, the award supports data management and analysis services, with interns contributing to data science initiatives and collaborating with data scientists to produce visualizations and stakeholder reports. Interns will develop independent research projects under mentorship while maintaining coordination with park staff to ensure research findings align with park management priorities and resource conservation objectives. This cooperative agreement exemplifies the program's dual focus of addressing critical resource management needs on federal lands while providing career pathway opportunities and professional development for youth participants engaged in meaningful conservation work.

This program seeks to utilize 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. The recipient will support internships within the chihuahuan desert, sonoran desert, and southern plains inventory and monitoring networks. The interns will engage in long-term ecological monitoring across 29 national parks in the southwest, focusing on fieldwork and data management to support effective decision-making and resource conservation. Project objectives include conducting field sampling of vegetation, springs, and stream systems, and engaging in water quality and wildlife monitoring. Interns will learn various sampling methods, contribute to data management using data science techniques, and collaborate with data scientists to create visualizations and reports for stakeholder accessibility. The interns will also develop an independent research project with mentorship and maintain communication with park staff to align findings with management needs for impactful insights.