Forest Stewards Youth Corps

FSYC Summer
Fall Fire and Fuels
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Purpose

The Forest Stewards Youth Corps (FSYC) program develops the next generation of skilled workers, educated and active citizens, and future community leaders.

The mission of the FSYC is to provide training, education, and employment in natural resource management fields for 16-25 year olds from forest dependent communities in New Mexico. FSYC supports high school aged youth with our summer program and 18-25 year olds with the fall Fire & Fuels program.

Goals

We put the forest first for the long haul, so we help build the next generation of responsible forest stewards. Its a youth - environment partnership that helps everyone win. Our goal is to provide:

  1. service,
  2. training,
  3. education and
  4. employment opportunities

for young Americans, while they preserve, protect, and promote America’s greatest gift - our public lands.

The Forest Stewards Youth Corps changes lives by providing critical opportunities and life skills to youth in rural communities who are just entering the work force. We also change lives through the program's work toward sustainable, resilient, healthy forests, and safer communities.

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Benefits of participation

The Forest Stewards Guild is a member of the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC), a national youth and veteran service program. Alumni of the FSYC qualify for 21CSC benefits.

If you have completed 640 hours of appropriate conservation corps projects on public lands (the equivalent of at least two full FSYC work seasons) and are between the ages of 16-30, you are eligible for the Public Lands Corps Hiring Authority (PLCHA) two year non-competitive hiring status for land management positions.

For more information, please refer to the 21CSC Guidelines and PLC Hours Verification Form.

Supporters

Thank you to all of our sponsors, funders, and supporters!
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View FSYC press coverage!
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Impacts / Results

The Forest Stewards Youth Corps has employed more than 700 youth

Awarded

0

hours of college credit
Achieved

0

hours of conservation service and education

Forest Stewards Youth Corps accomplishments

Since it's inception, the FSYC program has:

  1. employed over 700 youth,
  2. achieved 300,000 hours of conservation service and education (similar to 8 full time employees per year),
  3. awarded over 200 hours of college credit, and
  4. invested over $7 million in rural New Mexico communities.

Corps members have gone on to build successful careers in natural resource management and become strong leaders in their communities.

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“I would have to say that the biggest lesson that I learned is just the importance of forest management and just the way that the forest works.”

Manny Lopez

Mountainair Crew Lead

" As a first-time instructor, it was amazing to see my knowledge transfer to the students and to watch their skills and confidence with the saw grow. I watched them overcome fear and nervousness from one day to the next, and they were confidently bucking, limbing, and felling trees by the end of training. It was an empowering week for all of us!"

 

2023 Guild staff

Wildland Fire Chainsaw instructor

KSFR's "Healthy Women" recently featured Forest Stewards Guild
YCC crew leader Selina Chacon and NM YCC Exec Director Sarah Wood on the radio!

KSFR's "Healthy Women"

Summer 2020

Program contacts

For more information, please contact Sam or Eytan at:

541-816-6371 or [email protected]
505-983-8992 ext.16 or [email protected]

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