Left to right: Patrick Landeway, SCA conservation crew leader from Missouri; Josh Bennett-Snow, crew member, California; and Michael Ashley of Norwich re-routed a trail at a backcountry work site in Manti-La Sal National Forest.

Ask four Norwich high school students what they did over summer vacation and you’ll hear descriptions that include “hard work,” “awesome,” “rewarding,” and “fun.” Each student spent a month as a member of a conservation work crew at a national park or forest across the country for the Student Conservation Association (SCA). Though they haven’t yet moved mountains, each one blazed a new trail and changed lives through service to nature.
“It was awesome how everyone worked together,” said Michael Ashley who re-routed trail and built bridges at two backcountry sites in the Manti-La Sal National Forest in Utah. His commute to work included a three-mile hike from base camp. “I learned how to cut trails through the forest, lay down rocks, and use new tools. The crew leader taught us about logistics and planning for the group. I also learned about myself, and how much I like being in nature. It opened new doors for me. I’m thinking about working for the forest service fighting fires.”
“It was a great experience to live in the mountains with no contact with the outside world,” said Peter Sheldon. His crew maintained 1.7 miles of a trail in Guadalupe Mountain National Park in Texas. He moved and raked rocks to smooth the trail and put in water bars made of wood or rectangular rocks to channel rain and material and prevent washouts on the trail. “Our group came from all over the country with all different experience in hiking and camping. We were a great group and pulled together. The experience taught me about trail management.”
At press time, Matthew Davis had recently returned from work in Dinosaur National Monument in Utah, and Kevin Biggs was still hard at work 27 miles from a paved road and seven miles from the ranger station in Clearwater National Forest in Idaho. His mother, Marcia, shared from a recent letter that Kevin’s climbing skills came in handy stringing a bear line to protect their food supply and he’s learned how to use a “tool that rules” to blaze new trail.

SCA crew members Michael Ashley of Norwich (standing) and Hunter Orvis from Georgia build a bridge in Manti-La Sal National Forest.

The Student Conservation Association (SCA), a non profit organization based in Charlestown, New Hampshire, places over 2,500 high school and college students in hands-on conservation service in national parks, forests, refuges, and urban areas in all 50 states. Over one million hours of service is clocked each year.
“Students gain a rewarding experience and learn outdoor, team building, and leadership skills. More importantly, through their work, they make the connection that their individual efforts can make a positive impact on the earth,” said Dale Penny of Norwich, President of SCA. He joined SCA four years ago because the organization pulled together his lifelong values of youth development and conservation. “What the students do in four to five weeks has an immediate impact on conservation efforts in our national parks. Plus, through this service, they develop the skills and commitment to become the next generation of conservation leaders.”
Conservation crew members (age 16 to 19) participate in month-long construction and maintenance projects in primarily backcountry areas. Projects are diverse and have included revegetation and site restoration, trail construction and maintenance, wildlife habitat improvement, and construction of structures such as shelters and bridges. This summer a crew worked at the Montshire Museum building a trail (related story on page 23). The work is difficult, but rewarding. No experience is necessary. All a student needs is a willingness to roll up his or her sleeves and be committed to working with others.
Each year more than 500 students are selected to join one of approximately 70 crews stationed in various natural resource management locations throughout the United States. Crew members are teamed with six to ten other students from across the nation under the direction of skilled SCA crew leaders. They all live in tents near the work site, share camp duties, take responsibilities for helping their crew complete its work, and learn about conservation. There is no tuition for the program. Food, shelter, and group equipment are provided and paid for by the hosting agency and donations from individuals and institutions. Participants are responsible for personal gear and transportation to and from the site with financial aid available.
“Individuals sponsor SCA volunteers in the field and receive a letter from the participant. They are moved by the impact the program has,” said Bob Holley, of Norwich, Vice President of Development for SCA. “SCA inspires a lifelong passion for protecting the environment. Students work hard, improve the quality of the park, provide good service to the community and develop a conservation ethic. They come back and want to change the world. They know how to translate idealism and hope into action.”
College interns serve for 12 weeks to 12 months working alongside accomplished professionals at public and private natural and cultural resource management agencies throughout the U.S. Internships are available year-round in 60 different disciplines including archeology, recreation management, geology, and backcountry and wildlife management. Internships offer relevant experience and first rate training with over 60% of the interns going on to a career in conservation. These internships are not about making coffee or running errands. The intern is expected to train and perform at a professional level whether counting whales from a kayak off the coast of Alaska, educating private citizens about fire prevention at their residences near public land, or developing a website for the National Park Service in Washington, D.C..

SCA leader Liz Dols, Megan Murray and Alana Diebel finish off the last section of the Overlook Trail at the Montshire Museum in July.

For Emily Carter of Norwich, her college internship followed on the heels of her high school experience on a SCA conservation work crew in Denali National Park in Alaska. Her work crew built a two-mile section of trail to concentrate foot traffic in a heavily visited area. She met a SCA intern at the visitors’ center and realized that is what she wanted to do next. After her freshman year at Boston College studying environmental science and history, she combined four months on Capital Hill with fieldwork at Yosemite National Park in Sierra Nevada, California. In the Congressional office, she became a part of the staff, attending meetings, writing briefs, and answering mail from constituents. In the Park, she patrolled the backcountry checking trail conditions, permits, and hikers. She also worked on projects at the visitors’ center and helped on search and rescues.
“Alaska opened my eyes to a whole different world. I worked hard, learned a lot, and accomplished something that made a difference to the Park,” said Emily. “The internship put me right into the working world and helped me figure out a career path in the field. I’m thinking about pursuing environmental law.”
The Carter family’s experience with SCA started with Emily’s older sister Sarah. She found out about SCA from a crew leader, and joined a work crew in Wind Cove National Park in South Dakota. Her father was intrigued by the service component of the experience.
“Sarah took it on, on her own, for herself. After years of summer camps, she wanted to be out there for a purpose other than recreation. She had a terrific experience and came back a different person,” said Geoff Carter who later joined SCA as Director of Recruiting. “The students are working hard, living in the field in some of the most beautiful places in the world, and doing challenging physical work with a diverse group of people. When they are done, they have something significant to show for it. It’s extremely rewarding.”
Considered America’s largest and oldest provider of national and community conservation service opportunities, outdoor education and career training for youth, SCA started with a senior thesis concept in 1955 by then-Vassar College student and SCA founder Elizabeth Titus Putnam. Today SCA’s mission statement is “To build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire life-long stewardship of our environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land.”
To this end, SCA embarked on its first capital campaign, a national drive to raise a minimum of $10.5 million by August 2002. Funding will be used to expand support for student volunteers, strengthen the organization’s endowment, and support the building construction. At press time, pledges from individuals, institutions, and foundations reached $9.4 million.
“SCA has had a period of extraordinary growth. Our goal is to create an endowed fund for a steady source of income during the ups and downs of the economy and funding agencies. SCA is an integral part in stewardship and restoration of our public lands by young people. We want to build regional and urban programs and open new offices in other parts of the country. We also want to create an improved center to serve the Connecticut River valley,” said Bob Holley.
The Kresge Foundation awarded a $750,000 challenge grant to SCA. The grant will fund the construction and development of the SCA National Environmental Leadership and Training Center, a key component of a planned $1.4 million modernization of the organization’s headquarters along the Connecticut River in Charlestown, New Hampshire. The SCA National Environmental Leadership and Training Center will be a 4,000 square foot, post and beam facility that will host visitors ranging from world-renowned conservationists to SCA volunteers and area school children. SCA invites the community to an open house and groundbreaking on September 15.
“To prepare the next generation of environmental leaders, SCA must expand its programming and infrastructure. We also want to enhance our outreach. The new environmental center will serve as our national headquarters and as a resource for everyone from SCA alumni to school groups. Our 50-acre property with the center, trails and campsites will become a place where people can learn skills for conservation service and trail management, and expand their conservation ethic to become stewards of the land,” said Dale Penny.
For information on programs, to become a member, or to contribute to the Kresge Challenge for the capital campaign, contact SCA at 603-543-1700, www.sca-inc.org.