YOUTH CORPS HONORED AT COALITION FOR RECREATIONAL TRAILS AWARD CEREMONY

The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps and the Continental Divide Trail Alliance Youth Corps (NM, CO, WY) Receive Awards for exemplary Recreational Trail Projects

Washington, DC. June 14, 2007—The Coalition for Recreational Trails held its 2007 Recreational Trails Program Annual Achievement Awards Ceremony today in recognition of outstanding use of federal Recreational Trails Program (RTP) funds. Two projects involving our nation’s Service and Conservation Corps were honored.

The Continental Divide Trail Alliance (CDTA) Youth Corps, consisting of crews from the Montana Conservation Corps, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (CO) and Southwest Conservation Corps, were awarded the “Use of Youth Service and Conservation Corps Award.” The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, in collaboration with Camp DREAM, was awarded the “Environment and Wildlife Compatibility Award.”

Sally Prouty, President of The Corps Network, said, “The Recreational Trails Program is critical to maintaining our nation’s recreation infrastructure and enables people of all ages to enjoy the great outdoors. We are so proud of the work our Service and Conservation Corps do every day, and we are thrilled to see the work of our nation’s Service and Conservation Corps recognized in the Coalition for Recreational Trails award ceremony today.”

The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC)/ Camp DREAM collaboration won the Environment and Wildlife Compatibility Award. This project involved VYCC and Camp DREAM working together to establish a safe, one-mile beginner mountain bike/cross-country ski trail as well as the construction of a quarter mile-long boardwalk to provide educational access to a Class-II wetland, which will be used as an interpretive trail. This project required building, maintaining, and upgrading 3,520 feet of trail surface to reduce erosion. It required the design and construction of 45 puncheon bridges through the wetland area as well as revegetating the area around the trail work to reduce the environmental impact.

Youth Conservation/Service Corps award winner, the Continental Divide Trail Alliance (CDTA) Youth Corps has constructed over 75 miles of new trail in some of the most rugged and extreme environments along the Continental Divide. Projects include:

• In Colorado, the Youth Corps utilized 1,811 volunteer days to construct 14.75 miles of new trail.
• In New Mexico, the Youth Corps coordinated 48 volunteers across five projects in the Burro Mountains and Aspen Mountain areas completing 4.67 miles of trails.
• In Wyoming, the Youth Corps and volunteers in partnership with the Bridger Teton National Forest used 1,200 volunteer hours to complete seven miles of major trail reconstruction, with an additional 312 volunteer hours to construct an 80-foot turnpike and improvements on three miles of trail.
• Also in Wyoming, CDTA Youth Corps volunteers contributed 612 hours of labor to replace a 100’ turnpike, construct a 5’ bog bridge and build drainage structures over a one-mile stretch.

About The Corps Network
The Corps Network is the voice of the nation’s 113 Service and Conservation Corps. Currently operating in 42 states and the District of Columbia, Corps annually enroll more than 23,000 young men and women who contribute about 13 million hours of service per year. In 2004, Corps mobilized 124,000 community volunteers who contributed over 2.4 million additional hours of service.

Established in 1985 as the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps (NASCC), The Corps Network was at the forefront of the national service movement and remains so today. Corps are state and local programs engaging primarily young adults (ages 16-25) in service. The majority of Corpsmembers come to Corps looking for a second chance to succeed in life. In return for their efforts, Corpsmembers receive guidance by adult leaders who serve as mentors and role models, a modest stipend and a wide range of member development services
including significant educational opportunities, employment and training, life skill
development, and the opportunity to invest in their communities.

For more information, visit www.corpsnetwork.org or contact: Patrick Fitzgerald, The Corps Network at pfitzgerald@corpsnetwork.org or at (202) 737-6272.

Contact:

Patrick Fitzgerald
The Corps Network, Communications Director
(202) 737-6272
pfitzgerald@corpsnetwork.org

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