Conservation Stewards and Leaders – Training the Next Generation

Secretary of the Department of Interior Sally Jewell has been stressing the need for a national movement to invest in and to help prepare the next generation of conservation stewards and leaders by providing meaningful and lasting opportunities to play, learn, serve and work in the great outdoors.  It’s the reason that Public-Private partnerships like Waders in the Water are so vital to helping the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC) reach their goals of:

• Putting Americans to work by providing service, training, education and employment opportunities for thousands of young Americans and veterans, including low income and disadvantaged youth.
• Preserving, protecting, and promoting public and tribal lands and waters as well as natural, cultural, and historical resources and treasures with high-quality, cost-effective project work that will also increase public access and use while spurring economic development and outdoor recreation.
• Building America’s future by developing a generation of skilled workers, educated and active citizens, future leaders, and stewards of natural and cultural resources, communities and the nation.

Certified 21CSC Corps coast-to-coast have chosen the Waders in the Water program to train and certify their members to start them on the path to employment in the $10 billion ecological restoration economy. “Real world, practical advice was given. It gave me the baseline knowledge and certification I need to be successful as a young professional.”  -Christopher Gomon, of the 21 CSC-Certified Texas Conservation Corps  “I think this training will help further my education and training in the future of restoration and outdoor field work.  I think the principles learned here will be valuable for any future jobs." - James Fried, of the 21 CSC-Certified Wyoming Conservation Corps  “Participating in the WitW training helped me get a better understanding about the whole process of ecological restoration and the importance of taking care of nature.” - Lydia Gallegos, of the 21 CSC-Certified New Jersey Youth Corps Phillipsburg  There are regular Waders in the Water training classes, sign up HERE. If you are interested in hiring a Waders in the Water Certified Conservation Corps for your next restoration project, use this interactive map of U.S. Conservation Corps members that are Waders in the Water certified.