San Juan Islands Conservation District
San Juan County, Washington
Youth Conservation Corps
The San Juan Islands Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) provides conservation and stewardship programs for youth ages 12-18. Our cornerstone summer program runs for 8 weeks June-August, with a 10 -15 person crew led by 2 adult field guides per island on Orcas, Lopez, and San Juan Island. Year-round programs are held in partnership with Lopez Family Resource Center, Orcas School District, Wolf Hollow Rehabilitation Center, San Juan Preservation Trust, and San Juan County Land Bank.
Youth Conservation Corps Winter Program
The Youth Conservation Corps is launching a YCC Winter Program to empower young people to protect our island home. We're teaming up with local environmental organizations like Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, San Juan Preservation Trust, and San Juan County Conservation Land Bank to create a 10-day program for 10 passionate individuals aged 12-18.
From January to May 2025, crew members will dedicate two Saturdays a month to hands-on projects that enhance wildfire preparedness, restore forest health, and protect wildlife habitat. Beyond practical skills, our program fosters environmental education, teamwork, and a deep connection to our community.
Your support through the 2024 SJI Cares County Fair Program is crucial in making this program a reality. Your donation will fund essential elements like program coordination, participant stipends, tools, and safety equipment. Let's invest in our youth and create a brighter future for our islands together! Fundraiser begins at 12:01 on August 15 and ends on 11:59pm on August 18. More details here.
Youth Conservation Corps Summer Program
Youth crew members will work closely with program staff, conservation professionals, and partner education programs on stewardship/restoration projects, inquiry-based experiential outdoor education, and professional development. In doing so, YCC members gain applied job skills and training that can help propel them into their future.
The program looks to provide a range of skills and knowledge for crew members that includes weekly educational themes during the summer program:
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Team building & anti-bullying (training week)
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Sense of place
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Localized food systems
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Land management ethics
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Marine ecosystems & nearshore environments
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Endangered species preservation
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Forest & fire ecology
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Art & environmentalism
Daily activities can include: forest stand mapping, Traditional Ecological Knowledge of native plants, and wildfire risk reduction, wetland and riparian zone recovery, invasive weed removal, and trail building/brushing.
What will students gain from YCC?
Whether interested in the summer program, or one of our year-round offerings, YCC is an excellent resource for kids and families living in the San Juan Islands. The YCC is an opportunity for youth to not only spend time outdoors learning about local conservation and stewardship efforts, but actually improving wilderness areas across the islands. Our program is dedicated to establishing an ethic of care and stewardship among youth while also providing mentorship and professional development training from local environmental professionals.
By the end of each season every crew develops a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing not only that they have grown and changed themselves, but that they have contributed in important ways to their community and to the environment. Students receive a financial stipend at the season to celebrate and thank them for their hard work.
Do you know of a student who may be interested in YCC?
The YCC summer season is well underway, but check back here this fall for details on the Winter YCC Program. Applications for summer 2025 will be available in spring 2025.
To learn more about the YCC program, please contact Program Coordinator, Mike Rosekrans [mike@sjicd.org]
More Information
Student Testimonial
“Throughout my journey through the YCC, I have grown in many ways (not just height!). Being in this program has been an incredible experience, and it has given me an even greater appreciation for these beautiful islands that I get to call home. There is an indescribable feeling that I get knowing I am making a difference, and I just feel absolutely connected with the world around me."
- Luke Fincher (He/him), YCC Alumni & Crew leader, San Juan Island
Luke joined the San Juan Island Youth Conservation Corps crew in 2016, at age 12. In 2022 he completed his seventh year in the program and 2nd year as a crew leader, mentoring and leading YCC crew members.
Pictured
Top: Luke holds a massive Tansy Ragwort plant that he pulled in 2020. Bottom: A 12 yr old Luke ventures through the forest.
This program is funded through grants, contracts with local land management agencies, and private donations. Thank you to our local community for making this community program possible.