San Bernardino National Forest, CA, July 11, 2016 – High school students, ages 15-17, are using their summer break to work in conservation, side-by-side with the Southern California Mountains Foundation and U.S. Forest Service staff, fulfilling a need for trail maintenance in the Cleveland and San Bernardino National Forests. It’s a 7-week paid assignment for 11 students in a grant funded by the U.S. Forest Service.
Sandy Bonilla, director, SCMF’s Urban Conservation Corp of the Inland Empire stated, “We’re educating our multi-cultural urban youth on environmental issues through their service. They are having fun and working hard while developing an affinity and stewardship for our public lands and possible futures in forestry, renewable energy or conservation.”
The experience includes a strong education component with field trips to environmental learning centers and opportunity to work on their communications skills through outreach education at popular campgrounds and public greenhouse days; a total of 32 hours per week.
The Cleveland National Forest team are working at 3 sites; Trabuco Canyon, San Juan Trail and Chiquito Trail while the San Bernardino team is focusing on the Exploration and Interpretive Trails at National Children’s Forest and working at the on-site greenhouse cultivating native plant material.
