Youth from the local community participated in another successful Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program this summer at Petrified Forest National Park (PFNP). YCC is a nation-wide program that offers employment for kids 15-18. Often the work is performed in National Parks or on other public lands. “The program really provides young people with the opportunity to earn some money, meet new people, learn new things and experience the value of having public lands,” said Visitor Services Program Manager Sarah Herve at PFNP. This year’s 13-person crew, which included Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC) leaders, spent five weeks tackling many great projects. With the help of the YCC the park was able to begin a large trail repair project on the Giant Logs Trail, complete a full-sized dog park near the Painted Desert Visitor Center, construct new picnic tables and maintain the landscaping in various areas of the park. Along with their projects, the YCC enjoyed educational field days every Friday. The crew was given the opportunity to explore the park by hiking into the Northern Wilderness with a National Park Service ranger. These hikes allowed the crew members to experience the vast differences in the landscape found throughout the park. While these hikes were educational opportunities, they were also a chance for the crew to have fun as a group and become closer as friends. The crew also participated in litter cleanup followed by swimming at nearby Clear Creek and on their final Friday they worked with the Holbrook Public Library to weed and clean the community garden and flower beds.
