Over the past 17 years, the Youth Conservation Corps has provided hundreds of local youth with meaningful opportunities to engage in hands-on environmental stewardship. Originally launched on Lopez Island, the program became a countywide initiative eight years ago through the San Juan Islands Conservation District. Participants develop essential skills such as responsibility, teamwork and community involvement, creating a foundation for future careers in conservation, environmental advocacy and beyond.
A YCC parent reflected: “YCC connects young people to nature in a way unattainable by any other means. First-hand engagement, coupled with robust education, leads directly to environmental stewardship. Collaborative teamwork builds career skills, and completing physical challenges leads to perseverance, work ethic, and a healthy sense of accomplishment.”
They also shared their gratitude for the program’s accessible model: “The no-cost model is critical for ensuring equal access, especially for families like ours that would not have been able to afford tuition. Additionally, the modest $25-per-day stipend — available because of the generosity of donors — was an appreciated blessing for a young person’s daily diligence”
This summer, the three YCC crews – one on each island: Orcas, Lopez and San Juan – successfully completed projects across San Juan County. In total, 47 crew members aged 12-18 collectively contributed 3,572 hours to stewardship work, environmental education lessons and conservation projects on public lands and waters. Their accomplishments include maintaining 50 miles of trails and removing 11,800 cubic feet of noxious weeds. Collaborating with 20 partner organizations, YCC made a significant impact, highlighted by a prairie restoration project with The Nature Conservancy on Yellow Island.
This year, the Lopez YCC crew undertook a special project near Port Stanley Schoolhouse, where they created a new trail and phenology study site. This study focuses on documenting seasonal changes — such as leaf development, canopy coverage and discoloration — among native plants like alder, salal berries, Nootka rose and Douglas fir. Their meticulous data collection will contribute to long-term climate tracking efforts, adding valuable insights into how seasonal patterns evolve over time. The program has continually empowered local youth to become active participants in preserving the island’s natural beauty through conservation, environmental education and citizen science.
Building on the success of its eight-week summer program, YCC is continuing to expand into year-round programming on all three islands in partnership with local organizations like Funhouse Commons, Lopez Island Family Resource Center and Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.
As a grant and donation-funded program, YCC is deeply grateful to its financial supporters whose contributions make this vital work possible. If you are interested in sponsoring a crew member stipend for the winter or summer program or donating to our operations, please see our YCC webpage www.sanjuanislandscd.org/ycc or contact Mike Rosekrans at Mike@sjicd.org. All donations are tax-deductible.
Join us at the San Juan Islands Conservation District Grand Opening on Nov. 14 from 3-6 p.m. at our new office, located at 915 Spring Street! Enjoy light refreshments and a raffle and silent auction to support YCC programs. All are welcome!
Photo courtesy of Chase Anderson.
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