Faces of Tomorrow and seasonal crews wrap up summer of work
Back row: Drew Thao, Richard Rosario, Maya Agata, Marcie Garcia, Mitch Sanchez. Front row: Becky Haug
This summer, the Corps joined forces with Superior National Forest to hire and train 12 young adult corps members to serve in Northeast Minnesota. Through its Faces of Tomorrow initiative, Superior National Forest offered intensive training and work experience to under-represented individuals to help them move into full-time conservation positions. Over the summer, 12 corps members completed habitat restoration throughout the forest, removing 19 acres of exotic vegetation, conducting 18 wildlife surveys, improving 327 acres of timber stands and implementing erosion control measures on 20,000 square feet. USFS Chief Tom Tidwell even visited the crew during a stop in Ely over the summer. The program wrapped up for the summer on August 21 with camping at South Kawishiwi Campground in Ely, an appreciation dinner, Corps Olympics, a career panel and resume/USA job workshop. Six of the corps members will continue their service through November, working on a timber-marking project near Isabella, Minn.
Back row: Anthony Petrauski, Courtney Berry, Stefan Chellsen. Front row: Allison Ellstrom, Kristy Adey. Not pictured: Crew Leader Tyler Petersen.
The seasonal Vermilion Trails Crew completed their summer of service on August 21 as well. This six-member crew, based at Lake Vermilion State Park, received 520 cumulative hours of technical skills training in chainsaw, brushsaw and hand tool safety and use, and performed 2,335 hours of trail work.