All In a Month’s Work
By Brynna Cutright, St. Paul Field Crew Member / AmeriCorps Member
If you’re anything like me, the unknown scares you. Graduating from University, I didn’t know what to do next let alone how to get there. After a recent move to Minnesota I decided the best time to start a new job was when I was starting over completely. Hours of research led me to find Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa, and I was lucky enough to snag a position. When it came time to start my service term in February I could feel the nerves winding up.
My first day, I showed up at 7 am sharp at my shop, huddling with others in the dark while trying to find our way into the building. These people, I later learned, would be my team for the whole year. A day of orientation went by and my team turned out to be funny and caring, and I knew immediately that we would all work together as best we could.
The second day of work flipped everything on its head. We departed for a 5 day camp at a lake where we watched presentations, met staff throughout the organization, and met every other member of the Conservation Corps. Being part of a large group who were also new to this field, new to each other, and many even new to this state, helped me feel less alone in my fear. That little voice saying, “What if things go wrong?” lessened even more as I saw everyone mingling with each other while eating delicious food and going on nature hikes after our training day. The feeling you get when you are surrounded by others who also love the environment and work hard is exhilarating and helps you learn from so many different points of view.
After learning much about safety, history of the Corps, and more, we went back to our cities and started more in depth training on our power tools. As someone who has never worked a power tool in my life, it was incredibly intimidating to think of using a chainsaw and cutting down towering trees. Yet, in no time, I was working the chainsaw fast and efficiently, cutting down red pine trees safely. I learned that I loved stumping trees and using a brush saw to clear out invasive buckthorn.
In between our power tool training and training on chemical applications, we had another week long excursion back to the lakeside camp to do firefighter training. This was something I was ecstatic to do! We learned all of the ins and outs of basic wildland firefighting and even had hands-on training. I used a drip torch to set hay on fire, learned about fire engines, and dug a fire line. On the last night of camp, I walked out onto the frozen lake and looked up at the stars with one of my crewmates and a new friend. Taking photos of the stars, I experienced more of that peaceful feeling that helped me realize I made the right choice.
Now, as I write this, I have completed my first day of project work, and I already feel like I’m making a difference. There is so much to complete, so many ways to help the Earth, and I want to try it all. If you’re anything like me, the unknown scares you, but you persevere and take that fear and fuel your persistence. You’ll make friends, see amazing sights, and help the world in ways you didn’t even know you could do.
