Archive

I found myself buried in snow somewhere between “I think I can climb out” and “Maybe they’ll find me in a couple days”. As I lay there, it seemed to me that I was going about this whole walking in the snow business all wrong. The snowshoe is a foreign concept to those of us from the Southeastern U.S. For thousands of years however, the snowshoe represented the pinnacle of technology for traversing frozen landscapes. It was only logical then, that I should become proficient in the use of these vehicles if I had any intention of surviving Minnesota. So with a little trial and quite a bit of error I was able to devise a few tips for those with a more temperate disposition. Read More

In mid-March, an Iowa crew cleared brush from a creek edge to enhance a trail running through the city of Eldon, Iowa, famous for the Grant Wood painting, “American Gothic.” They had a little fun while on site! Read More

Despite the early spring chill, Corps crews have been firing up their chainsaws and climbing through snow-covered woods to remove invasive Oriental bittersweet in southeastern Minnesota. Several crews have collaborated with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to control the spread of this beautiful but noxious woody vine, which twines around trees and chokes them out, breaking off limbs and ultimately killing them. Read More

Youth Outdoors graduates say they are higher academic achievers, have taken a science course, regularly volunteer and plan to pursue higher education because of their Conservation Corps service. The findings, from a recent study by a University of Minnesota researcher, showed the afterschool program’s positive, long-term impacts on high school students’ future achievements.  Read More

Conservation Corps’ Solar Day, held March 21, showcased a solar furnace installed in a transitional home for low-income families in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The demonstration project, funded by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, is intended to show how renewable energy systems can be incorporated into heating assistance programs. Read More

On April 1, Conservation Corps Minnesota was honored by the City of Rochester with an award for its work to improve the city’s urban forest. The Corps has collaborated for the last four years with RNeighborWoods of Rochester to manage thousands of volunteers who plant trees in the city each April. Read More