The First Month: Training

By Lydia Clapp, Duluth Field Crew Member / AmeriCorps Member

When I joined the conservation corps I knew there would be a myriad of opportunities for professional growth. What I didn’t realize was the large amount of personal growth that I would experience. I started my year term in February and the last few months have been packed full of new endeavors. Such as moving to a new state, holding a chainsaw for the first time, and attending fire camp. I knew I would be receiving this training and that I would be doing many things that were brand new to me, but I didn’t understand how much of a positive impact this would have on me.

When starting a new position the description gives you a solid idea of what you will be doing, but visualizing how these tasks will feel, and the reward of accomplishing something new is impossible without actually doing it. The biggest example I have so far is learning how to fell my first tree. I started out being afraid of just holding the chainsaw, but with practice, perseverance, and a lot of patience, I am starting to feel more confident.

We had an entire two weeks dedicated to mastering our face cuts and learning how to formulate a cut plan so we could fell trees safely. I struggled to learn the cut in the first week and started to get discouraged but I am glad I stuck with it because I think this struggle is what made the accomplishment of knocking down my first tree so rewarding.

I have had to push to the edge of my comfort zone a lot, but I love the freeing feeling that comes with doing something completely new and daunting. You start out with little knowledge and this uncertainty brews fear. But you end with confidence and gratification. It instills the idea that you can do hard things. I am the kind of person who is always looking for excitement, but I am starting to learn in order to receive the largest reward, this excitement can’t happen instantly. It takes a lot of trial and error and hard work.