Townsend Students Finish Intern Program with U.S. Forest Service
Release Date: Aug 13, 2018
**Oh What a Summer**
Townsend Students Finish Intern Program with U.S. Forest Service
TOWNSEND, MONT., August 13, 2018—In June, five students from Townsend were selected to participate in the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC), a summer employment program for high school students that accomplishes much-needed work on our National Forests and allows students to develop an understanding and appreciation for the environment and forest management.
For some, this was their first “real job” —uncertain and nervous in the beginning, after two months they emerged exhausted yet proud of a job well done. Over the course of the summer the students acquired new skills, developed a strong work ethic, built confidence in their abilities, forged new and long-lasting relationships, and learned the value and satisfaction of working to manage our public lands. After nine weeks of hard work, the students were admittedly tired and ready for a break (back to school), but proud of what they accomplished.
Some of those accomplishments included much-needed maintenance of forest trails in the Elkhorns and Big Belt Mountains; improving access to Gypsy Lake by clearing roadside brush; removing and replacing many miles of livestock fence and helping to install stock tanks; completing removal of fence around aspen exclosures; and providing maintenance and improvements at the Forest’s Eagle Guard Station and Thompson Cabin rentals. The highlight of the summer may have been an overnight trip floating the Missouri through the Gates of the Mountains—an experience that will not be soon forgotten.
Townsend District Ranger Mike Welker noted, “This was a great opportunity for students from our community to experience how we manage our National Forests and make some money doing a job that is both fun and challenging. What they accomplished over two months is nothing short of amazing.”
Rory Glueckert, Forest Recreation Program Manager, stated that the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest plans to offer the program again in 2019—“we want to continue to engage our youth in forest managment, because these youth will be our future leaders and stewards of public lands here in Broadwater County”.
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