Vermont Youth Conservation Corps - September 2007

VYCC President appointed to Governorís Vermont State Park Task Force!

At a reception held at Smugglerís Notch State Park on August 23, 2007, Governor Jim Douglas officially appointed the Vermont State Park Task Force which will be chaired by Sugarbush Ski Area Owner Win Smith with VYCC President Thomas Hark. Read the coverage by VPR (PDF) and the Burlington Free Press (PDF) to learn more!

The Governor and Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources have charged the twenty-member task force with taking a hard look at Vermont's State Parks and determining what direction the parks should go in the future. The task force will develop concrete strategies and proposals for moving forward which include youth, education, and making parks the hub of their local communities. It is expected that the work of this Task Force will create a blue print for the future of the Vermont State Parks!

The VYCC and the Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation have enjoyed a 22 year partnership, and the VYCC currently manages four state parks- Allis, Elmore, Lowell Lake and North Hero. Corps Members and Crew Leaders engage in significant conservation and community leadership opportunities in their responsibilities for all park operations, and we look forward to continuing and potentially expanding this valuable partnership to engage youth in improving Vermontís park system.

Project Profile: West River Trail

In the early summer, a VYCC Wilderness Crew embarked on a project to enhance the West River Trail between Ball Mountain Dam and the Winhall campground in Jamaica, VT. The crew built bridges and rock crossings over several streams, relocated the trail in several areas, and installed trail structures, including cribbing, stone steps, and culverts. These structures will enhance public safety and enjoyment of the trail in all seasons and conditions. When completed, this project will provide an important link on the Upper Section of the West River Trail.

The VYCC has been working in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Transportation to improve the West River Trail since 2000, highlighted by the construction of a switchback trail over Ball Mountain Dam, which was completed in 2003. To learn more about how nine years of VYCC crews have contributed to the enhancement of the West River Trail, contact John Leddy at john@vycc.org or view photos of this incredible project!

Youth in Agriculture and Natural Resources Program welcomes new staff for the 2007-08 academic year!

For four new Instructors on the VYCC Agriculture and Natural Resources team, itís back-to-school time! For two of them, their summer crews wrapped up just in time to dive into the school year planning. VYCC veteran Sarah Hays will use her experience from leading several VYCC crews in the past year in her new role as the Agriculture and Natural Resources Instructor. She will work closely with Instructor Zach Gilhooley on the Mt. Mansfield Union High School program that is based at the Leadership, Education & Training Center. Students at Lamoille Union High School will be led by Instructors Rebecca Francisco, a summer 2007 VYCC Crew Leader, and Calley Hastings.

Student-interns from both Agriculture and Natural Resources programs will complete community-based projects rooted in the landscape and traditions of Vermont while simultaneously immersed in a dynamic curriculum that ties the work projects to learning.

Partnerships with Mount Mansfield Union High School, Lamoille Union High School, Smokey House Project, and the University of Vermont Extension Office and funding from the legislature currently provide this opportunity to 10 students from each partner high school.

If your school would like to host one of these year round programs please contact Harry Frank, Leadership & Education Director at harry@vycc.org.

3rd Annual VYCC Alumni Rendezvous:
Saturday October 6th

Join us for the 2007 VYCC Alumni Rendezvous at the home of the VYCC at the West Monitor Barn in Richmond, on Columbus Day Weekend, Saturday October 6th. Over the past few years, the Alumni Rendezvousí have been a resounding success; attendance at these events has been over 100 past Crew Leaders, Corps Members, and HQ Staff each year, and for 2007 we plan to double that! So spread the word to all your VYCC friends.

This yearís rendezvous will be an event not to be missed! It will include apple cider pressing, pumpkin carving, flower planting for the spring, the annual cross-cut saw competition, a BBQ and live music! We hope you will join us for the fun at the 2007 Alumni Rendezvous; register online today!

Alumni are the history and the future of the VYCC! It has been great to have so many folks at past events, and we look forward to seeing you again this fall!

Quote of the Month

“My son has done VYCC for the past two summers and has grown in ways I canít even describe! He is getting ready to go off to college and although he is nervous about it, his experience with VYCC has prepared him for the many new things on the horizon for him!.” -2007 VYCC Parent

Faces behind our Success

The Stratton Foundation has provided funding for the development of future projects in the Stratton area, and we are excited to have them on board as a new partner. Jim Morey, Executive Director of the Stratton Foundation, visited the crew working on the West River Trail this summer, and we look forward to developing more work projects in the southern portion of the state that will allow us to work together more closely in the future.

Thanks to the Stratton Foundation for helping the VYCC grow and expand our opportunities for young people while completing important conservation work on public lands!