Park's youth corps program in its second year

The Glacier Youth Corps Partnership, a volunteer partnership program supported by the Glacier National Park Conservancy, Montana Conservation Corps, National Park Foundation and Glacier National Park, provides diverse work and educational opportunities for youths from 15 to 24 years old while supporting the completion of important Park projects.

The program began last summer with current Montana Conservation Corps crew members involved in trail maintenance, citizen science data collection, native plant restoration, historic structure maintenance, noxious weed control and backcountry shelter repair.

Youths gain the opportunity to learn new skills and work alongside staff from the Park’s fire management office, maintenance crews and the Crown of the Continent Research Learning Center.

“The participants gain varied skill sets, and the Park is able to complete significant projects,” Park superintendent Jeff Mow said, “It’s a mutually beneficial program.”

Currently a two-year pilot program, the Glacier Youth Corps Partnership received a $55,000 donation from the Glacier National Park Conservancy to fund the first year of the program and a matching grant of $55,000 from the National Park Foundation to fund the second year.

Future funding availability and continued interest from involved partners will determine the program’s longevity.

For more information about the Montana Conservation Corps, visit online at http://mtcorps.org. For more information about the Glacier Youth Corps Partnership, call Jessica Kusky at 406-888-7851 or the Glacier National Park Conservancy at 406-892-3250.