CO Youth Conservation Corps awards picnic

The Central Oregon Youth Conservation Crew awards picnic is set for August 16th from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Shevlin Park in Bend.

This award picnic is an opportunity for the Forest Service and partners to thank the 18 crews that were a significant workforce throughout Central Oregon on public lands.

The awards picnic will include an introduction of crews and a presentation by crews on a contest to create something that symbolizes there experience throughout the summer and shows “What YCC means to them.” The awards picnic will also include an awards presentation and BBQ lunch.

This summer, 103 youth worked for eight weeks throughout Central Oregon including crews in Crescent, LaPine, Sisters, Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, and a new crew in Mitchell.

Projects included trail maintenance, hazardous fuels reduction, noxious weed eradication, campground maintenance, riparian and watershed restoration, and fence maintenance and construction.

More than 36,000 hours of labor were contributed to projects on the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forest, Crooked River National Grassland, and Smith Rock State Park. Over $400,000 was paid out in wages throughout Central Oregon.

This program is made possible through a long-term partnership between Heart of Oregon Corps, the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forest, Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council, and Oregon Youth Conservation Corps.

In addition to the long-term partnership, grants were received from Ford Family Fund, Oregon State Parks, and Crook County Courts.

For more information, contact Tory Kurtz, Public Affairs Officer on the Ochoco National Forest at 541-416-6647.