YNP highlights work of Youth Conservation Corps - Buckrail

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The YCC Alpha Crew 2021 at their Canyon Campground bear box installation. Photo: Jacob W. Frank // NPS

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — This past summer in Yellowstone National Park, the 2021 Yellowstone Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) crews and staff completed multiple projects during its five-week program.

The following projects were completed:

Installed 58 bear-proof food storage boxes in campgrounds
Installed 13 new trailhead signs and removed 5 outdated ones
Collected 52.25 hours of visitor use pattern data and distributed 288 GPS units to hikers to better understand trail usage at Norris Geyser Basin, Midway Geyser Basin, and Fairy Falls Trailhead
Picked up 5,389 pieces of trash
Completed 4 pika surveys for the Yellowstone Pika Project
Collected 3 pronghorn scat samples and herd demographics for the Home on the Range Project
Collected 46+ dragonfly larvae from the Firehole River and Lake of the Woods for the National Mercury Dragonfly Project
Split ½ cord of firewood for the YCC campus and other youth work groups’ use

YCC is a residential work-based education program for young men and women between the ages of 15 and 18. It is an opportunity for teenagers across the country to work, learn, play, and serve in the world’s first national park.

The program is designed to develop an appreciation for the nation’s natural resources and heritage through unique educational, recreational, and work experiences. Corps members work together with National Park Service (NPS) staff to complete conservation projects such as trail rehabilitation, campground restoration, and a wide variety of resource management, visitor support services, and maintenance projects.

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About The Author

Buckrail @ Caroline

Caroline Chapman is a Community News Reporter who recently made Jackson home. Born and raised in Connecticut, she enjoys reading non-fiction, skiing, hiking, and playing piano in her downtime. She is most passionate about delivering and pursuing stories that directly impact the lives of individuals in the community. Her favorite aspect about living in Jackson is the genuine admiration that Wyomingites share for the land and the life that it sustains.