More than 600 SCA NH Corps members have served since 1994
ALLENSTOWN, N.H. —New Hampshire’s state parks have better trails and facilities, thanks to a 20-year effort of service by AmeriCorps.
Gov. Maggie Hassan and the Executive Council celebrated the partnership between New Hampshire State Parks, the Student Conservation Association and Public Service of New Hampshire recently.
They issued a proclamation in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the AmeriCorps program that established the SCA NH Corps based at Bear Brook State Park.
Since 1994, over 600 SCA NH Corps members have served in New Hampshire providing environmental education to students in the Allenstown and Manchester school districts, conservation service on public lands, interpretive programming to guests to New Hampshire State Parks and service and citizenship mentoring to Manchester High School students.
“I can remember the very humble beginnings of this program when the SCA approached the Division of Parks and Recreation to sponsor the first 10-month residential Corps program in the country to assist the State Park system in helping maintain trails and facilities,” said Regional Vice-President of the SCA Robert Coates. “The partnership has proven invaluable. Over the past 20 years hundreds of thousands of service hours have been invested in helping to improve New Hampshire’s public lands.”
In the tradition of the Civilian Conservation Corps, SCA NH Corps members perform direct hands-on service while developing their ethic of service and citizenship.
Since 1994, the SCA NH Corps program has grown to 30 Corps members that provide important conservation service and environmental education to the citizens and visitors of the state.
Two Conservation Corps projects completed this year include a 40-foot native timber bridge and construction of two Adirondack style shelters at Moose Brook State Park.
“The work of these two projects alone underscore the importance of this program and this partnership,” said Department of Resources and Economic Development Commissioner Jeff Rose. “The shelters will provide our guests with a unique camping experience and the bridge reconnected a historic Civilian Conservation Corps trail creating a loop that is family friendly.”