Recently, the SCA Massachusetts Historic Preservation Corps – a new program conducted in collaboration with the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation and AmeriCorps – was wrapping up one of our bigger projects at Fort Warren out on George’s Island. The project involved installing windows that we had repaired as...
Every year, SCA provides training, tools and projects that place motivated teens and young adults in the field to effect changes great and small. How do we measure the effects? Sometimes its through decreased CO2 levels or by the tons of trash collected or in the number of trees planted. Our success is also measured by the lessons learned, the perspective gained and the lives we transform—today and into the future. Often when the SCA project is over, the success story is just beginning. Take a look at some of our most recent accomplishments.
Posted by Megan McVey | Tuesday, June 20, 2017
What is an Emerald Ash Borer and how did it get all the way from East Asia to America? Why did its population grow so fast once it arrived in the U.S.? Why should you care?
The Emerald Ash Borer has become an ongoing problem across the United States, and the...
Posted by Megan McVey | Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Eric Straw is a 30-year old North Texan, a former SCA crew leader, and an avid paddler. He’s currently on a six-month mission to canoe in each of the 50 U.S. states. We caught up to him in New Hampshire, his paddle still wet from the waters of Elbow Pond.
Where...
Volunteers Give New Life to a Historic Pennsylvania Town
Posted by Ann Pedtke | Tuesday, June 20, 2017
On June 17th, SCA teamed up with national supporter Domtar to restore a century-old community center and bring new life to the historic small town of Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania.
History, Parks, People, Volunteer Opportunities
Posted by Megan McVey | Tuesday, June 13, 2017
In Part I , we discussed how Liz Putnam founded the Student Conservation Association in 1957, and how the organization developed and flourished in subsequent decades. In the second of this two-part series, we will look at the how SCA has faced the challenges of the new millennium...
Buzzing in the Backyard
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, June 12, 2017
In September 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that, for the first time ever, it was placing seven species of bees on the endangered species list. Not ten days into the new year, it announced yet another addition: the rusty-patched bumblebee. In its statement, it noted...
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, June 12, 2017
After 60 years of conserving America’s public lands, SCA’s place in history is assured. Here are 6 places in SCA’s history that played key roles during the passage of time.
1. Vassar College
If you’re familiar with the SCA saga, you know why Vassar tops the list: this is where Liz Putnam...
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, June 12, 2017
SCA volunteers get around and, as we celebrate 60 years of service to nature, we share 6 sites where you may not expect to find SCA members — but they’re there, protecting and restoring parts of America’s natural legacy.
Posted by Megan McVey | Thursday, June 8, 2017
In 1953, a twenty-year-old Vassar College junior named Elizabeth Cushman (now Elizabeth Putnam) had a life-changing experience. On a visit to the Grand Teton National Park, she saw the Northern Lights – the spectacular sky show produced by the collision between solar particles and the Earth’s...
Posted by Megan McVey | Thursday, June 8, 2017
All SCA crews keep a journal of their activities, covering everything from work accomplishments to observations in nature. In 1957, SCA crews hauled a portable typewriter and assigned an official scribe to document their adventures. Here are six excerpts from the first two SCA “groups” (as they were called back then) at Olympic National Park.
Posted by Megan McVey | Wednesday, May 31, 2017
SCA Founding President Liz Putnam will be the first to tell you she could not have started SCA without the support of many collaborators and advisors. Six decades later, Liz continues to preach the gospel of Teamwork, and here are six individuals (well, okay, seven) who played key roles in the early days of SCA.
Posted by Megan McVey | Wednesday, May 31, 2017
We literally wrote the book on trail construction. Check out six of the most important tools for building and maintaining trails. Would you agree with our list?
SCA Joins B-52s Concert Tour in Texas
Posted by Ann Pedtke | Tuesday, May 23, 2017
The B-52s are more than a bestselling rock band — they are also conservation rock stars! This weekend in Texas, concert-goers had a chance to get their hands dirty before the show by stepping up to serve with SCA.
Kids, People, Volunteer Opportunities
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, May 22, 2017
With all the pressures on modern families, it’s hard enough to find time to sit down to dinner, let alone get outside. But research has shown that spending time together in nature can create closer bonds and contribute to healthy child brain development....
How working with SCA led to more than a normal internship
Posted by Megan McVey | Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Author: Caroline Ritchey
Though known for its iconic longleaf pine and wiregrass pairing, the pine savanna is actually one of the most diverse and species-rich ecosystems in the Earth’s temperate zone.1 For the last 12 months, I had the pleasure of working in this unique ecosystem as an SCA intern with...
Six environmental jobs you may not have considered
Posted by Megan McVey | Thursday, May 11, 2017
Once upon a time, if you told someone you wanted to do environmental work, they’d automatically assume: park ranger. Not anymore! Today, the market is bursting with green professions for a wide range of skills, degrees, and interests. Here are six of the creative ways that you can make a...
Volunteers Give New Life to a Historic Camp Dormant for Decades
Posted by Ann Pedtke | Monday, May 8, 2017
On May 6th, SCA teamed up with national supporter Domtar to restore a historic mess hall constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps that has stood dormant for decades — helping to bring to life the rich history of North Carolina’s most visited state park.
...History, Kids, Parks, People, Volunteer Opportunities
2400 SCA ConSERVE Volunteers Serve the Planet with 14 Events in 10 Cities
Posted by Ann Pedtke | Tuesday, April 25, 2017
With the support of Earth Day sponsors American Express and Southwest Airlines, SCA brought together over 2400 volunteers nationwide to celebrate the planet through service. At 14 SCA Earth Day events across 10 cities, thousands of volunteers joined forces to honor the 47th Annual Earth Day and make a hands-on...
Parks, People, Volunteer Opportunities
Posted by Kevin Hamilton | Monday, April 24, 2017
Liz Putnam hasn’t regularly roamed the Vassar College campus since 1955. Yet everyone here seems to recognize her.
“Hi, Liz,” a woman said matter-of-factly as the SCA founder stepped into the Alumnae House. The woman hadn’t been assigned to greet Liz. She was on her way out for the...
Author: Christopher Fernández, SCA Alumni Council Member
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, April 24, 2017
Two years ago I was blessed with the opportunity to work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as an intern in the Career Discovery Internship Program (CDIP). Every student and mentor who participated in the program had such inspiring stories and aspirations to share! It was wonderful to...