Clara Jessup is an SCA Bear Management Intern currently serving at Yosemite National Park. As destructive wildfires continue to blaze through many iconic landscapes in the west, we took some time to learn more about her experience at the park during the recent Washburn and Oak Fires.
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 Cecilia Aleman | Wednesday, July 27, 2022
We were told we would be staying at a place called Trees for the Future, or something of the sort. Probably a cult-y little community up in the woods of Northern Wisconsin with eerie, half-there people who talk about how they have been “saved.” At least that is what we hoped.
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Friday, July 8, 2022
Everything smelled of deet and peanut butter.
The scent had worked its way into everything we owned and by that point, our PB&J consumption had become so high that I imagine our bodies were at least 1% Skippy.
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Thursday, June 16, 2022
After several days of heavy rain, SCA bison intern Bennett Collins and others noticed last weekend that the Gardiner River on the north end of Yellowstone National Park was running higher than usual. Yet there seemed to be no reason for concern. That rapidly changed.
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Wednesday, June 15, 2022
I have fifteen mosquito bites on my face, twelve on my neck, and some weird red marks on my collarbone which may or may not mean I’m dying of iron poisoning.
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Earlier this year, SCA placed prescribed fire crews with the U.S. Forest Service at Kisatchie National Forest (Louisiana) and Davy Crockett National Forest (Texas), and with The Nature Conservancy in Alabama and Florida.
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Tuesday, June 7, 2022
Throughout the summer, SCA will periodically feature the exploits of our Roving Resource Crew, serving the needs of the U.S. Forest Service. Here’s the team’s first entry, written by Leader Alexandria “Alex” Ness, a/k/a Slug.
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Wednesday, May 18, 2022
By Elyria Rose Little, SCA Alum and Alumni Council Secretary
Eighteen years ago, I was about to join my first SCA backcountry trail crew. This year, for Earth Day, I co-led a volunteer trail day in an ecological restoration project at Cleveland Metroparks, where I work on the Trails team.
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Tuesday, April 19, 2022
At SCA, #EarthWeek reminds us of where conservation begins. It can be in nature, parks, or even your own backyard.
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Tuesday, April 19, 2022
During its second annual run, SCA’s Parks Pandemonium Tournament proved once again how much people love public lands.
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Thursday, February 17, 2022
In January, the inaugural cohort of SCA Alumni Fellows began their three-month remote internships supporting different SCA departments on a national level. Now in the second month, the seven Alumni Fellows are collaborating and connecting over the research, writing, and video content that makes up their respective projects.
In a recent...
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Is it surprising that one of the more memorable parts of serving on an SCA crew is the food? From learning new recipes to connecting with others, mealtime is a huge part of the SCA experience!
Over the next three weeks, follow along on TikTok as SCA alum Ingrid Piña...
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Photo: Stewart’s Canal, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park (NPS)
In United States history, countless critical moments have resulted in significant change. Economic pathways emerged, citizens became liberated, and movements were established. While new generations continue to learn of these milestones, many key change makers tied to historical...
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Thursday, January 13, 2022
The Student Conservation Association will achieve a major milestone this year when we place our 100,000th service member! We will mark this momentous occasion with a year-long #SCA100K celebration, one that showcases SCA members, alumni, and others as they shape...
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Wednesday, November 17, 2021
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The U.S. Forest Service places the number of trees in and around Chicago at 157 million. These trees store 62 million tons of CO2, annually remove another 677,000 tons of carbon from the air, and are valued at over $50 billion. SCA crews are helping to maintain these extraordinary ecological assets....
The Chemistry Behind Autumn's Awesome Hues
Posted by Joseph Thurston | Friday, October 15, 2021
There are so, so, so many reasons to love autumn (milder weather, jackets, less crowded parks and trails, fewer mosquitos, less poison ivy, cozier camping, pumpkins, squash, gourds… we could go on forever), but the best—and certainly brightest—may be what happens to the leaves.
But what exactly does happen to them?...
Education, Science
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Friday, October 15, 2021
Some spooktacular service is taking place this fall season and the SCA Massachusetts (MA) Historic Preservation Corps has the inside scoop!
Prioritizing Preservation
Preservation is a key part of conservation and ensures that places with historic and cultural significance are protected for future generations. Through progams like the MA Historic Preservation Corps, SCA...
Posted by Kevin Hamilton | Tuesday, September 28, 2021
By Ernesto Paz
SCA Crew Member
Fifty miles southwest of Chicago, hiding in plain sight, sits a time machine.
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is one of the last remaining ecosystems of its kind, offering a glimpse of the landscape that defined the Midwest for centuries, right down to the (reintroduced) bison herd. The...
Posted by Cecilia Aleman | Tuesday, September 7, 2021
As we approach the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, SCA shares a collection of unique perspectives.
Most are tied to Richard Guadagno, who in 2001 was manager of Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge and among the courageous passengers on United Flight 93. Since 2015, the Guadagno family has...
Posted by Kevin Hamilton | Monday, August 30, 2021
The final diary entry from a melancholy Team Leader Jake Westrich:
I can’t believe it’s over. One guy on my team asked Patrick [Gallo, SCA program manager] very early on how long the season might feel, and he was told it depends on his experience.
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