This September, SCA leaders went international to battle invasives species in the urban forests of Montreal — teaming up with national supporter Domtar to restore Parc Thomas-Chapais.
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.
SCA Goes International to Restore Urban Forests in Canada with Domtar
Posted by Ann Pedtke | Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Forests, Kids, Parks, Volunteer Opportunities
Posted by Megan McVey | Tuesday, September 26, 2017
For American high school students, applying to college sometimes feels like a fulltime job. Grades and transcripts, sports and extracurriculars, essays and SATs, AP classes and early admissions—the pressure can be intense. After all of that work, postponing matriculation for a year might feel a little counterintuitive. And few do:...
Creating Avenues of Opportunity In Nature
Posted by Kevin Hamilton | Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Most SCA members will tell you they are motivated by a love of nature, a concern for the environment, or a desire to give back. However, when asked what prompted him to toil through a long, hot summer, Joshua George ruefully shook his head. “Jail,” he replied.
In Chicago, where gun...
Posted by Kevin Hamilton | Tuesday, September 26, 2017
On Alaska’s North Slope this summer, a team of SCA interns spent long days trapping rodents, documenting plant diversity, and collecting soil and water samples. Working conditions were often extreme. Despite 24-hour daylight, summer temperatures could dip below freezing. One day the sky might be filled with wind-whipped rain, the...
Posted by Hayden Sloan | Thursday, September 21, 2017
By SCA Community Engagement Fellow Hayden Sloan
Aluminum (or Aluminium, if you’re not from the US) is an abundant element within Earth’s surface— but getting it out of the ground is an arduous process, requiring heavy machinery to plow up acres and acres of land. Fortunately, the environmental impact...
How Being in Nature Can Prevent and Treat Opioid Addiction
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, September 18, 2017
Opioid addiction in the United States has reached epidemic levels. More than 183,000 Americans died from opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2015, with the number of annual fatalities quadrupling over the same period. Last year alone, drug overdoses exceeded some 59,000, the largest-ever annual jump in...
150 Volunteers Honor 9/11 National Day of Service & Remembrance
Posted by Michael Cronin | Wednesday, September 13, 2017
With support from American Express, SCA rallied a force of 150 volunteers at NYC and DC ConSERVE Events to commemorate the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Parks, People, Volunteer Opportunities
Posted by Megan McVey | Friday, September 8, 2017
September is back-to-school time, but cracking the books doesn’t mean you have to give up on conservation. With the Student Conservation Association’s Community Crews, you can build trails, conserve habitats, and restore parks, waterfronts and urban landscapes right in your own neighborhood – an effort made even more...
Posted by Megan McVey | Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Congratulations: after long hours of research, reflection, and work – including, perhaps, an internship with SCA – you’ve decided to devote your professional life to protecting the environment. But as you visit campuses, fill out applications, and write essays, you’re probably wondering what it is you should actually...
Posted by Kevin Hamilton | Friday, September 1, 2017
Several SCA interns are highlighted in the initial segment of KTVA-TV’s “Frontiers” program from Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Specifically, you’ll see and hear the interns from the 3:45 mark through the end of the report at 7:10. Park Ranger Eileen Audette, also featured in this segment,...
Posted by Hayden Sloan | Friday, August 25, 2017
Introducing the seven exceptional leaders who were chosen to represent the SCA at the #NestléCares events in Stamford, CT on August 10th! Together, they formed a well-rounded group from diverse backgrounds and they completed each task with a smile. I was thrilled to get to know...
Helping you live a low-waste lifestyle!
Posted by Hayden Sloan | Monday, August 21, 2017
So you’re trying to live the trash-free life…but some waste is just unavoidable! I’m with you. It can be overwhelming to give up the conveniences of modern life. Even just going to the grocery store and not ending up with a cart full of unrecyclable packaging is a challenge.
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, August 21, 2017
By SCA Leader, Sophia Siciliano (Photos courtesy of Steven Gang)
Spending a summer in a tent is not ideal for many people. Some may feel even less keen on that idea if it involved full work days in the heat of the South. Luckily for Steven and me, the members of...
Posted by Hayden Sloan | Wednesday, August 16, 2017
62 Nestlé employees volunteered their time at Cove Island Park in Stamford, CT for #NestléCares to get the long guardrail stained and protected! Despite the hot sun and messy stain, enthusiasm abounded.
1000 volunteers. 9 cities. 1 day.
Posted by Megan McVey | Tuesday, August 15, 2017
1000 volunteers. 9 cities. 1 day. On August 10th, SCA led 9 flagship events as part of the 100+ event #NestleCares day, a national day of volunteering uniting the company’s business operations with community events nationwide.
Posted by Kevin Hamilton | Tuesday, August 15, 2017
On August 12, SCA presented its Elizabeth Putnam Founder’s Medal to Olympic Superintendent Sarah Creachbaum in recognition of the park’s deeply-rooted support of SCA’s mission. Olympic is not only one of two original SCA partner sites – along with Grand Teton National Park – it is also the only park to host SCA volunteers every year since 1957.
Posted by Megan McVey | Friday, August 11, 2017
Showcasing young volunteers and directed by young filmmakers, “National Park Diaries” is an uplifting, hour-long documentary that follows two Student Conservation Association crews as they protect the environment and bonds as teams in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area.
Featuring Nichlos Gutowski, a 15-year-old from Nome,...
Posted by Hayden Sloan | Monday, August 7, 2017
Kingman and Heritage Islands Park is a sudden breath of fresh wilderness at the edge of the city on the Anacostia River. Bisected by East Capitol Street, the northern and southern sides of the Kingman Island park are equal parts woodsy and picturesque picnic areas. The northern tip of the island past Benning Road boasts a golf course
Posted by Hayden Sloan | Friday, August 4, 2017
It may be hard to imagine how such a beautiful park needs improvement, but Ron D’Amico, our park foreman, assures me that there is always plenty to do to maintain Cove Island’s charm!
SCA Partners with NEON on Massive Climate Change Database
Posted by Megan McVey | Monday, July 31, 2017
Since 1957, the Student Conservation Association (SCA) has been at the forefront of preserving our national parks and forests, with the knowledge that these natural “lungs” act as a critical cooling and cleaning mechanism for our planet, pulling carbon dioxide from the air while releasing oxygen. But in recent years,...