CBYCC Summer Season Comes to an End

The Clearwater Basin Youth Conservation Corps just completed its eight week summer season. This is the 5th year CEDA has operated the CBYCC program to provide educational workforce experience in natural resources for area youth. The program consisted of six crews stationed out Grangeville (2 crews), Kooskia (2 crews), Pierce, and Orofino. Each crew is comprised of a 5-person team of youth ages 16-18 and 1 adult crew leader. One residential crew was based in Kelly Forks, providing an opportunity for 18 year olds to gain experience on a Forest Service Trail Crew. In total, for the 2023 season, CEDA hired 30 local youth for the CBYCC day crews and 7 adult crew leaders.

Each crew works on a variety of projects including those that focus on silviculture, wildlife and fisheries, facilities maintenance, recreation, fuels reduction, trail development, weed management, stream restoration, and protection of heritage and other high conservation value sites. This season crews have also been working hard to support fire efforts across the region.

The intent is that work projects provide a valuable experience for the crew and also accomplish a produc-tive task for the sponsoring partner.

The Clearwater Basin Youth Conser-vation Corps is funded through partner agreement and cooperator contributions. The primary funding source and partner is the USDA Forest Service: Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. The Orofino crew is funded on a yearly basis through a competitive grant program offered by the USACE Walla Walla for education and training at Dworshak Reservoir. The National Park Service provided funding to support work on area park sites.

2023 Local Cooperator Funding Partners include: Idaho Firewise, Latah County Soil and Water Conservation District, City of Orofino, Nez Perce Tribe Water Resources, and Latah County. Other contributors of time and funding to ensure the success of the program include Idaho Forest Group, Clearwater Potlatch Timber Protective Agency, Idaho Forest Group, and The Lewis-Clark Valley Healthcare Foundation.

Thanks again for a Successful Season and we will be back next summer!