There’s a gap in finding young adults to fill the difficult and challenging careers in protecting California’s forests and environment, essentially our backyards. Jobs like wildland firefighting, forestry, and land management.
The California Conservation Corps is helping reduce the gap by paying young adults while they train for these types of careers.
Following action by Governor Newsom and the state legislature, the California Conservation Corps, CCC, is dedicating millions of dollars to help California Native American Tribes create their own conservation corps programs to encourage Native American youth to also launch careers in protecting their ancestral lands throughout California.
“This is a major investment,” said Andrea Reich, Chairwoman of the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians. “And it’s not just an investment in our youth, but it’s an investment in our natural resources and in the protection of our lands. It will allow us to restore and bring back that natural harmony that we had when our ancestors originally resided on these lands.”
As part of the state’s Nature-Based Solutions Conservation Corps Grant program, the CCC awarded the $10 million to five tribes, including the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians.
“The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians is dedicated to developing Tribal Corps members into citizens with character, educational and professional credentials and commitment to their community,” said Janell Bunch, Education Manager for the Tuolumne Me-Wuk Tribal Council. “That is really the driving force behind all of this.”
The tribe was awarded $2.4 million in grant funding for the creation of a tribal youth conservation corps over the next three years. The goal is to establish educational and career pathways linked to project work on tribal lands. Grant proposals were required to include components focused on workforce development and features that implement sustainable land management practices as they relate to climate change and climate adaptation/resiliency.
“I’m very grateful to the Governor and his cabinet, his administration and I’m grateful to the California Conservation Corps,” said Councilman Steven “Buck” Cruz with the Southern Band Washoe Tribe. “What I look forward to (from this grant) is having the opportunities to provide jobs and better outlook on life for our children.”
The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California will receive $3 million to develop a full-time corps program and engage in resource projects on tribal land in California. The Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians will receive $2,161,060 to expand its existing tribal youth corps, which was established in 2022.
The Bishop Paiute Tribe will receive $1,636,700 to establish a seasonal corps program. And the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation was awarded $801,117 to initiate a seasonal program as well.
“These grants can make a long-lasting impact on promoting conservation to Native American youth and particularly on their ancestral lands,” said Bruce Saito, Director of the California Conservation Corps. “The CCC makes such a natural partner for these grants and their goal. We look forward to sharing our knowledge of operating corps programs with the tribes and we can’t wait to learn from the tribes about traditional ecological practices.”
To learn more about the CCC visit ccc.ca.gov. You can learn more about the Tribal Grants program at https://ccc.ca.gov/what-we-do/funding-opportunities/tribal-corps/
