October 9, 2019 | There are moments on Utah’s San Juan River when conversations fall silent, the wind calms, and the only sound you can hear is the drip of water off the oars. And in mellow stretches when even rowing is unnecessary, the rafts can be left to twirl beneath towering limestone walls. Time stretches out and seems to come unwound until the piercing call of a peregrine falcon breaks through the silence.

October 3, 2019 | CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today Duke Energy announced $807,000 in grant funding from the Duke Energy Foundation to 22 organizations to strengthen the health of our environment and increase access to nature in North Carolina.

“North Carolina’s natural resources are a state treasure, and by collaborating with our trusted nonprofit partners we can accomplish more to protect and preserve species, habitats and water sources,” said Stephen De May, NC president, Duke Energy. “We’re working to ensure that future generations enjoy and benefit from all that North Carolina’s natural wonders have to offer.”

September 26, 2019 | National Public Lands Day is being recognized Saturday at Little Beaver State Park, with stewardship projects and a celebration of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. 

The event is being hosted by Stewards Individual Placement Program and West Virginia Rivers Coalition. 

"West Virginia’s outstanding public lands are vital to the state; providing green spaces and acting as important economic drivers," the release said. "West Virginia would not have these special places without the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which uses revenue generated from federal oil and gas leases to purchase and maintain public lands."

September 25, 2019 | Navy Veteran Tyler Welch used to patrol the streets of Iraq as a corpsman. Now, he’s fighting a new battle against fires.

Welch is part of the Veterans Fire Corps crewmember program, run through the Southeast Conservation Corps. SECC is an AmeriCorps-affiliated non profit that engages recent-era Veterans, partnering with the U.S. Forest Service Southeast Region. SECC started the Veterans Fire Corps program in 2018. The 10-month intensive training program engages recent-era military Veterans up to age 35 in fuels reduction, fuels management, and wildland firefighting.

September 25, 2019 | Hanging Rock State Park was brilliantly built in the 1930s by the original CCCs (Civilian Conservation Corps). The park was lucky enough to have the opportunity to house a new edition of the CCCs in this five-person CCNC crew with a crew leader this month. The crew set up their camping tents just yards away from the original CCC Camp 3422 and reported for duty. Their first assignment was to hike Ruben Mountain trail and de-berm, which is to remove the hump of soil that collects at the edge of the trail and prevents water from sheeting off properly.

September 25, 2019 | The construction of Baileys Trail will help with the ecotourism industry in Athens and Southeast Ohio.

Southeast Ohio hosts thousands of visitors each year all coming in for ecotourism, which is a form of tourism that recreates in and fosters healthy ecosystems, equitable community development and fair financial gains. Activities include hiking, mountain biking, kayaking and appreciating nature.  

September 11, 2019 | The story behind how four high schoolers formed a first-ever work crew comprised entirely of women to tackle backlogged projects in Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park this summer.

September 6, 2019 | America’s national park system is getting wilder by the second—and that’s not great news for visitors. This country’s park system is made up of more than 85 million acres of outdoor space. It features pristine forestland, breathtaking canyons, and monumental former battlefields across all 50 states.

September 4, 2019 | This month, Stewards Program Coordinator and former Klondike CVA, Allie Burdick, along with Communications Team member Amber Wong, sat down with Seattle Area National Park Sites (including Klondike) superintendent Charles Beall to talk about his positive experience working with four years of CVAs.

August 27, 2019 | Monarch Mountain’s Ski Conservation Fund has disbursed a little more than $30,000 to three different area conservation projects, the National Forest Foundation announced last week.

The fund gave $12,000 to the Monarch Pass Gravel Pit Restoration Project, $13,200 to the Boss Lake Trail Improvement Project and $7,600 to develop cross-country ski trails near Monarch Mountain.

The gravel pit project is being handled by Trout Unlimited, and the other two projects are being run by Southwest Conservation Corps.