Utah Conservation Corps Recognized with BLM Youth Award
Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012
BLM's Utah State Director Juan Palma congratulates Utah Conservation Corps program director Kate Stephens who accepted the Youth Superstar Partnership award on behalf of UCC.
The Bureau of Land Management recognized the Utah Conservation Corps (UCC) with a Youth Superstar Partnership award. UCC program director Kate Stephens accepted the award from BLM’s Utah State Director Juan Palma at a BLM executive management team meeting Oct. 9 in Richfield, Utah.
The UCC has partnered with the BLM since the UCC’s inception in 2001, to address critical conservation projects while training and developing the next generation of service and conservation leaders.
“The goal of BLM Utah’s Youth Program is to re-connect a new generation of young people to the great outdoors and careers in natural resources,” said Jeanette Matovich, BLM Utah Youth Program lead. “The Utah Conservation Corps has provided outstanding outdoor employment opportunities to diverse youth groups, including the Bilingual Youth Corps.
“For years, the BLM and UCC have worked together to provide employment opportunities, and educate future citizen stewards on why it is important to protect and conserve public land. We look forward to expanding our partnership with Utah State University and working with them for many years to come.”
In August each BLM Utah District selected a partnering youth organization for a BLM Youth Superstar Partnership award. The Utah office nominated UCC in recognition of the organization’s statewide efforts to employ and develop diverse youth populations to be the conservation leaders of the future. The UCC has been one of the national leaders in the inclusion of diverse populations in conservation efforts through the programs like the Bilingual Youth Corps that provides summer employment for youth ages 16-18 with all training and educational materials available in English and Spanish.
“We, the BLM, have got to think about the future,” said Utah BLM state director Juan Palma. “How will we deliver our programs at the BLM to American society which is the changing face of America? We need to bring more diversity candidates and what better way than through our Youth Program.”
The UCC is an AmeriCorps program dedicated to developing the conservation leaders of tomorrow through service and education. In the last ten years the UCC, as a department of Utah State University Student Services, has constructed or maintained 808 miles of trail; built, repaired or rehabilitated 84.7 miles of fence; restored 4,831 acres of public land; and harnessed more 5,700 volunteers contributing 19,500 hours of service. UCC has been a program in USU’s Division of Student Services since January 2001.
For information about the UCC and the USU Student Sustainability Office contact Sean Damitz, 435-797-8134 or sean.damitz@usu.edu.
