Americorps Volunteer Experience.
I began working for Coconino Rural Environment Corps as an Americorps service member beginning 2013. I participated in different conservation projects including stream restoration, wildfire fuels reduction, habitat restoration, erosion control, watershed clean up, invasive species control, and aspen vegetation planting. This cross-agency work was physically and mentally challenging, but was extremely valuable in providing me with opportunities to work closely with different land management agencies to contribute in a meaningful way to conservation work, while engaging in a diverse community of environmental leaders. While working for this organization I assisted in various Americorps organized community educational and outreach events, including helping organize the “Oak Creek Watershed Symposium”. This symposium highlighted the cultural, social and ecological issues surrounding this watershed to engage the community on concerns pertaining to this unique watershed system. Helping with this event helped me gain a more holistic understanding in the challenges faced by management agencies in protecting a fragile watershed system, and engaging these organizations around this central issue helped better educate the community on this topic. For more information see this video created by the Oak Creek Watershed Council. |
|