CorpsTHAT Crew – 004
CTC-004
Program Year: 2023
Project Partners: Green Mountain National Forest, Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, and Ridgeline Outdoor Collective
Program Dates: June 29th, 2023 to August 6th, 2023
Leader(s): Dakota Ronco and Jax Skyler
Number of Corps Members: 5
Ages of Corps Member: 18-29
The purpose of CorpsTHAT Crew 004 is to expand on individual experiences outdoors, grow our interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, and value our connection with nature and each other. We got to work with the U.S. Forest Service in the Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF) region of Vermont. The GMNF is over 400,000 acres in central and southwestern Vermont and we got to serve in a few different regions of the forest each week. Because we worked and camped together 24/7, we had to learn to adapt to each others’ wants and needs for a smooth and positive experience. The agenda was to come together to restore habitats, remove non-native invasive plants, maintain facilities, campgrounds, trails, and install drains. It took cans of bug spray, sunscreen, water, endless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, teamwork, communication, motivation, blood, sweat, and tears.
Project Accomplishments
- 7 members hired
- 95+ hours of outreach and education
- 30+ hours of recreation
- 17+ hours of project prep and logistics with project contacts
- 1400+ hours invested working on conservation projects for US Forest Service
- 1 acre of invasive species removed
- 0.70 acre of habitat improved
- 6 10-gallon bags of trash collected
- 16 front country campsites maintained
- 35 new structures built
- 1 old and hazardous recreation site infrastructure removed
- 4.7 miles of trail inspected for flood damages
- 5.6 miles of trail maintained
- 2 US Forest Service buildings cleaned and maintained
Project Locations
Rochester Fish & Wildlife: Non-Native Invasive Plants [NNIP]
Bingo Brook
GMNF Manchester Ranger Station: Job Development and Networking
Manchester Ranger Station
Manchester Fish and Wildlife: Eliminating Competition in an Ecosystem
Mount Tabor
Manchester Recreation: Recreation Site Infrastructure
Long Trail and Appalachian Trail trailheads and White Rocks
Manchester Recreation: Storm Damage Management
Hapgood and Grout Ponds
Rochester Recreation: Recreation and Ecosystem Woodcraft
Rochester Ranger Station
Rochester Fish and Wildlife: White River Habitat Restoration
Peaville, White River, and Robert Frost Trail
Manchester Fish and Wildlife/Rochester Recreation: Storm Damage Inspection and Maintenance
Lye Brook Falls, Little Rock, and Texas Falls
Rochester Fish & Wildlife: Managing Forest Biodiversity
Rob Ford Wildlife Meadow
Ridgeline Outdoor Collective: Making Trails Accessible
Sap Boiler and Old Gents Trails
Ana Puente, 22, Woodland, CA. “Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play, every individual makes a difference.” – Dr. Jane Goodall
Serving the community matters to me. I always try to enhance my efforts, and I believe joining the CorpsTHAT Conservation Crew would enlighten me on various skills that have a significant impact. Perville-White River has been a memorable project since I became a leader of the day (LOD). Leading the crew taught me how to empower all members, including myself, to achieve our goals. In addition to being a leader, I had a chance to work/communicate directly with project partners. That experience provided far more valuable insight into the U.S. Forest Service profession. This opportunity is unique for me as a hard-of-hearing person with an interest in pursuing a career in the outdoors. For this reason, I’d recommend everyone to join CorpsTHAT.
Ike Paige, 21, Columbus, GA. “Project won’t [get] done without teammates”
[This is] my great short story: [on] day one we barely know each other and we don’t know our boundaries and we [went] through a lot of ups and downs. Of course we [had some tension in the crew but] I must always check on them to keep their thoughts positive. [In the] end, we become like brother and sister. Our bond is very unbreakable and unforget[able]. That’s how I proved my leadership. Our connection will never fade away. We are family! CorpsTHAT have many opportunities for you! My goal is to learn more about corps conservation and become timber. The CorpsTHAT program is all about being open minded, being yourself, and thriving your outdoors jobs. You never know what awaits you or ready to connect you!
This crew was made possible in thanks to a partnership with the US Forest Service Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forest and in support of a grant from REI
