The Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) is a summer youth employment program that engages young adults in meaningful work experiences on federal public lands. Crew members are engaged in fun, exciting work projects designed to develop an ethic of environmental stewardship and civic responsibility such as trail maintenance; preserving and repairing historic buildings; removing invasive species; helping with wildlife and land research; and leading environmental education. YCC supports the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps, or 21CSC, mission to put thousands of America’s young people to work protecting, restoring, and enhancing America’s great outdoors.

•  Affords members the opportunity to work and learn alongside federal employees in a wide range of natural and environmental projects
• Assists youth to develop a life-long ethic of environmental stewardship and civic responsibility through team-based work projects and individual placements
• Works to instill young adult awareness and appreciation of the public lands legacy and of the nation’s natural, cultural and  historic resources

The above information is from the U.S. Forest Service YCC webpage, which can be found here.

Cottonwood Gulch's YCC is a residential program: the crew is expected to remain together during the entire duration of the session. The crew will live and work together 24/7, as well as cook and share meals in a community setting. On their “off-time” the crew will engage in activities like rock climbing, exploring slot canyons, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, and learning about the arts and cultures of the Southwest. These activities reflect the similarly immersive experiences to our summer trekkers and is part of what makes our YCC unique.

Our YCC program is specifically designed for impassioned young people who are interested in learning more about southwest ecosystems, doing hard work to apply conservation principles to the land, and educating and engaging young people in the outdoors. To meet eligibility requirements, applicants must be:

• At least 18 years old at the start of enrollment and must not reach age 22 before completion of the program
• A U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the U.S., its territories, or possessions
• Have a valid U.S. Social Security number or have applied for a valid Social Security number
• Able to fulfill the essential functions of the assigned work with or without reasonable accommodations
• Actively committed and willing to complete the assigned work projects
• Available for the duration of the program, June 21 to August 4, 2025