“Why not? Why not push the envelope of what is possible? Why not have crews across the nation doing things we never thought they could? Liz Titus Putnam founded the Student Conservation Association as part of her senior thesis in 1955. Could I do something as bold and daring?” James Barnes has been reading his history books, and in them has glimpsed the future of conservation. A graduate student at the University of Vermont, James was inspired by the great Service Corps that first developed during the Great Depression. James’s own experiences with the Nevada Conservation Corps convinced him that the corps model is both an effective way to reach conservation goals and an opportunity for incredible growth and connections between corps members: “When you serve as a crew, you create a powerful connection to purpose and community that is difficult to match.” James is well on his way to recreating this experience for a new generation through the LANDS program, a conservation corps that connects college students, graduate students, and professionals. James’s success with LANDS proves that when it comes to putting your dreams into action, there’s simply no reason why not.
The environmental challenges we face can seem daunting, but James is confident that the corps model can help meet them. His TogetherGreen Fellowship will focus on developing an advanced corps that can address complex issues cost-effectively, provide meaningful service to conservation organizations, and train the next cadre of conservation professionals. LANDS’ crew members come from all over and do everything and anything conservation related, from mapping rare and invasive plants to researching land acquisitions. Its projects are more complicated than traditional trail building, however, so James brings people with all levels of experience together to learn from each other as they execute projects. As James envisions it, the corps model is simple, dynamic, and effective. The communities built through the corps are bound for great things: “In 2009, conservation professionals will guide college students who will guide high school students.”
Read the Land Stewardship (LANDS) blog here.