Trail Talk: A Window into Grand Teton National Park's Youth Conservation Program, Final Post

Last week marked the completion of the eighth season of the Youth Conservation Program in Grand Teton National Park. Throughout the ten week program, which ran from mid-June to mid-August, 24 teenagers participated in various work and educational activities with all major divisions of the park, including resource management, historical preservation, wildland fire, search and rescue, interpretation, research, vegetation management and trails.

The majority of the conservation work and training performed this summer occurred within the trails division of facility management. Major project work focused on the rehabilitation and construction of new trail tread and trail structures in three key areas: the Lupine Meadows trailhead, the Colter Bay Swim Beach, and Wister Draw Horse Trail. YCP members also contributed to the conservation of our natural resources through noxious weed removal, hazardous fuel reduction for wildfire, and restoration of historic structures within Grand Teton National Park.

After a great season of experiencing one of the nation's premier national parks, some YCP participants have returned to their homes across the country to resume high school, while others have gone on to begin their first year of undergraduate studies.

Crew stats:
-24 participants
-Members came from Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, Texas, Michigan, Virginia, Connecticut, New York, Maine
-Collaborated with all major divisions of Grand Teton National Park
-6541 hours worked
-1000 yards of trail rehabilitated
-640 linear feet of native timber peeled and notched
-400 yards of new trail constructed
-380 volunteer hours
-109 miles hiked
-75 feet of double-tier timber causeway constructed
-29 hours of flexibility and strength training performed per participant
-26 miles of trail drainage cleared
-12 historic structures repaired/maintained
-6 tons of asphalt removed (by hand)
-4 days of backcountry work completed
-0 injuries

YCP trail crew leader Alex St. Clair summarizes the season as follows: “The success of this program depends in great part on the cooperation between Grand Teton National Park and the Grand Teton National Park Foundation, a partnership that has once again allowed students from across the country to experience and engage in ongoing conservation work within the park.  Another huge component of the program’s success is the hardworking crew participants themselves. The dedication, motivation, hard work, and selfless diligence these teenagers bring to the program is incredible and inspiring to all who are fortunate to work with them."

We at GTNPF are so proud of this summer's crew!  Special thanks to all who contributed to the success of this Foundation-funded youth program, including many individuals and the following corporate supporters:

Alltrips
Skinny Skis
Four Seasons Resort
Lee's Tees
Maverik
Mountain Khakis
Patagonia
Signal Mountain Lodge
The Jackson Hole Report
The Wort Hotel
The Coca-Cola Company
U.S. Bank
Vail Resorts
Wells Fargo

About the Youth Conservation Program
Since its inception in 2006, over 120 young men and women, 16 to 19 years old have worked, earned, and learned in the highly successful ten week program that is held each June to August in Grand Teton. In seven seasons, the students have contributed over 50,000 hours of labor improving visitors' experiences in the park. Participants build trails, remove debris, install bear-resistant containers, repair historic sites, pull exotic weeds, clear vegetation, learn stone masonry, and build fences all while hiking miles of the park each day. Collaborative park teams work with the YCP teens to provide a unique education in park history, fire, safety, and rescue training.
About Grand Teton National Park Foundation
Established in 1997, Grand Teton National Park Foundation provides private financial support for special projects that enhance and protect Grand Teton National Park’s treasured cultural, historic, and natural resources.  Since its inception, the Foundation has raised more than $23 million for special projects that benefit Grand Teton and visitors.
About Grand Teton National Park
Located in northwestern Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park preserves a spectacular landscape rich with majestic mountains, pristine lakes and extraordinary wildlife. The park's world-renowned scenery attracts nearly four million visitors per year and offers an array of recreational activities for all ages and all abilities.

Trail Talk: A Window into Grand Teton National Park's Youth Conservation Program, Week 7

 You’ve heard it before that Grand Teton National Park’s Youth Conservation Program (YCP) is more than a summer job; it's an innovative, educational opportunity and a chance for today’s 16 to 19 year olds to accomplish something meaningful in and for one of America's most popular landscapes.  Last week embodied the above claim, as the students spent each day at a different location in the park, learning an array of new topics. 

With the program being well past the half way point for the season, the crew members have become truly cohesive. The leaders have been able to focus more on the projects and quality of work and much less on instructing as the youth participants are becoming more knowledgeable of trail work and are intuitively applying their recently acquired skills in fieldwork.

The major project this week has been rehabilitation and restoration of the Colter Bay swim beach. Years of overuse and creation of dozens of unnecassary user trails have negatively impacted the area, causing erosion and scarring of the landscape. The YCP crew has chosen to improve a select few of the trails by widening and smoothing the tread, and installing a series of native timber steps. They have also installed timber checks to cease erosion on the now closed trails. Following the work of the YCP crew, these areas will be reseeded with native grasses for the final step of restoration.

The crew also worked alongside the park's revegetation crew on Wednesday in the Antelope Flats area. By individually removing and killing musk thistle across nearly 50 acres of recently revegetated grassland, the crew returning previously disrupted areas of Grand Teton to their natural state.

Next week the entire crew will be working in the backcountry of Owl and Web canyons in the northern region of the park on the west side of Jackson Lake. The crew will be camping for three nights and will not return to the front country until later in the week.  Adventures abound!

About the Youth Conservation Program
Since its inception in 2006, over 120 young men and women, 16 to 19 years old have worked, earned, and learned in the highly successful ten week program that is held each June to August in Grand Teton. In seven seasons, the students have contributed over 50,000 hours of labor improving visitors' experiences in the park. Participants build trails, remove debris, install bear-resistant containers, repair historic sites, pull exotic weeds, clear vegetation, learn stone masonry, and build fences all while hiking miles of the park each day. Collaborative park teams work with the YCP teens to provide a unique education in park history, fire, safety, and rescue training.

About Grand Teton National Park Foundation
Established in 1997, Grand Teton National Park Foundation provides private financial support for special projects that enhance and protect Grand Teton National Park’s treasured cultural, historic, and natural resources.  Since its inception, the Foundation has raised more than $23 million for special projects that benefit Grand Teton and visitors.

About Grand Teton National Park
Located in northwestern Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park preserves a spectacular landscape rich with majestic mountains, pristine lakes and extraordinary wildlife. The park's world-renowned scenery attracts nearly four million visitors per year and offers an array of recreational activities for all ages and all abilities.

Trail Talk: A Window into Grand Teton National Park's Youth Conservation Program, Week 6

You’ve heard it before that Grand Teton National Park’s Youth Conservation Program (YCP) is more than a summer job; it's an innovative, educational opportunity and a chance for today’s 16 to 19 year olds to accomplish something meaningful in and for one of America's most popular landscapes.  Last week embodied the above claim, as the students spent each day at a different location in the park, learning an array of new topics.

On Monday, July 29th, Grand Teton’s very own YCP trail crew leader and herbalist, Kate Field, led the crew on an interpretive hike to Huckleberry Point on Phelps Lake.  On the hike, Kate educated the crew as to plant identification, the medicinal properties of local plants, and traditional uses of local flora.  The outing was especially insightful, as Grand Teton National Park has an entire division dedicated to interpretive and educational programs for park visitors, aptly named the Division of Interpretation and Education.

On Tuesday, the crew split into two groups to explore the higher elevations of Grand Teton National park.  One group hiked to the picturesque Amphitheater Lake and the other to the famous Apex on Teewinot Mountain.  Park specialists educated both groups about the mountain pine beetle, which began attacking high-elevation whitebark pine forests in Grand Teton in 2004. The crew provided support for the park’s ongoing whitebark study by assisting staff by hanging white pouches containing a pheromone called verbenone on selected trees. Two pouches per tree (or 40 per acre) send the beetles a chemical message that a specific tree, or a general area, is already saturated with beetles.  This deters beetles from infesting and may reduce the likelihood that additional trees will be attacked.

Last year's YCP crew learning about mountain pine beetles

On Wednesday, YCP improved a system of lateral drains along a closed section of trail on the southwest side of Jenny Lake (along the lakeshore). The system of drains typically holds water all summer due to a series of uphill seeps. These seeps often go unmaintained due to the large scale of maintenance required, so the park is especially pleased that YCP was able to complete this needed work.

On Thursday, YCP students rode the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Aerial Tram to the top of Rendezvous Mountain.  Once there, the crew performed tread maintenance to the trail that leads into Granite canyon.  Their day, and week, concluded with a long walk down and out of Granite Canyon. First time, YCP crew member, Michael Christoffersen, said, "I need to better space out when I eat my M&Ms and rice crispy treats so I can stay ‘jacked’ for the whole hike!"

Michael Christoffersen on his second day of YCP

It’s clear that the YCP crew works hard, both physically and mentally, so staying energized is essential! 

About the Youth Conservation Program
Since its inception in 2006, over 120 young men and women, 16 to 19 years old have worked, earned, and learned in the highly successful ten week program that is held each June to August in Grand Teton. In seven seasons, the students have contributed over 50,000 hours of labor improving visitors' experiences in the park. Participants build trails, remove debris, install bear-resistant containers, repair historic sites, pull exotic weeds, clear vegetation, learn stone masonry, and build fences all while hiking miles of the park each day. Collaborative park teams work with the YCP teens to provide a unique education in park history, fire, safety, and rescue training.

About Grand Teton National Park Foundation
Established in 1997, Grand Teton National Park Foundation provides private financial support for special projects that enhance and protect Grand Teton National Park’s treasured cultural, historic, and natural resources.  Since its inception, the Foundation has raised more than $23 million for special projects that benefit Grand Teton and visitors.

About Grand Teton National Park
Located in northwestern Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park preserves a spectacular landscape rich with majestic mountains, pristine lakes and extraordinary wildlife. The park's world-renowned scenery attracts nearly four million visitors per year and offers an array of recreational activities for all ages and all abilities.

Wells Fargo Supports Youth and Diversity Programming in Grand Teton National Park with $50,000 Grant

Part of $100 million effort to support environmental nonprofits across the country

Jackson, WY, July 29, 2013—The Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grant program has awarded $50,000 to Grand Teton National Park Foundation in support of NPS Academy, a youth program based in Grand Teton that provides mentoring and national park internships to diverse college students.  Funded by Wells Fargo Foundation and administered by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the grant is part of a new Wells Fargo program aimed at awarding $15 million over the next five years to nonprofits focused on sustainable agriculture and forestry, land conservation and water resources, habitat and urban ecosystem restoration, green infrastructure, and environmental education.

NPS Academy is one of several programs funded by Grand Teton National Park Foundation as part of an effort to promote youth engagement in Grand Teton National Park and build the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts and wilderness stewards.  The program, which was conceived in Grand Teton, introduces diverse college students to a range of career paths within the National Park Service (NPS) through intensive mentorship, seminars, workshops, field trips, and recreational activities.  After successful completion of the spring break program, qualified students are placed into 12-week summer internships in national parks across the country.  The program entered its third season in summer 2013 and has also expanded to include spring break programming in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Kenai Fjords National Park.

“We are thrilled to have Wells Fargo’s help in funding this program to recruit a younger audience of wilderness enthusiasts and a more diverse workforce for the NPS.  This is a fantastic program that will keep Grand Teton relevant to future generations and in pristine condition for years to come,” says Leslie Mattson, president of Grand Teton National Park Foundation.

The Foundation’s request was selected from among 500 proposals submitted by local Wells Fargo team members and nonprofits.  In April 2012, Wells Fargo released a set of environmental commitments to be achieved by 2020, including reducing the company’s environmental impact, financing the transition to a greener economy, and encouraging stronger and more sustainable communities.

Jim Ryan, market president and head of business banking at Wells Fargo in Jackson, Wyoming, notes how strongly the program resonates with Wells Fargo’s own vision and values.  “The work NPS Academy is doing to promote diversity among park service employees and national park visitors is profound and effective.  We at Wells Fargo are proud to support this quality youth engagement effort in Grand Teton.”

Ten NPS Academy students are currently working in internships in Grand Teton National Park this summer, learning new skills and gaining a better understanding of the NPS through a wide vary of positions:  visitor center interpretation; assistant to the volunteer coordinator; safety, risk management, and structural fire; public affairs; trails; and bioscience.  Internships will be complete by mid-August.

About Grand Teton National Park Foundation
Grand Teton National Park Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to fund projects that protect and enhance Grand Teton National Park’s treasured resources.  By funding initiatives that go beyond what the NPS could accomplish on its own, the Foundation initiates improvements, critical research, and projects that enhance visitors’ experiences, creating a solid future for Grand Teton.

About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.4 trillion in assets.  Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, and the Internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in more than 35 countries to support the bank’s customers who conduct business in the global economy. With more than 270,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States.  Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on Fortune’s 2013 rankings of America’s largest corporations.  Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. 


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