AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Pacific Region team, Green 7, is working with the Bureau of Land Management Eagle Lake Field Office until May 16th. Green 7 consists of seven young adults from across the United States who have been serving together since October 2017.
Their journey started in the Palm Springs Area and has since led them to Ridgecrest, Redding and the Mother Lode Field Offices to perform work on California public lands.
The BLM’s mission is to manage public lands for the benefit of current and future generations. The organization focuses on conservation and stewardship, energy development and recreation experiences.
In order to help implement BLM’s mission, Green 7 is clearing and performing maintenance on trails in the Susanville area. The team is focusing their efforts on maintaining the Bizz Johnson Trail and the South Side Trail as well as building new trails on Bald Mountain.
To date, the team has removed 450 pounds of trash along BLM-adopted highway beside Eagle Lake, helped teach 310 5th graders Leave No Trace as a part of “Day in the Desert,” and installed a 15-foot retaining wall consisting of boulders and crush to help stabilize the trail and prevent erosion.
The team also harvested and live-staked 600 willows along the Susan River to diminish erosion along the banks.
During their down time, the team has volunteered at various events including the Lassen Land and Trails Trust Home Brew Competition, the Susanville Community Garden and the Paiute Meadows Run 50k that was held Saturday.
Corps member Tim Jambor commented, “I have appreciated the variety of the work and the community has been very welcoming. Getting to work with unique projects on the Bizz Johnson Trail such as a grip hoist and rock drill has been the most rewarding aspect of our stay here.”
The experience with the Eagle Lake Field Office has proved rewarding and valuable to corps members considering conservation work after their service year with AmeriCorps has ended. It has also introduced the team to new friends and community events they have yet to experience anywhere else.
