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September 9, 2020
Find out more about the briefings in this series below:
Overview of the Workforce Wednesdays series
Several different conservation corps currently offer opportunities to get Americans involved in shovel-ready projects on federal lands, providing participants with work experience, skills, and a paycheck while contributing to national climate and sustainability goals. Speakers discussed a variety of conservation corps and the policies that help them thrive.
Chas Robles, Director of Conservation Legacy’s Ancestral Lands program, described its wildland restoration work, and the program’s design to expand access to Native youth. Michael French, Director of Operations at Green Forests Work, discussed how its programs rely on local contractors and community members to restore native forest cover on lands that were disturbed by mining. Tonya Gayle, Chief Development Officer and Josh Owens, Social Enterprise Project Manager of Green City Force, discussed how corps programs are providing work opportunities and improving environmental outcomes in urban areas.
Supplemental EESI materials:
Chas Robles, Director of Ancestral Lands Program, Conservation Legacy
Michael French, Director of Operations at Green Forests Work
Tonya Gayle, Chief Development Officer at Green City Force
Josh Owens, Social Enterprise Project Manager at Green City Force
Q&A
Do you work with high schools and if so, how does that work?
How can you scale this work? What kind of federal or local support would you need to expand your operations?
Where do your programs get funding?
What are your views on efforts to establish a government funded or operated conservation corps?
How do you go about estimating the impacts you have on your communities?
Highlights compiled by Emma Walker
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a series of online briefings on workforce development and policies and programs that can support a low-carbon recovery from the COVID-19 economic crisis. Speakers discussed major challenges faced in each area and solutions providing economic and environmental benefits to communities across the country.