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High School Students Help Maintain Backcountry Of Obed Wild And Scenic River

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Published Date

August 6, 2019
High school students spent a good deal of their summer doing rehab work at Obed Wild and Scenic River/NPS

High school students spent a good deal of their summer doing rehab work at Obed Wild and Scenic River/NPS

A little sweat can be a good thing when it comes to nurturing a love for natural resources among high school students. And the students from schools in the Wartburg, Tennessee, area no doubt sweated quite a bit as they helped staff at Obed Wild and Scenic River rehab some areas of the park.

The students recently wrapped up their summer working on the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) team at Obed. Through mentoring, the students developed hands-on skills to accomplish trail maintenance, removal of overgrown vegetation, realigning existing trails, and cleaning water bars to prevent future trail erosion caused by rain water.

Work was done on the Lilly Bluff Bridge Loop, Boulder Trail, Jett and Barnett Bridge areas, Rock Creek Nature Trail, and Nemo Cumberland Trail.  

Students received additional education and work experience through various outdoor activities guided by park staff. They spent some time exploring park trails to further their knowledge of hemlock trees, wildlife, aquatic species, plants, geology, cultural landscapes and topography. Field trips included rock climbing and kayaking. Lessons were learned on the impact that their contributions will make for future generations. Daily safety meetings were held before starting the work day to educate the students on the importance of safety in the workplace, including wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment for the job. 

“We are pleased to host the Youth Conservation Corps program at Obed Wild and Scenic River for the 2019 summer season,” said Superintendent Niki Stephanie Nicholas. “Participating in the YCC is a wonderful opportunity for youth to learn about and gain appreciation for our national parks while learning valuable skills. We are very proud of these students and wish them great success in the future.”

Youth Conservation Corps is a summer employment program for young men and women, ages 15-18, to work on projects to protect public lands. The YCC program trains young people and provides outdoor work that is supervised by trained crew leaders. Participants gain valuable professional experience working on National Park Service lands; they learn how to use tools, safe work habits, teamwork, and how conservation projects benefit the environment and protect cultural and historical resources.

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Comments

Submitted by William Carroll on August 10, 2019 - 12:49pm.

YCC a great program.  I ran the first YCC program at Big South Fork NRRA and Obed WSR in the late 70's.  Marty Huseman, retired Chief Ranger at Lake Roosevelt, was the crew boss.


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