Cultivating Change: WLCC Corps Member, Becca Krasky’s, Work in Conservation and Land Stewardship 02/04/2025
Becca Krasky, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is exploring her interests in the field of environmental stewardship through her service with the Working Lands Conservation Corps (WLCC). With a passion for sustainable agriculture, pollinator conservation, and community engagement, Becca’s journey reflects a commitment to protecting natural resources while supporting others in their stewardship of the land.
The WLCC is a partnership between the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), The Corps Network, and AmeriCorps where Becca serves as a Corps Member placed at a conservation host site. The program aims to develop the next generation of conservation leaders by offering hands-on opportunities to address on the ground conservation challenges.
Becca’s environmental advocacy began in high school, where she became interested in addressing climate change in her career. This inspiration led her to Macalester College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Geography. After graduating in 2019, she built a portfolio of experiences in community food systems—managing nonprofit community gardens, working on CSA vegetable farms, and delivering organic produce around the Twin Cities. While engaging with the Minnesota GreenCorps at Metro Blooms, she strengthened her skills in native plant education and pollinator conservation, especially in underserved communities.
Today, Becca serves on the Habitat Team at host site, Monarch Joint Venture (MJV), in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her work centers on collaborating with private landowners to promote monarch butterfly conservation while advancing soil health, water quality, and sustainable land stewardship. From creating educational resources and supporting mapping projects to assisting with restoration planning for MJV’s Prairie Oaks property, Becca’s role involves a blend of technical expertise and community engagement.
One of Becca’s proudest achievements thus far is the designing of a native seed mix for the Prairie Oaks property, a project that allowed her to apply skills she developed in a course on native seed mix design. Collaborating with her supervisor and colleagues, she created a diverse, balanced, and robust seed mix of over 80 species that will help restore critical pollinator habitat on this 20-acre property. This accomplishment not only highlights her technical skills but also demonstrates her dedication to creating lasting ecological benefits.
A typical day for Becca involves a mix of virtual meetings, resource development, and professional growth. She regularly engages with local landowners, conservation partners, and cross-sector collaborators to advance conservation initiatives on private land. Becca has also pursued training opportunities on her own and through NACD, including courses in prescribed fire management, native ecosystem restoration, data collection for ecological restoration, and tribal conservation. These experiences have expanded her understanding of how conservation practices can address broader environmental challenges.
Becca’s work reflects MJV’s philosophy of “more than monarchs,” emphasizing how pollinator conservation creates ripple effects that benefit entire ecosystems. Restoring habitat for monarch butterflies also supports biodiversity, soil health, water quality, and human communities. By helping land managers adopt sustainable practices like milkweed planting, cover crop usage, and reduced tillage techniques, Becca fosters a holistic approach to land stewardship and uses her work as an example for others. Leveraging her platform through WLCC, Becca not only increases her conservation knowledge but also provides a local example for innovative land stewardship.
Her time in the WLCC has also provided insights into the challenges producers face when balancing environmental and financial considerations. Becca has seen firsthand how government programs and conservation organizations can bridge these gaps, making sustainable practices more accessible to landowners.
Looking ahead, Becca plans to continue supporting farmers and land managers in stewarding soil health, water quality, and pollinator conservation. Her experiences with the WLCC have not only strengthened her technical knowledge but also solidified her commitment to creating a more sustainable future.
Becca Krasky’s story is just one example of how the WLCC, powered by its partnership between USDA-NRCS, NACD, and The Corps Network, empowers individuals to drive meaningful change. Through her work with the WLCC and MJV, Becca is building a legacy of ecological restoration, community engagement, and sustainable practices that will benefit people and the land in the Minnesota community and beyond.
Tags: WLCC, working lands