Working Lands Climate Corps Partners Announce Selection of Host Organizations and Call for Applications 05/03/2024
 |
|
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2024 |
CONTACT: |
Working Lands Climate Corps Partners Announce Selection of Host Organizations and Call for Applications
Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), The Corps Network, and AmeriCorps announced the selection of host organizations for the Working Lands Climate Corps (WLCC), an initiative of the American Climate Corps. The WLCC will develop the next generation of conservation and climate leaders. NACD will provide participants with a virtual training program to advance careers in conservation.
“The Working Lands Climate Corps provides an opportunity for us to invest in the next generation of conservation professionals,” said NACD President Kim LaFleur. “By providing opportunities for training and experience in this field, we can strengthen the pipeline of qualified professionals entering the workforce as national investments in conservation and climate-smart agriculture increase. This is an exciting time for conservation work, and it is important that we support the next generation as they join our efforts.”
“America’s rural communities are on the frontlines of climate change, and the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to growing and supporting a conservation workforce that can develop and implement the innovative climate solutions that this challenge demands,” said USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small. “As part of President Biden’s historic American Climate Corps, the Working Lands Climate Corps is providing a pathway for young people to enter into careers they are passionate about, like tackling climate change, advancing conservation, and helping their communities.”
Selected Host Organizations
The first cohort will engage over 100 corps members serving 28 organizations in 25 states. Members will receive training in delivering critical conservation technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, and forest stewards. NACD congratulates all selected host organizations, including the following eleven that engage conservation districts as hosts or partners.
| Host Organization | Location |
| Conservation Legacy | Nationwide |
| Upper Salinas – Las Tablas Resource Conservation District | California |
| Colorado Department of Agriculture | Colorado |
| United Way of Southwest Colorado | Colorado |
| Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts | Illinois |
| University of Maine System acting through Univ. of Maine | Maine |
| Chippewa Luce Mackinac Conservation District | Michigan |
| Minnesota Farmers Union Foundation | Minnesota |
| Sandhills Area Research Association | Texas |
| Utah State University Utah Conservation Corps | Utah |
| White River Natural Resources Conservation District | Vermont and Virgin Islands |
For a full list of host organizations, please see USDA’s press release.
Call for Applications to Work with Host Organizations
Applications for WLCC members are now open. Interested applicants are invited to visit the American Climate Corps website to learn more about the host organizations, training and service opportunities, and apply for over 100 jobs in the WLCC. Through their experience with host organizations, WLCC members will work with landowners, producers, and communities to encourage the adoption of climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They will also receive on-the-job training to understand outreach, education, and technical assistance strategies.
NACD will provide members with virtual trainings covering conservation concepts, practices, and systems, with a strong emphasis on locally led initiatives and developing the partnerships needed to advance landscape scale conservation and landscape-scale practices.
Conservation districts across the country have a long history of partnership with USDA, NRCS, and the original Civilian Conservation Corps. Together, we share nearly a century of history tackling our country’s most pressing conservation needs through a voluntary, locally led, incentive-based approach. NACD is pleased to serve alongside these partners in establishing the WLCC after calling upon Congress for support for more programs to inspire and prepare the next generation of conservation leaders.
To learn more about the Working Lands Climate Corps, visit https://corpsnetwork.org/programs-initiatives/working-lands-climate-corps/.
NACD encourages those interested to apply at https://www.acc.gov/join/.
###
About the National Association of Conservation Districts:
The National Association of Conservation Districts is the nonprofit organization that represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, their state and territory associations and the 17,000 individuals who serve on their governing boards. For more than 70 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. For more information about NACD, visit: www.nacdnet.org.