The Youth Conservation Corps is a summer employment program for young men and women, ages 15 through 18, who work and learn together by participating in conservation work on public lands. The eight-week program will begin on June 13th, 2011, and conclude on August 5th. At least four male and four female participants will be selected during a drawing of applicant names on May 13th, 2011.

Successful candidates will earn $8.00 per hour (California minimum wage). No housing is available. All participants must bring a lunch and be able to provide their own transportation to and from the monument, and carpooling is encouraged. Work schedules will begin at 7:00 AM and end at 3:30 PM. each day, Monday through Friday, except on federal holidays (July 4th).

The type of work to be performed includes exotic weed control, wildlife habitat maintenance, backcountry trail maintenance, cave mapping and cleanup, cave trail maintenance, and environmental education. Applicants must be in very good physical condition. This work can be challenging, often requiring travel to seldom seen remote backcountry locations, and it can be strenuous, hot, dirty and sweaty. If regular exercise is not already part of an applicant’s lifestyle, they are strongly discouraged from applying.

Forty hours of natural and cultural resource conservation education programs will be incorporated into the scheduled eight weeks. These programs will provide information on the diversity and mandated responsibilities of all National Park Service areas, and often include field trips to other parks or areas.

Applications for the YCC summer employment program must be mailed to Lava Beds National Monument, P.O. Box 1240, Tulelake, CA 96134, and be postmarked no later than May 6th, 2011.

Applicants will be selected on May 13th, 2011, and contacted by phone shortly thereafter. For more information about the program or to receive an application, please call the monument at (530) 667-8107 or print out, compete, and return the application form.