AmeriCorps NCCC Members are Reaching for the Root of the Problem at Point Reyes National Seashore

Date: February 10, 2014
Contact: John Dell'Osso, 415-464-5135
Contact: Bryan Jackson, 860-218-0212

Point Reyes, Calif. – On January 23, a team of nine young adults from AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) began working with the Point Reyes National Seashore. The team, which completes community service projects across the western part of the United States, will be in the area until March 7 to help maintain the 71,000-acre park.

The Point Reyes National Seashore's mission statement is to save and preserve a portion of the diminishing seashore for purposes of public recreation, benefit, and inspiration. Nearly 18% of all of California’s plant species can be found in the park and the National Park Service works to protect them by managing the growth and spread of invasive species.

The NCCC team will help Point Reyes realize this mission by removing invasive species such as cape-ivy, iceplant, fertile capeweed, European beach-grass, and Scotch broom. They will also assist the range management staff in protecting natural resources on the historic dairy and beef ranches in the Seashore.

The AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) and its FEMA Corps units engage 2,800 young Americans in a full-time, 10-month commitment to service each year. The program is currently celebrating their 20th Anniversary. AmeriCorps NCCC members address critical needs related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, and urban and rural development; FEMA Corps members are solely dedicated to disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery work. The programs are administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). CNCS is the federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Social Innovation Fund, and Volunteer Generation Fund programs, and leads the President's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

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