Youth Conservation Corps

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Over the past several years, the District has assisted in the coordination of several area Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) programs.  YCCs have proven to be effective for raising awareness, energizing communities, implementing on the ground fixes, and inspiring local youth to become environmental leaders.

YCC crews are made up of local high school students, a crew leader and a technical director that work to install conservation practices to help improve water quality. Landowners, businesses and public works departments purchase the necessary materials, and the YCC provides the labor for free. 

Prior to work, the technical director meets landowners on site to review the site and to provide recommendations.  If issues on the site warrant water quality improvement work and it is located in a qualifying watershed (see below), the crew is scheduled to work and the technical director provides assistance to landowners to purchase materials and file permits, if necessary.

The 2010 season is underway!  This year, funding has been provided so the crew is able to work in the Forest Lake, Highland Lake (Windham/Falmouth), Little Sebago Lake, Sebago Lake watersheds.

The crew works on both public and private properties to install Best Management Practices to reduce erosion and manage runoff for water quality protection.  With the aid of hand tools only, the crew completes projects such as:

          Infiltration steps
          Rain gardens
          Dripline trenches
          Buffer plantings
          Trail work
          Culvert & ditch stabilization & maintenance
          Turnouts
          Storm drain stenciling
          ... and more!

View examples of past projects in various YCC reports on our publications page.

Please contact Amiee Howson Wills, Technical Director, at cascobayycc@gmail.com or
(207)892-4700 for more information or to schedule a site visit.

The YCC programs are largely supported by town and partner contributions and grants.  If you are interested in working with a local YCC, or would like to donate to the program, please contact Betty Williams, Senior Project Manager at the District, at (207)892-4700.
 


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35 Main Street, Suite 3, Windham, ME  04062
ph:   207-892-4700
fax:  207-892-4773
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