Samoan Youth Conservation US Exchange Program
American Conservation Experience & the National Park of American Samoa April, 2012
Youth are a part of life in American Samoa. The extended family is the foundation of the culture and therefore the children are the foundation of life. This is true at the National Park of American Samoa (NPSA) as well. There is no standalone, isolated youth program. Employing, mentoring and developing youth is part of what the park does every day in every branch. They are the future of the park and of stewardship in Samoa.
In 2011, the Pacific West Regional Office’s Youth Program provided $86,000 in funds to aid NPSA in hiring, developing and training Samoan Youth. The park partnered with the nonprofit group American Conservation Experience (ACE), who hire, train and deploy youth on conservation projects throughout the mainland United States. ACE was willing and eager to work in American Samoa and the goals of this program melded perfectly with their conservation and youth development mission.
To date, in 2012, over 15 local Samoan youth were hired through ACE to work in every branch and on all four islands where the national park conducts work in American Samoa. As part of the training and development for these youth, PWR stipulated that at least two of these Samoan Youth be offered an opportunity to work in a mainland national park during the summer of 2012. This will give them exposure to the greater NPS mission and culture, as well as conservation work. It also gives them an opportunity to share the Samoan culture with work crews in those parks. Mainland parks, ACE, the youth and NPSA supervisor’s have embraced this concept and all have agreed to send four Samoan Youth, instead of just two due, primarily, to the enthusiasm of those locations hosting the youth, and their willingness to support this program, allowing more young people to travel and gain this experience.
>Career Development: Chainsaw Training at Zion National Park
Congratulations to CJ Peshlakai, Adam Brown, Jason Metzger, and Mat Bruffell, on earning S212 Chainsaw Level A certificates.
CJ came to ACE through the Workforce Development Program of the Navajo Nation and intends to use his chainsaw skills in future careers with the National Park Service.
Adam Brown has spent a year with ACE as a corpsmember and supervisor in preparation for a career as a Smokejumper with the US Forest Service.
Jason came to ACE as a member in 2004 and has been serving as Crew Supervisor and now Operations Manager ever since.
Mat Bruffell also began as an ACE corps member and is serving in his second year as Crew Supervisor.
Special thanks to Don Sharlow of Zion National Park for providing this and other beneficial trainings for ACE staff
Reconstruction of the South Kaibab Trail has begun
ACE volunteers are helping the National Park Service to reconstruct one of the most famous and popular trails in Grand Canyon National Park. This project will take approximately two to four years and includes resurfacing of the trail, rebuilding steps, stabilization and preventative maintenance to existing retaining walls, replacing retaining walls, repairing and aligning existing water feature and more. Read More.
Walnut Canyon trail finally cleared
After many month of hard work, the Island Trail at Walnut Canyon National Monument is finally opened to the public. After breaking up the 50 ton boulder and using the resulting rocks to build a large dry stone retaining wall, ACE volunteers worked with NPS employees to reconstruct the concrete walkway complete with new railings. Read More.
Breaking up 50-ton boulder a monumental task
Work begins on repairing the Island Trail at Walnut Canyon National Monument after a massive boulder falls and blocks access. ACE crews drill and split the large rock using traditional stone masonry techniques. Once the boulder is cut up and removed work can begin on building a 25 x 10 ft dry stone retaining wall. Read More.
Crews break ground on Dead Horse trails
Kristen Bertolino and Curtis Adams of ACE help to get the new mountain bike trail off to a good start in Dead Horse Point State Park.
Supervisor Jordan is ready for the Backcountry!
The ACE team would like to congratulate supervisor Jordan Rolfe on passing his Wilderness First Responder course.
The Wilderness First Responder course is a nationally recognized 80 hour program that trains applicants to respond to emergencies in remote settings where a 911 call might not be an option. He is now skilled to deal with a wide range of back country scenarios including: Patient Assessment System, long term patient care, wound management, treating zoonotic diseases, environmental issues such as hypothermia and hyperthermia, evacuation techniques, and more.
Well done Jordan!
Slough Outreach Goes Global
ACE California in the news again! This time for their contribution to conservation with the Elkhorn Slough Foundation.
"This was a wonderful exchange," said ESF Stewardship Director Kim Hayes. "This group had a terrific attitude; they worked hard, moved Slough conservation forward and had a grand time to boot!"
Visitors from foreign nations lend a hand at Yuma wetlands projects
ACEs crews work on riparian restoration on the lower Colorado River at Yuma
ACE helps to create defensible wildfire space at Tahoe
Read about the California ACE crews in the news here
Visitors from Europe come to save the Southern Arizona desert
Tom's crew does it again!! you want to be in the media then get on one of Tom's crews. The recent buffelgrass project in Southern AZ gets media attention, both print and local TV.
"All of our recent rain sure made weeds grow. Now, volunteers have traveled all the way from Europe to help us get rid of one especially noxious weed: buffelgrass.
Tom Wilson came from England. Standing on historic Tumamoc Hill on Tucson's Westside, he says, "It's just amazing scenery, so breathtaking, so pretty."" Read more
The piece aired on TV is also available on the same webpage.
Foreign volunteers helping save Sabino
ACE crews in the news, conducting trail work in Sabino Canyon, Coronado National Forest
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