ACE Southwest

Join Us – ACE CREW, Southwest

The American Conservation Experience (ACE) is one of the nation’s premier conservation corps and provides opportunities for young adults in all 50 states and several territories.

Our CREW program is for participants ages 18-30 (35 for veterans), who are interested in making a difference while gaining valuable skills and experience. ACE offers many options – whether you are exploring a short-term outdoor-related opportunity or considering a new career path. ACE Crews work alongside industry leaders such as the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and a number of state agencies and nonprofit partners. Members serve in professionally supervised teams and gain hands-on experience through trail maintenance, fire hazard reduction, habitat restoration projects, historical preservation, wildlife surveys, and more. A living allowance and housing are frequently included.

ACE is committed to attaining a workforce that represents the rich and diverse experiences of the communities in which we work.

Join our team today! Learn more about our current openings below to find the ACE Opportunity that’s right for you.

Why Crew?

  • Team setting to build both technical and interpersonal skills
  • Foundational conservation work and principles
  • Housing provided in most locations
  • Opportunities offered nationwide
  • Work with staff from local and federal land management agencies
  • Broad networking opportunities
  • Food and transportation while on project
  • Biweekly living allowance
  • AmeriCorps Education Award upon successful term completion
  • Some positions are eligible for PLC noncompetitive hiring authority
  • Hands-on field projects and trainings
  • Opportunities for professional development trainings
  • Opportunities to travel regionally for projects as well as off days

Based in Flagstaff, AZ

ACE Southwest is based in Flagstaff, commonly known as the “gateway to the Grand Canyon,” but this welcoming city of almost 75,000 residents offers much more than close proximity to one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The city is located on the intertribal indigenous lands of the Hopi, Yavapai, Pueblos, Western Apache, and Hohokam nations, with nearby Hualapai, Diné (Navajo), Zuni, and Ute lands, to name a few (visit the Native Land website to learn more about indigenous lands in this region and beyond). Flagstaff is a city rich in cultural diversity, educational opportunities at Northern Arizona University, and an abundance of outdoor enthusiasts drawn to both the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in the world (Coconino National Forest) and the state’s highest mountain (Mt. Humphreys at 12,633ft). In addition, old Route 66, the “Mother Road”, runs through Flagstaff and has been the setting for several movies, such as Easy Rider and Forrest Gump.

What We Do

The Southwest Arizona Division (SWA) has traditionally focused heavily on trail work including trail design, construction and maintenance including drystone masonry and rigging. In the fall and winter months, however, SWA also works with a multitude of National Wildlife Refuges conducting ecological restoration. Sewn throughout these two major varieties is also fencing, forest thinning and historic restoration.

Explore the Southwest’s Most Iconic Locations

  • Grand Canyon National Park
  • Petrified Forest National Park
  • Tonto National Forest
  • Montezuma Castle National Monument
  • Coconino National Forest
  • Wupatki National Monument
  • Santa Fe National Forest
  • Coronado National Forest
  • Saguaro National Park
  • Imperial National Wildlife Refuge
  • Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
    And many more!

Additional ACE Locations

ACE offers projects in some of the nation’s most beautiful destinations. If you would like to learn more about these options, use the links below.

Mountain West – Hurricane, UT
Eastern – Asheville, NC
Pacific West – Central and Southern CA
EPIC – Opportunities Nationwide

My favorite aspect of being an ACE Conservation Corps Member is having so many eclectic opportunities to develop strong relationships with different types of Southwestern landscapes and ecosystems. AmeriCorps conservation projects mean that one doesn’t just work at a certain outdoor area, but that they live there. Living at my worksites has made me feel so much more immersed in the land; I have learned so much different ecology that I truly feel connected to the Southwest in a way that I don’t think people who don’t do the type of work that ACE Conservation Corpsmembers do could achieve or experience. Also, ACE has given me stronger confidence both in social interactions and especially in learning new skills.
- Maggie W.

ACE Resources

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General Resources

Looking for general ACE information on safety guidelines, JEDI info, and ACE Learns Virtual Sessions, and more? You’ll find a collection of resources compiled or produced by ACE here.
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Member Resources

Already enrolled? This is your space to connect with your primary point of contact and division and find resources to support you on your ACE journey. This space is for current members only.  
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Alumni Resources

Looking to stay connected? As an ACE Alumni we want to stay in touch with you as you start your next adventure. Share your story, connect with former members and access professional resources here. 

About American Conservation Experience

Mission

American Conservation Experience (ACE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing rewarding environmental service opportunities that harness the idealism and energy of a volunteer labor force to help restore America’s public lands. ACE is grounded in the philosophy that cooperative labor on meaningful conservation projects fosters cross-cultural understanding and operates on the belief that challenging volunteer service unites people of all backgrounds in common cause.

Our History

Founded in 2004 in Flagstaff, Arizona, ACE was established as a local conservation corps, providing a range of service programs and opportunities for both American and international participants.

Over the years ACE continued to grow and expand its programming partnerships that include federal land management agencies and dozens of federal, state, municipal, and nonprofit partnerships. Currently ACE operates out of hubs in Flagstaff AZ, Sacramento, CA, Salt Lake City and Hurricane UT and Asheville, NC along with a robust remote workforce located across the country.

Ace Member Serving in the Field
Ace Member Serving in the Field
Ace Member Serving in the Field
Ace Member Serving in the Field
Ace Member Serving in the Field
Ace Member Serving in the Field
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