A Cost-Effective Way to Reinvest in our National Parks and Public Lands
The Public Lands Service Corps Act of 2009 (H.R. 1612 in the House and S. 1442 in the Senate) extends the progress on national service begun by the Serve America Act. Passed by Congress in the spring of 2009, Serve America expanded the number of full time, paid service positions from 75,000 to 250,000.
Creates up to 10,000 New, Full Time, Paid Service Positions
The Public Lands Service Corps Act of 2009 would take up to 10,000 of those new, full time, paid service positions, and devote them to a Service Corps dedicated to reducing the inventory of critical backlog maintenance projects in national parks and public lands. An Indian Youth Service Corps (as proposed in S. 1442) would tackle priority projects in tribal areas as identified by community leaders.
Provides More Opportunities for Americans to Serve
Public Lands Service Corps members would range in age from 16 to 24. Provisions are currently being drafted that would encourage the participation of seniors and retirees to serve as Corps Members and mentors. Corps Members would be engaged in a wide variety of projects including building and rehabilitating camp sites and trails, reducing fire fuel loads in forests, eradicating invasive species, preservation of historic artifacts and structures, and the implementation of green infrastructure initiatives.
Endorsed by the Student Conservation Association and The Corps Network
The Public Lands Service Corps Act of 2009 provides the authority for Federal land management agencies to partner with service providing organizations such as SCA and the Corps Network. These organizations have long, proven records of successfully recruiting, hiring, training, managing, and fielding service workers. The Departments of Agriculture (U.S. Forest Service), Commerce (the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Estuary program), and Interior (the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and Fish & Wildlife) would all benefit from the labor rendered by Service Corps members and the Public Lands Service Corps Act of 2009 ensures that our national parks and public lands are placed at the heart of national service.
Recruits the Next Generation of Public Lands Managers
Service Corps members will serve 8 to 24 month details. By spending that much time working for one Federal land management agency and gaining experience in one or two job specialties, Service Corps participants will receive in-depth, hands-on experience that should greatly contribute to their future employability. They will also gain a deeper appreciation for the land management ethic of their employer and upon successful completion of 960 hours of service, Corps Members would be granted noncompetitive hiring status.
In this way, the Public Lands Service Corps Act of 2009 seeks to identify, recruit, hire, and retain, the next generation of public land managers. The legislation also has provisions ensuring that Corps Members are drawn from underserved communities and reflective of the true diversity of the United States of America.
Gives Our National Parks and Public Lands the Prominent Place they Deserve in National Service
Roughly 76 years ago, our national parks were at the heart of a national service effort designed to put Americans back to work by restoring and enhancing our public lands. Contemporary efforts to reinvigorate the nation through service will only be complete when national parks have their proper place in current national service plans. By fostering greater service opportunities in our national parks and on our public lands, Congress and the Administration will help to protect and enhance our heritage while strengthening our economy and inspiring the next generation of public land stewards to step forward and take their rightful place at the conservation and preservation table.
For More Information
Please contact Alan Spears at 202.454.3384 or by e-mail at aspears@npca.org.
