Young Conservation Stewards

The Young Conservation Stewards (YCS) is an employment and job skills training program for high school aged youth. YCS participants learn important environmental skills, including plant identification, invasive plant removal methods, and native plant installation and maintenance.

They also develop essential soft skills in public speaking, leadership, and community outreach, and engage the public at workshops and outreach events, where they speak about the importance of green spaces in our community and the ways that community members can contribute to improving them.

Participation in the Young Conservation Stewards leads to increased employability and job placement post high school graduation. Students who complete the summer leave with marketable skills in a variety of job sectors and invaluable professional connections.

YCS was created in tandem with the Northeast Georgia Invasive Plant Cooperative (NGIPC), which is a collaborative effort to improve land management and community outreach and engagement. NGIPC works to increase removal of invasive plants and improve land management.