Conservation Jobs Corps Celebrates Graduation

Program’s Largest Class Recognized for Public Service and Stewardship

More than 400 young Marylanders celebrated their graduation from the Conservation Jobs Corps Friday after six weeks of job training, conservation education, hard work and fun.

The ceremony was held at North Point State Park in Baltimore County with Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton featured as the keynote speaker.

“Not many teenagers get to be quite so immersed in conservation work as these young people,” Maryland Natural Resources Secretary Belton said. “As the next generation of environmental stewards, a passion for protecting and preserving the natural world will follow these graduates wherever they may go.”

The Maryland Conservation Jobs Corps is a summer program that provides opportunities for students ages 14-17 to complete hands-on projects throughout the Maryland Park Service. They engage in tasks that benefit communities and public lands while learning about public service and stewardship. They also engage in exciting outdoor activities, including camping and wildlife observation.

Under the leadership of park staff, 85 crews made history this summer with record-breaking participation and projects. They constructed over 110 bat and bird boxes, planted nine pollinator gardens, and removed more than six tons of debris and stone to construct, maintain and route park trails, among other accomplishments.