This past election day, the Minnesota Conservation Federation was able to advocate for a new, yet old, idea in the Minneapolis Star Tribune Editorial section. Young people in our state, and country, are currently facing a high unemployment rate and an uncertain future. Despite the current circumstances facing our country we have an opportunity to achieve our conservation goals, reduce the unemployment rate of young people, and give them valuable job skills. These goals can be achieved through the creation of a new 21st century Civilian Conservation Corps. From the article:
By establishing a 21st-century CCC, leaders in Washington and St. Paul could put young Americans to work, restoring our natural places and restoring the state’s crumbling recreational infrastructure. To scale up quickly, we could build on an existing AmeriCorps program and we could have these young workers implement shovel-ready state, local and federal plans.
This commentary was written in concert with our National Wildlife Federation partners and was co-signed by MNCF Executive Director Brad Gausman and NWF CEO Collin O’Mara.
Read our editorial here for more details about this exciting initiative.
