August 7th, 2024 | Charlottesville, VA – On the last Monday in July, in the fields behind the Fifth Street Starbucks, a crew of sweaty high school kids is taking a mid-morning break, swigging energy water and snarfing down bags of chips (after working outside all morning, they need the salt). Their blue T-shirts say “Trailblazers.” And that’s what they are—pioneers in a pilot program to get local youth acquainted with the outdoors and maybe introduce them to careers in conservation. An added bonus: These kids are earning a paycheck while providing much-needed maintenance on the popular Rivanna Trail encircling Charlottesville.

August 9th, 2024 | Washington, D.C. – We are excited to share this Member Highlight from ACC alumni Samantha Melvin! At the time of writing, Sam was an ACC Cultural Resource Information Sharing Individual Placement with the National Capital Region in Washington, D.C.

June 12th, 2024 | Williamsport, MD – Our National Parks exist to preserve both the natural and social history of our country, and it’s important for visitors to see their communities reflected in that history. One ACC member saw the proof of this at his park.

June 7th, 2024 | POTOMAC, MD – The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park is filled with a diverse landscape, stretching 184.5 miles along the banks of the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., to Cumberland in Western Maryland. It’s home to over 1,500 different species of plants, including state and nationally rare species.

March 21st, 2024 | Mount Crawford, VA — AmeriCorps celebrated its 30th anniversary last week and Appalachian Conservation Corps, among other Corps nationwide, celebrated its members who are serving communities and public lands here in the Appalachian Region.

Jan. 24th, 2024 | WASHINGTON, D.C. – When we think of national parks, our minds often go to stories of rangers protecting the land or battles that altered history. But rarely do we think of the people who wrote about those stories, and how vital they are to the park system.

Nov. 21st, 2023 | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Similar to weeding a garden, our federal and state parks need to be maintained to keep local flora and fauna healthy. While it may sound like a simple task, those weeds can grow far and wide – and sometimes take more than a pair of hands to get rid of.

ACC and The Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) celebrated the news last week a the Executive Mansion in Virginia.

July 9th, 2023 | FREDERICK, MD – The Monocacy National Battlefield grounds looked like something out of the 1800s this past weekend, as park volunteers and staff donned Civil War-era clothes to educate the public on the Battle of Monocacy for its anniversary. Appalachian Conservation Corps interns took part in the event, from answering visitor’s questions at the front desk to helping set off a cannon during an artillery demonstration. The pair also shared their thoughts on why public history helps benefit the future.

July 5th, 2023 | BRECKSVILLE, OH – Faith Nowak has her own memories attending a national park down the road from her childhood home. Through an internship with Appalachian Conservation Corps, she got to fill rangers’ shoes and introduce a new generation of park visitors to the wonder of the outdoors – and will soon be taking on the role full time.