Feature Friday | Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps

Today we have two very awesome Feature Friday stories and they are both centered around women in conservation. First up is @easternsierracc, a development and leadership program run by women that offers and provides outdoor opportunities and transformational experiences on our trails and in the outdoors.

ESCC is a young adult development and nature-based leadership program committed to building a more equitable and inclusive community.

Our Wilderness Trips are an introductory and immersive experience that includes an 8-day backpacking trip led by and for affinity spaces of women, women of color, or LGBTQ+ communities. It is entirely free of cost to participants with gear and transportation provided. Participants learn the requisite skills for hiking and backpacking with integrated components of environmental stewardship. They also learn about indigenous history, plant identification, natural history, and issues affecting public lands.

The ESCC SEKI-CC is a partnership with the Sequoia Parks Conservancy and the National Parks Foundation that pays young adults to serve for 8 weeks (sometimes more) with the National Parks Service. In 2017, SEKI-CC provided the first all women crew to work within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.

Our WILDlands (Wilderness Immersion Leadership and development) crews are geared specifically towards building the bench for the next generation of public lands leadership. Crews work on technical trail projects and gain specialized skills necessary to lead crews in conservation corps and public land agencies. Participants are required to have previous experience in conservation corps work and are compensated in alignment with the skills and knowledge they bring to the program. Under the guidance of an experienced supervisor, crew members are responsible for managing all facets of the work including food orders, safety, project management, budgets, and curriculum.

Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps is dedicated to building stronger and more inclusive outdoor communities. To learn more about them, donate, and get involved visit their website, easternsierracc.org and give them a follow here on social media, @easternsierracc.