Interns sought for Forbes State Forest conservation tasks
Students who will be heading to or returning to college next fall may want to consider a summer internship that gets them out into the field — or, rather, into the forest.
Applications are being accepted through April 30 for Youth Conservation Corps internships in Forbes State Forest. A joint venture with the Loyalhanna Watershed Associations, the program is ideal for students who intend to pursue a career in an environmental or related field.
But, for any college student or incoming college freshman, the eight-week program “provides an opportunity to develop a unique understanding and appreciation of our local natural resources,” said watershed association Executive Director Susan Huba.
Participants will be “contributing to the valuable conservation projects ongoing in Forbes State Forest,” she said. They will serve as registered conservation volunteers through the state Bureau of Forestry.
Headquartered in Laughlintown, Forbes State Forest comprises 15 tracts of land totaling almost 59,000 acres in Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset counties. It includes the ridges of the Laurel Highlands.
Previous YCC projects have included constructing new recreational trails, walking bridges and observation platforms, resurfacing and maintaining existing trails, and improving streams and ponds.
Last summer, interns spent part of their time in the Roaring Run Natural Area — located on the west slope of Laurel Ridge, between Route 31 and County Line Road in southeastern Westmoreland County. They cleared encroaching vegetation from a road and some dams, placed a new deck on a trail bridge and reblazed several trails.
They also resurfaced worn sections of Summit Trail, which connects Laurel Summit Road with the Laurel Highlands Trail and is one of the most heavily used trails in the forest.
In between work details, interns get to experience educational and engaging outdoor activities such as a rafting trip on the Youghiogheny River.
The YCC program has been in operation since 1970, originally recruiting high school students. The local Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation provides funding support, including a $2,500 scholarship each student receives upon completing the program.
Six interns are being sought for this year’s program, slated for June 13 through Aug. 5.
For an application package or additional information, contact Huba at susan@loyalwater.com.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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