Hire a Crew

Who is Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC)?

SCC is a non-profit organization with regional offices in Durango and Salida, CO and Tucson, AZ that completes conservation work on public lands. Since 1998 SCC has been keeping the legacy of the old CCCs alive by completing conservation work throughout the Four Corners region. Since then we have served over 800 young adults with approximately 75% of them coming from the Four Corners states

What does SCC provide?

An 8-person crew with 2 experienced leaders and 6 members.
A crew vehicle, camp equipment, basic tools, and daily crew supervision.
Guarantee of 300 hours of work per week contracted.
Liability insurance as well as Worker’s Compensation coverage for all of its employees.
Free pre-site visits, staff visits, transportation, and consulting services (no hidden fees).

Why use a conservation corps over a contractor or volunteers?

It is a feeder program for future agency employees.
Provides service opportunities for local young adults while investing resources back into the local community.
Often increase funds by tapping into grant resources such as Public Land Corps, State Trails, and other foundation funds.
Costs are directed to equipment, employment, training, education benefits and resources for SCC’s members.
SCC is an accredited program through the Corps Network.

What if I need a crew with certain skills?

SCC’s programs are based on a step ladder model that encourages individuals to improve their skills and progress into a more challenging program with a higher skill level. This in turn means project partners can choose from a skill set to get the crew that is best suited for the project.

Youth Crew

This is an entry level program of individuals that range in age from 14-18 years old. Individuals in the youth programs may work in local communities, urban settings or camp in locations that do not require backpacking. Crews complete tasks such as fencing, trail structures, planting, noxious weed removal, trail construction or habitat restoration.

Conservation Crew

These crews, with participants ranging in age from 16-25, camp, work and learn while completing a variety of conservation projects. These projects occur in frontcountry and backcountry locations. Crews camp for up to 11 days at a time and remote crews may backpack up to 15 miles. Project work is focused mostly on trail maintenance and construction but crews work on a variety of other projects depending on location. This is the most common type of crew and the greatest percentage of participants work in our conservation crew programs.

Technical Crew

This is a program for individuals over the age of 18 who have had previous experience. Technical crews work on a variety of conservation projects and camp locations remote and non-remote locations. Members on these crews are generally interested in continuing in the field of land management and/or conservation work. These crews operate for a minimum of 5 months and crewmembers receive a variety of trainings.

Conservation Leader Development Program (CLDP Crew)

CLDP crews are comprised of members, ages 21 and over, with strong leadership skills and an interest in the environment and who preferably have past conservation experience. Members first work together as a crew, gaining leadership skills and technical conservation experience. They then move into an assistant leadership position, working along with an experienced leader, to gain additional knowledge and hands-on leadership experience. These crews receive technical, medical and educational trainings.

Sawyer Crew

These crews are focused towards individuals interested in a careers in Wildland Firefighting or Forestry. All participants must be 18 years of age and spend a large amount of time completing thinning and fuels reduction projects. They receive S212 Wildland Powersaw Training and S130/190 Intro to Wildland Firefighting classes. These crews may camp near or commute to projects depending on location.

Veterans Green Corps

This program hires all Veterans and focuses on the transition from service in the military to service to public lands and local communities. Education and training will concentrate on the gaining conservation skills and career development services for veterans interested in pursuing further employment opportunities with land management. Crews work on trail and saw projects throughout the Southwest, camping in remote and non-remote locations.

Individual Placements

This program hires college graduates to complete individual projects with partner agencies throughout the Southwestern U.S. These placements are focused on providing highly qualified individuals to work with land management agencies, community watershed groups and other partners who working in the conservation field. A portion of these placements are completed in partnership with the Western Hardrock Watershed Team.

What if I need a crew immediately?
Typically it is best to reserve a crew about 3-months in advance. This allows SCC enough time to schedule a crew that best fits your projects needs. However, SCC often has the capability to respond to emergency needs in a as short as a 2-week time frame.