US Army Corps of Engineers: Willamette Valley Land Stewardship and Youth Development Grant

The Corps will provide a work site for the recipient to practice stewardship and restoration as well as ecological education and study; daily interactions with leaders and crew regarding work purposes and methods; guidance in the form of educational presentations; and advice and final approval for restoration activities.

The cooperative agreement will be awarded pursuant to 33 USC 2339(a) – Assistance Programs. A Cooperative Agreement may be implemented under this provision for stewardship activities at Willamette Valley Projects such as removal of invasive species, habitat restoration, and work in the plant nursery and greenhouse facilities. The activities will combine environmental education and job skills training for the recipient at water resources development projects.

The preferred partner for this cooperative agreement is an organization that serves at-risk youth in the community and has experience in land stewardship and restoration, with small crews supervised by experienced crew leaders so that ecological concepts can be accurately conveyed to crew and leaders. Work sites are often within endangered species habitat, and restoration of these sites requires precision and to eliminate negative impacts to endangered species. Many of these restoration projects involve skilled and careful precision when outplanting, sowing or propagating native plants and are not characterized by the intense manual labor clearing invasive species that is accomplished using other crews.