Vermont Youth Conservation Corps

The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC) has been successful in securing funding from both transportation and recreation agencies. VYCC is in its twelfth year of a partnership with the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans). Transportation Enhancement (TE) funds are used to employ crews on projects throughout the State.

Vermont is one of a very few states that have applied TE funds to Conservation Corps projects. VYCC has also been successful in partnering on projects funded by the Recreational Trails Program, managed by Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.

The focus of the funding is on enhancement projects that encourage diverse modes of travel, foster local economic development, and bring direct benefits to communities from transportation spending.

The Agency of Transportation administers the funds through the Department of Civil Rights and Labor Compliance. In addition to the completion of transportation projects, the agency sees a benefit in exposing young Vermonters from a variety of backgrounds to potential careers and opportunities in the field of transportation. Project sponsors whose work meets specific TE criteria may receive completely-funded VYCC crew time to complete their projects. About $3 million in TE grants were awarded in 2007. VYCC received about $200,000 from VTrans during this time, and was able to grant crew time valued at that amount to communities in Vermont. During the same year, VYCC crews worked for 24 weeks in several locations across the State during June and July.

Vermont Recreation Trails Grants
VRTF provides funds to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreational trail use. Vermont’s Recreation Trails Program (RTP) is administered by the Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation. Eligible projects include trail development, maintenance, and restoration, development of trailside and trailhead facilities, creating accessible trails, acquisition of trail easements or fee acquisition of trail corridors, maps/publications, and purchase of trail building hand tools.

Two grant programs are offered: an 80-20 match grant ($3,000 - $10,000) which is a reimbursable program; and a mini-grant ($3,000 or less, paid up front with no match requirements). About $450,000 was available for competitive grants for Federal FY 2008.

Project Profile: Camp DREAM Trail Project
The VYCC/Camp DREAM collaboration won the 2007 Environment and Wildlife Compatibility Award from the Coalition for Recreational Trails. Camp DREAM provides summer camp experiences to low-income Vermont youth. This project involved VYCC and Camp DREAM working together to establish a safe, one-mile beginner mountain bike and cross-country ski trail. A second project involved the construction of a boardwalk, a quarter-mile long, to provide educational access to a high quality wetland, which will be used as an interpretive trail. This project involved building, maintaining, and upgrading 3,520 feet of trail surface to reduce erosion. To reduce the environmental impacts, it required the design and construction of 45 puncheon bridges through the wetlands as well as revegetating the area around the trail work site.

Eight corpsmembers and two crew leaders from VYCC spent two weeks completing the project, at a cost of $13,100. While assigned to this project, the crew also conducted a program to educate the public about the Camp DREAM trails, public use of the natural areas, and trail work as it relates to conservation, service, and education.

Project Profile: Cross Vermont Trail
The Cross Vermont Trail spans the State from Burlington to Newbury, crossing through 17 communities and providing direct links to 10 State parks and recreation areas, as well as schools and village centers. Sponsored by VTrans, VYCC crews have worked on several sections of the trail since 2000, and are proud to be part of this effort to create an alternative transportation route links the eastern and western parts of the State.

The VYCC Montpelier Community Crew spent three weeks in 2006 working on the Old Route 2 section of the Cross Vermont Trail in East Montpelier, at a cost of $15,168. Two weeks of additional VYCC work on the trail was done in 2007. The work is fairly technical and quite varied. In 2000, for example, crew members installed 450 feet of log cribbing to help gradient and soil retention, installed 320 feet of geotextile, dug 100 feet of sidehill trail and 260 feet of drainage ditches, and installed two culverts and one cross drain.

Benefits
VYCC corpsmembers gain an impressive variety of skills working on different types of trails and conservation projects. The range of projects includes backcountry trails, mountain biking routes, and transportation corridors. The years of partnership with VTrans has ensured that projects are efficiently brought forward for funding. By partnering with both the recreation and transportation agencies, VYCC has access to different funding options, which helps the organization weather changes in priorities and politics. The State has developed a reliable partner in VYCC, with crews tested in a broad spectrum of projects.

For more information, Contact:

Camp DREAM/Vermont Youth Conservation Corps Collaborationwww.americantrails.org/awards/CRT07awards/
CampDream07VT.html

Vermont Recreation Trails Grants
Dept of Forests, Parks, & Recreation
103 South Main St, Bldg 10 South
Waterbury VT 05671-0601
(802) 241-3690
www.vtfpr.org/recgrant/trgrant.cfm

Vermont Youth Conservation Corps
1949 East Main Street
Richmond, VT 05477
(802) 434-3969 ext 137
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.vycc.org

VTrans Enhancements Program
One National Life Drive
Montpelier, VT 05633-5001
(802) 828-2657; (802) 828-0583
www.vycc.org/projects/hirecrew/paycrew.html