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Join us as we follow the planet-serving, public lands-preserving, conservation movement-girding adventures of SCA members all over the country.

Introducing Sandy Field Blogger Carolyn Lucey

By Carolyn Lucey / Sandy Disaster Relief, NY

As an SCA crew leader this summer, I will have the opportunity to spend a week leading the “AE Donates. You Decide” Sandy Recovery crew, and then spend much of July and August doing similar work with local community crews. I will get to spend the summer on the beaches and in the parks of my adopted home, working with co-leaders and teaching practical conservation skills to students and volunteers ... read more

All In a Day’s Work

By Erin Murphy / Delaware State Parks - Dover, DE

I know what you might be thinking – isn’t this the Student Conservation Association? Shouldn’t I be out in the field, working on trail construction or hiking through a wilderness area? I’ve learned that there is way more to conservation than just fieldwork. A lot goes on behind the scenes to keep our parks open and running smoothly ... read more

Life after SCA

By Andrea Willingham / Bering Land Bridge National Preserve

I thought I would be working another SCA internship this summer, but as it turns out, last month I was offered a full time park ranger position back at Bering Land Bridge. It just goes to show what an amazing opportunity the SCA is for helping gain experience and qualifications for beginning a career in the conservation field ... read more

Love public lands? You’d better visit them

By Justin “JB” Brimer / Allegheny National Forest

Fallon was speaking to a crew of SCA leaders that finished a 50 foot rock retaining wall at Tracy Ridge, ANF’s most popular day-use recreation site. “In fact,” Fallon said, “there is no way we could have done in three years what you just did in 3 weeks.” ... read more

Water isn't Sorry That It Ruined Your Weekend

By Justin “JB” Brimer / Allegheny National Forest

Rain is nature’s way of saying, “I don’t care what you have planned, this is right, this is necessary and this is going to happen.” Rain shows that no matter where we go, what we do, or how important we think we are, we are not entirely in control. At times, nature is still calling the shots. And sometimes, the best we can do is to shut up and listen ... read more

Norming to Performing

By Venice Wong / Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Goodbyes are never easy, and the aimless walks, meaningful conversations, and spontaneous games among many things will be missed. It’s going to be hard not falling asleep to the eerie howls of coyotes, or a full moon adorning the star speckled sky ... read more

We've been on the run, driving in the sun

By Venice Wong / Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Early into the work, the NPS botanist heard the growl of a mountain lion and informed us to be on the alert. Like most animals mountain lions prefer to stay away from humans but this particular one was reported to have kittens ... read more

If everybody had an ocean

By Venice Wong / Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Wednesday was a recreation day! Breakfast was an hour earlier to make up for the extra time it took to get to Channel Islands National Park. Sea lions acted as gatekeepers to the ocean, and en route dolphins swam along the boat and in its wake ... read more

Waders Are Right for Wading Right In

By Venice Wong / Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

15 of us volunteered to put on waders and work on the miniature islands, with some of us getting to set an osprey perch into the ground ... read more

Conservation is more than a lifetime

By Venice Wong / Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

It would be an understatement to say that I’m pretty stoked for a spring break of camping and good ol’ conservation work. And as much as I actually enjoy the rainy and overcast weather that’s typical of Washington, I can’t wait to get some sun working throughout the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area ... read more