Program Overview

Acheivement.

The Nevada Conservation Corps is Nevada’s leading non-profit in advancing volunteerism in the environmental sector and is recognized statewide by all major federal, state, and county environmental agencies as the premier
service providers of well-trained, dedicated and hard working volunteers. These partnerships garner over 2.8 million dollars annually in cash match. The Nevada Conservation Corps was awarded the 2001 Golden Pine Cone Award
for environmental programming excellence and the Corporation for National Service recently recognized the NCC by awarding the program with a renewed three year grant of 1.6 million–only 1 of 19 programs nationwide to receive
funding in this grant category. Over 2,000 programs applied. In 2005, the NCC won the Governor’s Points of Light Award for outstanding contributions to volunteerism in the state, while receiving Congressional and Senatorial recognition from Sens. Reid and Ensign.

The Institute serves the needs of our environmental and educational communities in greatly varied and profoundly important ways. In terms of direct service, vast forests are being thinned for fuels reduction at a time when our woodlands are at extreme risk for catastrophic wildfire; numerous trails are being constructed or maintained at a time when our parks are being overwhelmed by unprecedented visitation; public lands are being treated for exotic species at a time when invasive plants threaten to collapse the delicate ecological balance of our rivers, lakes, deserts, and rangelands; biological inventories and surveys are being conducted in a time when natural resource management must make critical decisions with the best scientific data available, thousands of students are learning through first hand contact with the land the value and benefits of direct service in a time when experience with the natural world has become more of an abstracted exchange rather than a dynamic, life-sustaining resource.

The Institute continues to be at the forefront of environmental entrepreneurship in our state. In the past three years, the organization has created from scratch three distinctly innovative and highly successful programs that reflect the quality of leadership the Institute continues to provide the environmental community. GBI has developed a professional fuels management program, an international volunteer exchange, and a statewide research initiative, all of which have grown exponentially in participants and partners. The burgeoning expansion of these truly innovative programs (no other non-profit in our state offers such programs) testifies to the creative design and effective implementation of these programs.

The Nevada Conservation Corps, has successfully placed 247 AmeriCorps members in the field, serving some 253,268 volunteer hours. The NCC’s service-learning efforts have led to the mobilization of approximately 963
students in one time or ongoing volunteer projects. The Institute’s  International Conservation Volunteer Exchange program has led 236 international volunteers in 21,230 hours of environmental service, providing a global exchange between Nevada volunteers and volunteers worldwide.

Despite drastic cuts in governmental spending on environmental programs, the NCC continues to thrive both in terms of funding and program development, mobilizing more students and volunteer each passing year, setting enrollment records each field season. This summer, the NCC has research associates, restoration crews, interns, and volunteers working in record numbers-over  130 volunteers are engaged in meaningful service across our state. The
program is a testament to the enduring potential of what young people can accomplish if given the opportunity and support.