Conservation Crew- 2026 Yosemite Wilderness Crew

Student Conservation Association•Berkeley, CA

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Yosemite SCA Wilderness Crew is a roving Ecological Restoration crew that hikes throughout the Yosemite Wilderness restoring inappropriately located campsites, social trails and trail ruts as well as removing non-native invasive plants. Yosemite has shifted to this type of crew thanks to the effectiveness of past restoration efforts and the belief that roving crews have less impact on the land. Think of yourselves as a Leave No Trace Wilderness Restoration Crew. The best ecological restoration work is that which can’t be noticed. This is a very physically challenging program given that the opportunity for flat hiking in Yosemite is extremely limited. In general, there seems to be more up than down around here! The goal of the project is to facilitate the return of natural processes in areas affected by human caused impacts such as encroaching non-native plants, inappropriately located campsites or braided trails. The Yosemite National Park wilderness crew will work on a multi-faceted project emphasizing the three components of Yosemite’s Wilderness Restoration Program: - Removal and ecological restoration of inappropriate campsites - Removal of invasive non-native plants - Obstruction and ecological restoration of parallel trails and social trails. Crew members will have the opportunity for a post-service visit to Yosemite Valley where they will participate in a career awareness session with NPS Staff, take an art class, have an astronomy talk, and ride bikes throughout the beautiful valley. Gear, including backpacks, tents, and food are provided if needed. Boots can be made available, but SCA recommends purchasing these on your own and can provide recommendations. The team will consist of 3-4 high school aged members, 1 senior member, and 1 leader.

Requirements

High School Aged Youth
Bay Area resident
Available for all program dates as listed
Must be physically capable of performing field work common to the assigned work area over rough terrain and during inclement weather
Willingness to camp/backpack for 3 weeks
Experience or interest with conservation work skills or related skills preferred – i.e., trail maintenance, trail construction, habitat restoration, camping, landscaping, and gardening
Must have the ability to legally work in the US

Nice To Haves

Camping, hiking, and/or backpacking experience

Responsibilities

Removal and ecological restoration of inappropriate campsites
Removal of invasive non-native plants
Obstruction and ecological restoration of parallel trails and social trails.
Placement of obstructions in trail ruts
Fire–ring and charcoal dispersal
Obstruction of the site through the placement of logs and rocks
Decompaction of the soil in campsites or trail ruts and the placement of locally generated organic material.
Preparing meals and supporting camp set up and take down
Completing assessments and evaluations
Pre-service surveys and providing a bio with a picture