You need very little gear or experience to join us as a Corpsmember in our traditional land conservation seasons. You need absolutely no formal experience to be on a crew, but we do look for Corpsmembers that work well on a team, are willing to step outside their comfort zone, and communicate clearly. Leadership positions and Winter Fire Crew positions will require more experience, which can be gained through previous seasons of service. As a Corpsmember in a season of service, three essential pieces of gear are needed:  Boots: Must have ankle support covering and above the anklebone (6” boots) and have at least 50% of the bottom tread remaining. We find that hiking boots with a reinforced toe are best because you may need to hike long distances each day to get in and out of project sites. Check in with a member of the Land Conservation team if you need more details.  Pants: Our uniform requires blue, durable pants with no additional designs. Regular blue jeans work well for this purpose, but work pants can also be used. Day Bag: A day bag is a backpack that can carry the items you will need on a daily basis, such as water, snacks, and Personal Protective Equipment. Normal school backpacks work well for this purpose, as long as they are large enough to carry the day’s essential items (suggested 15-35 L capacity), comfortable to carry on long hikes, and leave your hands free to carry additional items such as tools. If you are having any trouble obtaining any of these items, we can help you source them and in certain situations, support some of the cost of buying them. We do not want these items to be a barrier to your employment, so please ask about our gear resources! On our camping crews, Corpsmembers will use tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads on a daily basis. If you already have access to these items and are willing to use them for the season, we encourage you to bring your own. If you don’t already have these items, we have an amazing gear library that has top of the line tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads that you can borrow for the season for free. Many Corpsmembers use this as an option and we are always happy to discuss details around this gear if you have questions.

Transportation from our main office to project sites will be covered by MHYC using our fleet of vehicles. You will need to provide your own transportation to and from MHYC office. Food will be covered by MHYC if you’re serving on a camping project. Each crew has a weekly food budget and will plan, purchase and prepare meals together. For crews that are not camping, members are expected to prepare and bring their own lunches that can be eaten in the field. Should a Corpsmember be experiencing food insecurity Corpsmembers will have access to our on-site food bank, and we will provide support with applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Most AmeriCorps members qualify for SNAP. MHYC does not provide housing to our Corpsmembers. Housing will be covered by MHYC in the event that a crew camps, and only for the duration of the camping project week.

MHYC partners with local municipalities and recreation districts, state parks and wildlife areas, other non-profit organizations, and federal agencies across the 23 counties we serve. Some of our past partners include the US Forest Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, City and County of Denver, City of Colorado Springs, Rocky Mountain Field Institute, and many, many more. These projects will take you to a variety of natural places during your term. You may serve for one week in the plains of eastern Colorado or up to four weeks (or more) in a remote mountain setting. You may serve in a public park, in an urban greenspace, on a popular trail system or in a far-flung wildlife refuge!

MHYC has established educational activities that will help you understand the importance of our service, how to work on a crew, and give you professional guidance in the natural resources industry. Other educational activities could be facilitated by your peers and be a great chance to learn a new skill or hobby. Additional programming options might include activities designed to bond with your crew, celebrate your accomplishments, or give back to the community through additional service projects. Most crews will do 3 hours of programming (including educational activities) a week, which are always counted as service hours towards your AmeriCorps Education Award.

Hand crews complete a variety of work such as trail building and maintenance, pesticide application, habitat restoration, fence construction or removal, park development, and more. Chainsaw crews typically spend the season removing invasive tree species or forest thinning. Chainsaw crews may also serve in neighborhoods to create defensible space around homes to protect them from wildland fires or assist with post-fire erosion control. Depending on your preference and the project work lined up for the season, your crew may either be a ‘day’ crew or a ‘camping’ crew. Day crews meet at an MHYC office each morning, travel to the project site together, and return at the end of each day. Camping crews do not return at the end of each workday and instead camp on-site to reduce travel time. Camping crews may also be utilized for backcountry or more remote project work that is less accessible by vehicles. Both the Denver and Colorado Springs locations have opportunities for all types of crews, but projects vary from year to year. 

You will receive industry-recognized certifications, on-the-job training and career readiness programming to help you achieve your employment goals. MHYC offers following certifications to Corpsmembers: Chainsaw crews are certified in S-212 - Wildland Fire Chainsaws and First Aid/CPR Invasive species eradication crews are certified as Applicator Technicians, which is required by the Colorado Department of Agriculture for herbicide application Trail crews are trained by Rocky Mountain Field Institute or Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado in trail maintenance and construction skills Corpsmembers in leadership positions are certified in Wilderness First Aid/CPR, Leave No Trace and Mental Health First Aid Wildland fire crews are certified in: First Aid/CPR S-211 – Portable Pumps and Water Use S-212 - Wildland Fire Chainsaws S-130 – Firefighter Training S-190 – Intro to Wildland Fire Behavior L-180 – Human Factors in Wildland Fire Service ICS-100 – Introduction to Incident Command System IS-700 – Introduction to the National Incident Management System In addition to industry-recognized certifications, you will be able to learn from, network with and work side-by-side professionals in the natural resources industry, including park rangers, foresters, park resource technicians and naturalists, every day on project sites. Lastly, you will receive support from MHYC’s Case Management Team with career/post-secondary education planning, transition and placement, including exposure and direct connection to industry professionals through mock interviews, career panels and industry tours and assistance with navigating the college application and financial aid process. Case managers and staff are also available for post-program support in job searches, continuing education and overcoming barriers to ensure your continued success.