Engaging Colorado Front Range Youth and Local Communities at Rocky Mountain National Park through Conservation Projects

Deadline Passed 05/30/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019.  FOA#: P18AS00074. The principal purpose of the resulting agreements is to educate youth, promote community engagement, and cultivate the next generation of conservation professionals to promote a stewardship legacy at Rocky Mountain National Park. The project will provide opportunities for under-represented youth to learn about the environment by spending time working on conservation projects such as trail rehabilitation, historic rock wall repairs, conducting invasive plant removal, designing visitor wayside exhibits and trailhead information kiosks in the National Parks. The National Park Service will promote the public purpose of the agreement by engaging young adults in community-based work and offering internships and training, all of which provide exposure to the importance of parks and the conservation of our public lands. In the process, participants will add value to NPS by helping our staff and partners cultivate strong relationships with the youth and emerging adult demographics as project participants in our community-based projects. This agreement serves a public purpose by promoting and stimulating education, job training, development of responsible citizenship, productive community involvement, and furthering the understanding, appreciation, and conservation of our National natural and cultural resources. The projects awarded under this cooperative agreement will motivate youth and young adults to be involved with the natural, cultural and historical resource protection of their communities and would restore trust with the local communities.