Montana Conservation Corps - Tools for Living. Experience for life.

Get the inside scoop on the Clark Fork Coalition’s first Walks & Talks event from a Big Sky Watershed Corps member.

• Read the full post
• 0 Comments

• Clark Fork Coalition, Missoula, MT.

MCC is currently seeking veterans for summer and fall Veterans Green Corps crews. Camp entire session, no need to relocate. Learn skills to pursue jobs in wildfire and forestry mgt. Certs include S212 and S130/190. Call today 1-866-JOIN MCC. More here: http://www.mtcorps.org/join/veterans

• Read the full post
• 0 Comments
• Bozeman

I Can't believe it has already been two months!

• Read the full post
• 0 Comments
• EW

MCC remains, in my mind, a transformative experience with many impressive facets. The camaraderie, the skill-development, the exposure to land agencies, the incredible views, the quietude, the challenges, the successes, all contribute to what we know is an experience like no other.

• Read the full post
• 0 Comments
• Northern Rockies Region

Round 3 of Crew Leader Reflections from their time with MCC.

• Read the full post
• 1 Comments
• Eastern Wildlands

So you want to know what it’s takes to make it on a Vet crew with MCC?

Well, lets start with the basics. stuff everything you need for ten days into a backpack, grab your tent, sleeping bag and other miscellaneous items required for living in the mountains of the great outdoors, in any weather condition be it snow, rain, wind, heat, cold, day or night and be able to eat what is in front of you(no matter how much or how little)be willing to swing a tool all day long and to run a chainsaw for hours at a time and sometimes having to carry all that gear(gas, oil, food, water, tools, daypack, medical kits, chainsaws and all your PPE gear)for feet to yards to miles at a time across back fire roads or up and over a variety of hills and slopes of varying terrain…be willing to work in the rain or the cold or the sun burning heat all the while attracting as many mosquitoes, bees, flies, spiders and even snakes.  Sometimes getting bit by as many as you can in as many places as possible all the while getting generally filthy as you possibly can, and whatever you do..Don’t Bathe.  Also be prepared to fall down..alot. Bang yourself up on rocks, roots, trees , sticks and in the brush getting scraped up.  All the while moving stuff you see during the day like brush, tree branches, entire trees, rocks, logs picking them up and moving them around.  Keep this up for the entire ten day hitch, and if you think your having a good time, you may just make it as a Vet Crew Member.  And if your genuinely having the time of your life and want more of it, someone just may want to hire you. Hey, no one said it was going to be easy. 

• Read the full post
• 0 Comments
• Montana

Reflection Installment II. A Crew Leader's perspective from his experience in the 'Eastern Wildlands'. We are looking forward to a great group being assembled to lead in 2012.

• Read the full post
• 0 Comments
• MCC

As the last few MCCers trickle out of town for holidays spent with family, the office is not-so enjoyably quite these days; but amidst typing up notes from this past year and planning for the next, we'll try to post some A*C member's reflections on 2011. They’re really good, so enjoy.

• Read the full post
• 0 Comments
• Eastern Wildlands

Here is a link to an article written about my arrival to Blue Water Task Force in Big Sky, MT as part of the Big Sky Watershed Corps http://www.lonepeaklookout.com/news/article_1bda1276-0594-11e1-890b-001cc4c03286.html

• Read the full post
• 0 Comments
• Big Sky, MT

What stands out to me the most are the dogs and the children.  In our travels through Havre, MT and Missoula, MT (and surrounding areas) we met some wonderful characters.  A crying baby quieted down to make big eyes and funny faces at us.  One house we arrived at was having a leaf raking party.  Our all girl crew drove away to take a minute to steel ourselves to face the crowd and enter the residence.  Upon our return, we met a gregarious girl.  Anxious to help, she peeled our weather stripping backing.  Between cats playing with trash scraps and destined to claw the plastic off of windows and friendly dogs to play around our ankles, one pet stood out.  A blind, diabetic pug dog snuffled gingerly around the apartment.  It was happy to sniff you and let you pet it, but jumped if you touched it before letting it snuffle your hand.  It knew where the treats were, trying to get its nose above table level seemed to be a favorite past time.  It knew how to get out and down the steps to go pee in the yard, but had to be called back to the steps to find its way back in.  A sweet, sad old pup.  We’ll remember it fondly.

• Read the full post
• 0 Comments
• Havre

Through interacting with people I was reminded that hiking miles into the wilderness and up to the mountain top to get a glimpse of that intricate beauty is not the only way to get that humbling, awe inspiring excitement for life . The truth is it’s as close as the stranger right next to you.

• Read the full post
• 1 Comments
• Missoula

There is something very self-serving about trail work. The rainy work days and hot, dusty hikes with heavy packs are transformative, filling, cleansing, healing. This is what we signed up for. We leave the trails full, now having something to pour out. Weatherizing at the end of our season brings us to the folks that need that outpouring the most.

• Read the full post
• 0 Comments
• Missoula

The biggest thing though is the people. So many different people!

• Read the full post
• 0 Comments
• Eastside of the Rocky Mountains- The Front

Our Crew Members have completed: final service hours, inventory, gear scrubbing, end of season reflections, rig cleaning, tool sharpening, bathroom bombing and... as of today, graduation. May 23rd seems like a distant memory and sure, not every day was perfect, but we are certainly going to miss Elena, Eliza, Eva, Michael, Chuck, Eric, Mack, Rebecca, Joel, Jerio, Evan, Michelle and Katie.

• Read the full post
• 4 Comments
• Eastern Wildlands

Warm Hearts Warm Homes is a state program designed by the governor to assist low income families in preparing for winter and for the past 3 weeks we have provided the work force.

• Read the full post
• 0 Comments
• Eastern Wildlands

Next Page