Looking to break into the environmental field and launch your career? Looking to make a difference and create change? Or know a young person who is? Young professionals gain experience, crucial career skills, a support system, and key connections within the environmental field through the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps.

The Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps is a one-year term of stipend-supported service that places young adults with nonprofits or government agencies to serve full-time in the environmental field. Throughout the year young professionals receive experience managing projects and programs, leadership and professional development training, mentorship, a support network of young professionals, and other skill-building opportunities including networking and grant writing. Positions offered by the host organizations are in the fields of environmental restoration, community engagement, climate change, environmental education, sustainable agriculture, energy conservation, and forestry.

This year Gunpowder Valley Conservancy is one of the many potential Host Organizations for the 2024-25 Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps service year. If successfully matched with Gunpowder Valley Conservancy (GVC), you would:

  • Work outdoors as part of the GVC Reforestation team, which plants native trees in the spring and fall. Reforestation tasks include:
    • Removing nonnative invasive vegetation o Marking tree locations
    • Assisting with tree deliveries
    • Working with volunteers during tree planting events
    • Maintaining recent tree planting sites with volunteer groups
  • Participate in conservation garden installation workshops, including giving a brief introduction to GVC and distributing/collecting surveys
  • Participate in stream cleanups alongside volunteer leaders
  • Assist community partners with conservation garden maintenance, as needed
  • (optional) Help create basic GIS maps for our programs and/or help beta test a new GIS model designed to prioritize restoration and land preservation decisions

It should be noted that GVC does not have a central office- we all complete our “office work” remotely but interact daily through our Microsoft SharePoint, Teams, and Zoom. Some meetings are in person at the Towson University StarTUp or at various branches of the Baltimore County Public Library System. Our efforts are on-site at a wide variety of locations, primarily located in Baltimore County, MD, and the CCCC member must have their own transportation for traveling to the work locations. GVC can supply a computer and printer if needed, but the CCCC member will need to have access to reliable internet at their home office.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust anticipates placing around 50 Corps Members, young adults 18-25, with nonprofit organizations and government agencies throughout the Chesapeake Bay region for a year of stipend-supported service ($31,200) beginning on August 15, 2024.

Applications for the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps must be submitted through the Trust’s online system by March 7, 2024 at 4:00 pm. To learn more and apply go to https://cbtrust.org/chesapeake-conservation-corps/apply/.

For any questions about the Chesapeake Conservation Corps contact Program Coordinator Hayley Rost hrost@cbtrust.org or 410-974-2941, ext. 119 or Carlton Burns cburns@cbtrust.org or 410-974-2941, ext. 125.  For questions about a CCCC placement with Gunpowder Valley Conservancy, please contact Kim Pause Tucker (GVC Executive Director) ktucker@gunpowdervc.org.