Midpen offers students 2-week conservation experience

For the students, who range in age from 14 to 19, the program is showing them the possibilities of a career in conservation, McCauley said. 

“In addition to the hands-on skills that they’re learning, we’re also teaching them about forest health or invasive species and climate change, things that you know are having direct impacts on the lands,” he said. “So there’s a lot of different opportunities for them to learn and grow.” 

And for those who might have grown up in urban centers without proximity to natural lands, the program is an engaging, immersive experience. 

“The first step is really just exposing them to this nature that is preserved and protected for them,” McCauley said. “We’re a public agency, so all of these lands that we help protect are the public’s land. They’re there for them.” 

From there, ecologists and rangers that work with Midpen have been available to teach students about the general benefits of land preservation. 

“It’s really important to make sure that folks see the value in that nature and why it’s preserved, even if you don’t necessarily go out hiking, or you don’t spend a lot of time in nature, just the fact that nature is preserved does benefit you,” McCauley said. “If you live in urban centers, it takes more carbon dioxide out of the environment, creates fresh oxygen, filters rainwater.”

McCauley acknowledged that as organizations like the Student Conservation Association receive less funding under the Trump administration, organizations like Midpen have been able to step up to show students the benefits to a career in land conservation and public service. 

“As a regional entity, we’re not as tied to the federal funding, but as we can sort of fill in some of those gaps and help provide those opportunities so these young folks can continue to grow their careers and learn about these career pathways,” he said.