Hire an AmeriCorps field crew
Why hire an AmeriCorps field crew?
Conservation Corps members in Minnesota and Iowa are enrolled in AmeriCorps and value hard work, community service and environmental stewardship. They are well trained, well equipped and ready for projects throughout Minnesota, Iowa and surrounding states. The Conservation Corps serves primarily governmental, educational and nonprofit organizations for the common good.
How does it work?
• 28 crews, each with a crew leader and 3 to 4 corpsmembers, are located throughout northern, central and southern Minnesota and central Iowa.
• Each Conservation Corps crew includes a leader and 3 to 4 members, all 18-25 years old.
• District Managers in Grand Rapids, Brainerd, Saint Paul and Mankato, Minnesota and in Ames, Iowa, schedule and oversee 6 to 7 crews in their region.
• Crews complete natural resource and energy projects lasting from one day to several months in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and elsewhere.
• Corpsmembers are enrolled in AmeriCorps, serve for 10 months, receive a monthly living stipend and are eligible for an education award at the end of their service. They are participants (not employees) and enroll to give back to their communities while gaining marketable skills for natural resource, energy and other green-industry careers.
• Projects should support a public resource using public funds. Projects on private land must have public support or public funds associated with the project.
What is the crew’s daily schedule?
• Crews work 10-hour days, including drive time, Monday through Thursday, mid-February to mid-December.
• Corpsmembers live at home and report to their crew office at 7 a.m. and return by 5:30 p.m.
• Equipment maintenance, load time and a 30-minute lunch break is included in the 10-hour day.
• Crews may camp on or near the work site if the project is far from a crew office.
Northwest District
Anna Lipenga
(218) 833-8606
anna.lipenga@conservationcorps.org
Northeast District
Lisa Cassioppi
(218) 327-4139
lisa.cassioppi@conservationcorps.org
Central District
Brian Miller
(651) 209-9900 x19
brian.miller@conservationcorps.org
Southern District
Doug Ekstrom
(507) 345-4744 x108
doug.ekstrom@conservationcorps.org
Iowa: Ames
Chris Severson
(515)233-1168
chris.severson@conservationcorps.org
What if the project is far from a crew's home office?
• Crews can camp on or near the work site. With less drive time, more work can be accomplished.
• Crews are equipped to camp in warm or mild temperatures. In cold weather, they stay in the least expensive hotel closest to the project site; food and lodging costs will be negotiated in the project contract.
How much training do the crews have?
• Crew members receive technical and personal skill training and
professional certifications throughout their term of service. Approximately
15-20% of the service term is dedicated to training.
• As a project sponsor, it is important to allow for and incorporate education into the project. Some oversight of the crew may be necessary depending on how technical the project is.
• Since crews learn by doing, education can be in the form of site introductions, ecological and social benefits of the project, and other project specific skills.
LARGE EQUIPMENT:
• 4WD pick-up trucks with trailers to haul equipment or project material
• Slip-on firefighting units (water pumps, hoses, etc)
• ATVs, snowmobiles, six-wheel Gators or Rangers, outboard motorboats, canoes
SMALL EQUIPMENT:
• Chain saws, brush saws, power-pole saws and power tools such as drills, saws, routers, generators
• Hand tools such as shovels, rakes, picks, pulaskis, post-pounders, hammers, wheelbarrows,
• GPS handheld units (typically Garmin 76)
• Backpack sprayers and daubers for herbicide application
PERSONAL AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT:
• Prescribed burn gear including Nomex attire, bladder bags, fire shelters, drip torches
• Rubber boots, hip waders, chest waders
• Camping supplies: tents, sleeping bags, stoves, water containers, coolers
• Personal protective gear: steel-toe boots, hard hats, gloves, eye/ear protection, chaps, PFDs and other necessary gear
What happens if corpsmembers are called to an emergency?
• If a natural disaster occurs, the Corps may need to pull crews from work locations to assist in emergency work such as wildland firefighting or sandbagging to contain floodwaters.
• Crews may be in “on-call” status when fire danger is high or when a natural disaster has occurred and the likelihood of crew deployment is high.
• Every effort will be made to accommodate a project host’s needs when
a project is time sensitive.
How do I request a crew?
1. Fill out a project request form. Download MN or IA
2. E-mail or fax the project request form to the District Manager closest to your project (contact information below)
3. The District Manager will contact you with crew availability and negotiate
project terms.
4. A contract will be drafted and agreed upon by both parties.
5. The project will be scheduled and work can begin.
Once the project has begun:
• District Staff will provide project planning and logistical support if needed, including materials acquisition and project design.
• Project sponsor involvement will vary depending on the nature of the project.
Some oversight is necessary to orient the crew and regular check-ins of
project status are recommended.
What can Conservation Corps crews do?
EROSION CONTROL 
Bio-engineering
Slope stabilization
Cedar tree revetments
Coir blanket/roll installation
VEGETATION MANAGEMENT
Exotic species removal
Planting
Nursery activities
Seed collection
Shoreline & stream bank restoration
Rain garden installation
Restoration area maintenance
Fire suppression
Prescribed burning
Timber stand improvement
SURVEYING & DATA COLLECTION
GIS/GPS mapping
Tree & plant surveys
Fish & wildlife surveys
Man-made feature surveys
Water-quality sampling
Water monitoring
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Solar panel assembly & installation
Biomass collection for BTU analysis
CONSTRUCTION & CARPENTRY
Step, retaining wall, boardwalk or bridge construction
Trail clearing and maintenance
Basic carpentry
Natural resource facility construction & maintenance
