2020 Season Recap

2020 was a trying year for everyone, our program included. However, that didn’t stop us from trying to fulfill our duties at servicing our community.

Due to COVID-19 protocols put in place by both the CDC and The University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Conservation Corps was only able to field one crew for its 2020 summer season. This crew consisted of the 8 Crew Leaders who were hired on prior to COVID-19 shutdowns. To stay within the guidelines given by the University, this crew volunteered close to home by constructing a new trail at both the Schoolyard and Curt Gowdy State Park. Also, while at Curt Gowdy State Park members were given the opportunity to help build up some new remote campgrounds. The final project of the season was by far one of the toughest fencing projects that WCC has ever had, 2.3 miles of wildlife friendly fence across the Northern Boarder of Pilot Hill. This project presented its challenges due to the Limestone geomorphology, with bedrock being just inches from the surface.

After the end of the 2020 summer season, the Wyoming Conservation Corps was able to staff a full Fall crew that served for 4 regular hitches. This was made possible by the University lifting some of its restrictions and with some special approvals from University Administration. This allowed our Fall crew to travel to 3 different locations while performing an array of tasks. The first project for the WCC Fall crew took place in Muddy Gap, Wyoming; where they helped the Bureau of Land Management finish a number of tasks and projects that had been delayed due to COVID-19. Next, the Fall crew traveled to Northern Wyoming where they assisted the Sheridan Community Land Trust in the further development of their trails and trail system. For their final hitch the Fall crew traveled outside of Wyoming to the Black Hills of South Dakota. The WCC Fall crew further developed their trail building skills by assisting the United States Forest Service in building and maintaining trails in the Black Hills National Forest.