As unemployment soars, put young people to work conserving nature in FDR’s ‘tree army’
As we prepare to rebuild from the devastation wrought by the pandemic, we will need to summon solutions that match the magnitude of the moment.
One challenge we will have to address is the youth unemployment crisis. Americans under 30 years of age are out of work at a level not seen since the Great Depression. This crisis touches all demographics, but disproportionately affects youth of color, indigenous youth and rural youth. North Carolina alone has seen roughly a million unemployment claims since mid-March.
The good news is that we already have a strong foundation upon which to build.
Shortly after his inauguration in 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps to “conserve our natural resources, create future national wealth and prove of moral and spiritual value not only to those of you who are taking part, but to the rest of the country as well.” Roosevelt’s “Tree Army” ultimately employed 3.4 million young men, who planted three billion trees, created more than 700 state and local parks, and constructed trails across the country.
The same opportunity lies before us today. Investments in restoration, recreation, and resilience create good-paying jobs more quickly than many other alternatives because most of the funds go towards labor, rather than materials.
By establishing a 21st century CCC, leaders in Washington, D.C. and Raleigh, could put young Americans to work, restoring our natural places and repairing the crumbling recreational infrastructure in places like the Great Smoky National Park, Nantahala-Pisgah National Forests, and Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge – the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act would help fund these efforts.
To scale up quickly, we could build on an existing AmeriCorps program and we could have these young workers implement shovel-ready state, local and federal plans.
We all remember the devastating recent floods on the Carolina coast. Young workers could strengthen our coasts from hurricanes by building living shorelines, restoring oyster reefs, planting marshes and upgrading stormwater systems. These workers could also accelerate the long-overdue plans to restore Albemarle and Pamlico sounds. Collectively, these efforts would reduce risks for coastal residents – all while improving water quality, enhancing fishing opportunities and boosting tourism.
We also know that increasingly extreme weather is a threat to North Carolina’s forests. The 2016 fires in Tennessee scorched approximately 16,000 acres and took fourteen lives. A new “Tree Army” could improve the health of our forests by not just planting trees but also by removing invasive species and working with forest managers to conduct controlled burns. These measures could help prevent out-of-control “megafires.”
There are also specific actions we can take to help the more than 450 local species of concern identified by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The commission already has a plan in place to save these at-risk species, such as golden winged warblers. A new CCC could help these species by restoring their habitats – particularly if the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act supporting these efforts were enacted.
Time is of the essence. We need to lay the groundwork now, so we can swiftly put young people to work restoring America’s natural treasures as soon as it is safe. A new CCC will not just restart the economy, it will increase our strength and resilience as a nation.
Collin O’Mara is the president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. Tim Gestwicki is the CEO of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation.
