Program objective

To provide experiential, education, and employment opportunities for youth and veterans between the ages of 16 and 30, inclusive, or veterans age 35 or younger. The intent of these education, career and leadership development programs is to engage, educate, and employ youth participants in fields of natural resources conservation and to advance the conservation and protection of natural and cultural resources on eligible U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service managed or other eligible Service lands (public lands, Indian lands, and Hawaiian homelands as defined by USC 1722(3)). This Public Lands Corps Act program expands youth service opportunities and serves important conservation and societal objectives. Individuals who are economically, physically, or educationally disadvantaged may receive preference for enrollment. This program includes the following subprograms: American Climate Corps, Career Discovery Internship Program, Climate Conservation Corps, Directorate Fellows Program, FWS Youth Corps Fire Management Program, FWS Youth Corps, Indian Youth Service Corps, Maintenance Infrastructure Fellows Program, and Transportation Fellows Program. This program includes the following subprograms: Career Discovery Internship Program (CDIP): Participants must be incoming college age sophomores and juniors. Interns will attend a week-long orientation held in May and then serve in summer internships tailored to various U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service career tracks for 12 weeks at various sites around the country. Civilian Climate Corps (CCC)/Climate Adaptation Fellowships: Fellowships are focused on refining the framework of Climate-smart Infrastructure Management. Fellows should be familiar with the concepts of landscape ecology, climate change science, natural resource management, modeling or statistical programs and GIS. Directorate Fellows Program (DFP): The Directorate Fellows Resource Assistance Program (DFP) is one of the Service’s Special Hiring Authorities. The DFP is a hiring program with the explicit purpose, as legislated, to diversify the Service’s permanent workforce as we engage students in natural and cultural resources work. The DFP is a paid, 11-week summer Fellowship administered through a partner organization. Directorate Fellows Program is a Resource Assistant Program under the Public Lands Corps Act. Indian Youth Service Corps (IYSC): The intent of the IYSC Program is to expand opportunities for Tribes to participate in Public Land Corps activities and to provide a direct benefit to members of federally recognized Indian Tribes or Alaska Native corporations. The IYSC Program will provide meaningful educational, employment, and training opportunities to its participants through conservation projects on eligible service land - public lands and Indian lands. Maintenance and Infrastructure Fellows (MIFP): This program is starting its pilot year in FY23 and is an implementation action of a Career Flow strategy focused on maintenance and infrastructure professionals developed by the FWS National Wildlife Refuge System’s Recruit Train Retain team. This effort was created in response to various administration priorities including “mobilizing segments of the public citizenry to accomplish deferred maintenance, repairs, and climate adaptation and resiliency work” and “taking action on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA).” Public Lands Transportation Fellows Program (PLTF): Fellowships will be provided to outstanding masters and doctoral graduates in a transportation-related field. Fellows work with staff at a region/field office facing a transportation issue to facilitate a transportation planning or implementation goal. The assigned projects assist in the development of transportation solutions that preserve valuable resources and enhance visitor experience.