Baker Resources Coalition (BRC)

Baker County in Northeast Oregon
Request: $11,730

The Baker Resources Summer Work Program launched in 2019 and today our programming provides youth a "learn and earn" opportunity that builds both hard and soft skills in the field. Our Summer Work Program for high school youth consists of a team of students who work on natural resource management projects on rural properties from June thru August. This year we have an eight-person team: two crew leads and six high school interns. This team will complete wildlife mitigation on seven properties, work on the Powder Basin Watershed Council's (PBWC) beaver habitat restoration project, and record monitoring data for Wallowa Resources on behalf of the USFS. The interns are paid and earn college credits from Treasure Valley Community College (TVCC) for their experience in Natural Resource Management (NRM). Support for this program has been provided by the Roundhouse and Gray Family Foundations, Wallowa Resource, the Powder Basin Watershed Council, and mitigated property owners, all of whom have contributed a portion of the program costs. The total project cost is $58,380 and funding secured to date is $46,650. The remaining funding gap is $11,730, for which we are seeking assistance.