By the Lopez Island Conservation Corps

The Lopez Island Conservation Corps  summer 2015 program is off and running! The LICC is a non-profit organization that provides opportunities for youth to participate in environmental conservation activities in San Juan County. Crew members help conserve island landscapes and gain valuable skills through challenging projects and rewarding educational opportunities.

This year’s program is four days a week (Monday – Thursday) and runs six weeks in total, from the 22nd of June through the end of July. Projects include trail construction and maintenance, noxious weed removal, beach clean-ups and species monitoring.  The crew is composed of six youth from Lopez and beyond, with all members ranging between the ages of 13 and 16.  This summer’s crew leader, Emmett Lawrence, an environmental science major at the University of Washington, grew up on Lopez Island and is back for the summer to work with the LICC. “A major goal of this summer’s program is to connect the crew with local knowledge and with the stories of this region,” said Lawrence.

As a part of the educational program, the LICC is calling on interested community members with knowledge, passion, and stories that pertain to environmental stewardship to come out and share with the crew.

Additionally, community members interested in spending a day out in the field working with the crew are encouraged to come and volunteer.

For more information or to get involved, call 468-3429 or email: ejl5@uw.edu Emmett Lawrence.