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by John Griffith
When I introduce the urban youth who join the California Conservation Corps to the Eel River Watershed, I let the watershed speak for itself. Forested ridgelines, steep canyons, white water, deep pools, and house-sized boulders articulate a sense of place where words would fail. Before joining the CCC, many of the 17- to 25-year-olds in our program would have believed that a watershed was a small metal building that held clear plastic jugs of liquid. In their former life the word “watershed” was as obscure as words like “clear cut,” “pike minnow” and “voting.”

But once we put a rock drill in their hands and make them work waist-deep in a creek to build salmon habitat structures, many words previously drowned out by the steady barrage of pop culture suddenly rise to a distinct clarity. Words like: “cold,” “snake,” “poison oak,” “blisters,” “wasps” and “slippery”. Other new and powerful words that find their way out of the youths’ lips don’t have dire connotations—words like “restoration.”

I have always found it magical that a youth development program would do ecological restoration. Some of the young folks in the CCC have had hard-knock experiences and joined us to “restore” their own sense of worth. Others want to become natural resource professionals and are as eager to grow as the thousands of trees we plant. They all get the opportunity to be paid, educated, and earn scholarships for college while making the Earth they will inherit a healthier one.

It’s been said that restoration jobs should go to locals. I agree. Most of our staff and twenty percent of our corpsmember population are locals. But even if every unemployed person who lives in our region were working to restore the Eel, we could still use busloads of additional people to help revive the real basis of our past and future economy—salmon. We can all appreciate the challenge of recreating fishing jobs in our region. The whole time I fished commercially for salmon along the coast of Alaska, I would think about California and say to myself, “There’s no place like home.” Then I would say, “Unfortunately, there aren’t too many fishing jobs there either.” The CCC works to change that!

There are many more benefits in bringing youth from all over the state to share in our watershed’s recovery. Not only do they add brawn toward our restoration efforts; those who return home after their year-long CCC contract leave with an awareness of our river’s plight. They become informed voters—emissaries of the Eel. They want their representatives, and their tax dollars, focused toward providing restoration funds for the watershed they bonded to, the one they helped heal.
The CCC is no newcomer to the Eel River restoration scene. The Ukiah, Fortuna—and formerly the Leggett—centers have employed local folks and other Californians for almost thirty years to build fish structures, plant trees, remove invasive plants, reduce fuels, and educate youth in the watershed. Some of those who relocated here to work for the CCC have never left. They fell in love with the Eel and are determined to see it completely Wild and Free.
A few of these former employees have names and/or achievements that are easy to recognize. Ruth Goodfield, the watershed coordinator for the Eel River Watershed Improvement Group (ERWIG), was once a corpsmember. She’s not the only one in ERWIG who has worn our blue cap, tan shirt, and brown pants. Ryan Wells—who many claim is the master of tying down log structures—was a corpsmember too! ERWIG has been restoring the south fork of the Eel and the Van Duzen tributary since 1997. Ruth and Ryan serve not only as an inspiration to the corpsmembers who have worked on some of their many projects, but to the whole restoration community as well.

Gary Flosi originally came to our watershed as a member of the Ecology Corps, a program that underwent a metamorphosis in the mid-seventies and emerged as the CCC. In 1981, Gary became a CCC supervisor and began his own metamorphosis, finally emerging as the Fish Habitat Restoration Supervisor for Fish and Game. Gary’s familiarity with working with locals on the more laborious aspects of restoration gave him the experience and understanding to build bridges (not the kind you walk across) with Eel River communities. He is willing to work with anyone who wants to see salmon swim through their land. Gary develops lasting relationships with private landowners and supports them toward our goal of having a thriving Eel.

The CCC regional director is Mel Kreb. He came here from Iowa in 1976 to work for the CCC, and has been involved in some aspect of salmon habitat restoration ever since. In March of 2005, he earned Salmon Restoration Federation’s most distinguished award—Restorationist of the Year. A few months later, he won Humboldt County Democrat of the year. Many of you know him and his wife, Holly, as the owners of Floodplain Produce. Hopefully you’ve had the opportunity to chop some of their organic fruits and vegetables into your summer salad. If you cruise down the Avenue of the Giants you’ll eventually find their produce stand. If for nothing else, be sure to stop by and purchase one of their daughter’s blackberry popsicles. You’ve never really enjoyed having a purple tongue until you’ve tasted blackberries from the banks of the Eel River frozen on a stick.

The CCC’s contribution to our region goes far beyond responding to fire and flood emergencies, employing locals, and giving thousands of volunteer hours to non-profits. It’s not even the hundreds of miles of trails, salmon habitat structures, erosion control or reforestation projects that define us. We produce informed young citizens with the skills and confidence to compete in an ever-changing economic reality, citizens who have learned the value of communities that live sustainably within their ecosystems.
When corpsmembers graduate from our program they have acquired much more than a few new words and a decreased fear of snakes, itchy rashes, and hard work. They leave our program knowing they can make a difference. They leave knowing they already have.

About the author:
John Griffith is the Corpsmember Development Coordinator for the CCC. He has recently completed a novel for middle- and upper-grade readers titled Simona and the Power Seed. It is a novel designed to teach kids ecological concepts through a fantasy adventure. The story unfolds in the Eel River watershed.

About the CCC and how to join
by John Griffith
The CCC was modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps of the Depression era. And like our father program, we also employ youth, teach them job skills, and help them earn a higher education. Unlike our father program, we also provide scholarships for college, health insurance, and opportunities like the Australian Exchange and Backcountry Program. We have a residential campus in Ukiah where we deduct a mere $300 from corpsmembers’ checks for housing and meals. We give young folks the chance to make new friends and be part of a team. We provide project work that is meaningful. We help them pursue and accomplish their personal goals. If you — or someone you know — is 18 to 25 years old and ready for an adventure, then join the CCC by calling 707-463-2822.