Notice of intent: Next Generation Ranger: Trails Maintenance and Creation

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Cooperative Agreement Number P17AC00171 was entered into by and between the National Park Service and Friends of Saguaro National Park (hereinafter FOSNP) for the purpose of recruiting and managing youth from Tucson and surrounding communities for paid internships, placed in national parks. Participants will work alongside a park service staff in all areas of park management in order to gain skills and experience which will benefit them in their long-term career or education goals, while also training in essential life skills including resume building, public speaking, community engagement, and conservation projects within public lands in Southern Arizona. Unless otherwise specified herein, the terms and conditions as stated in the Cooperative Agreement will apply to this Task Agreement. Saguaro National Park and FOSNP will join together in partnership to create a new program for youth employment and economic opportunity in Southern Arizona, entitled the Next Generation Ranger Corps. Using funds from the National Park Service, FOSNP will recruit and hire local youth interns to be placed with Saguaro National Park working with Trail Crew as Next Generation Ranger Corps members, here for referred to as a NextGen Rangers. Through this agreement, the National Park Service is committed to working within our local community and providing opportunities to alleviate poverty through providing employment opportunities for youth interested in public lands and conservation, as well as providing youth from under-represented areas of Tucson opportunities to gain professional development in career tracks they may not have traditionally considered available to them. Interns will also gain exposure to outdoor recreation opportunities and experiences in other national parks in Arizona. This project addresses the public purposes of 1) providing opportunities to alleviate poverty through providing employment opportunities for youth interested in public land and conservation; 2) providing youth from under-represented areas of Tucson opportunities to gain professional development in career tracks they may not have traditionally considered available to them; 3) providing opportunities for youth to learn about the environment by spending time working on and completing conservation projects in national parks; 4) motivating youth to become involved in natural resource protection of their communities and beyond, and engage in hands-on experience; 5) gaining and disseminating new scientific knowledge; and 6) assisting in the promotion and improvement of the public's understanding of natural resources and conservation. The Next Gen Rangers will be assigned to the Maintenance Division: Trails at Saguaro National Park. The incumbent will be mentored by Nick Huck and given opportunities to learn the skills involved with trails maintenance and construction in order to better understand the profession of trails design and maintenance in the National Park Service. The assigned Next Gen(s) will receive training in all of these activities and will have additional cross-training and professional development training opportunities. The intern will meet regularly with the assigned mentor and report on activities and accomplishments.

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