SEEDS YCC Crew at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge

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SEEDS has been established for the purpose of employment and development of young people and the conservation and enhancement of natural and cultural resources. Participants gain training in essential life skills including resume building, public speaking, community engagement, and conservation projects within public lands. The Service wishes to continue its long-standing efforts to provide opportunities for public service, youth employment, minority youth development and training, and the participation of young adults in accomplishing conservation-related projects. The goal is to complete important natural resource work while raising the awareness of and potentially inspiring participants to pursue a career in natural resources or at least spark a lifelong interest and concern for the natural environment. Through this agreement we have the opportunity to provide employment for youth in the local area as well as motivate these youth to become involved in the protection of their community, now and into the future. Youth would assist refuge staff with such activities as trail maintenance, hazard tree removal, treatment of non-native plant species, boundary posting, and facility maintenance. This is a notice of intent to award a single source cooperative agreements to SEEDS Youth Conservation Corps without competition under justification 505DM 2.14.B.4 Competition for these awards is not practical as SEEDS are uniquely qualified to provide youth employment within an urban community. SEEDS has a robust Youth Conservation Corps program that is nationally recognized. They use a collaborative approach to connect vulnerable youth with the protection and enhancement of our environmental and cultural heritage. In the last five years, SEEDS has employed almost 300 under served youth who live in northwest lower Michigan. Their program has served under multiple contracts and agreements with federal agencies and a wide variety of municipal and private clients.

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