Why Missouri Needs a 21st Century Civilian Conservation Corps - Posted from Missouri Conservation Federation Blog

As we prepare to rebuild from the devastation wrought by the pandemic, we will need to summon solutions that match the magnitude of the moment.

One challenge we will have to address is the youth unemployment crisis. Americans under 30 years of age are out of work at a level not seen since the Great Depression. This crisis touches all demographics, but disproportionally affects youth of color, indigenous youth and rural youth. More than a quarter of a million Missourians have filed unemployment claims.

The good news is that we already have a strong foundation upon which to build.

Shortly after his inauguration in 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps to “conserve our natural resources, create future national wealth and prove of moral and spiritual value not only to those of you who are taking part, but to the rest of the country as well.” Roosevelt’s “Tree Army” ultimately employed 3.4 million young men, who planted three billion trees, created more than 700 state and local parks, and constructed trails across the country.

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