Caring for the land
and serving the people
The US Forest Service is committed to diversity and has a goal to create a culture of inclusion that awakens and strengthen all people’s connections to the land. As part of that effort, the Forest Service has partnered with the Greening Youth Foundation to engage the next generation of natural resource managers.
For nearly a decade, GYF and the Forest Service have teamed up to provide challenging, interesting and life changing internship opportunities to talented students and young adults from diverse backgrounds. At Forest Service sites across the country, GYF interns serve in every aspect of resource management. From science research to IT restructuring, GYF interns play an intricate role in the growth and diversity of the US Forest Service.
If you are ready for an incredible learning experience that will help to sustain the nation’s forests and grasslands for future generations, take the first step and apply today.
The Forest Internship Research Student Training Program introduces diverse high school and college youth to careers within the USDA Forest Service through summer and fall internships nationwide! Through the FIRST Program students gain invaluable skills, networks, and mentorship as they transition from academia to the workforce.
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
The Atlanta Botanical Garden and Greening Youth Foundation have partnered to provide three Spelman College students with ongoing exposure to the USDA Forest Service and ABG through GIS mapping, data collection and management, conservation horticulture, field training, and molecular biology.
Designed to facilitate learning and professional development opportunities, the Resource Assistants Program creates positions for individuals interested in conservation, natural resources, cultural resources, research and development, and career opportunities within land management agencies. Serving as a partner in the pilot program, the Greening Youth Foundation is happy to support its Resource Assistants in their work to develop and manage Forest Service programs, research, and initiatives.
Fire Management Training Program
In an effort to bridge the opportunity gap between the need to reduce the risk of destructive wildfires in the Southeast Region and the ongoing mission to provide skilled employment opportunities to diverse youth, the Greening Youth Foundation (GYF) has designed a yearlong Fire Management Training Program (FMTP). FMTP is a unique, diverse youth-targeted prescribed burn and mechanical fuels reduction program. The program brings together, young adults in need of employable training, local youth serving organizations, The Nature Conservancy and the US Forest Service (USFS) in a collective effort to mitigate the risk of wildland fires in the Southeast Region.