The Cortez Journal
The San Juan National Forest and its partners has received the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Regional Forester’s Honor Award this week for launching a program that offers college students experience in resource-management careers. The Four Corners Federal Lands Internship Program puts students to work alongside Forest Service and National Park Service staff.
“The program is extremely beneficial to students seeking a career in land management,” said Tana Verzuh, Fort Lewis College Career Services Coordinator. “They get great on-the-ground experience and exposure to the federal agencies and nonprofits.”
“I’m very appreciative of this recognition from the Forest Service,” said Cliff Spencer, Superintendent for Mesa Verde National Park. “The Southwest Conservation Corps and Mountain Studies Institute also deserve a lot of the credit for bringing the program to fruition.”
In addition, the San Juan National Forest, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Trout Unlimited 5 Rivers Chapter and Mountain Studies Institute were honored in April with the Forest Service’s national “Rise to the Future” award for Collaborative and Integrated Aquatic Stewardship. The agencies and their nonprofit partners are being recognized for restoring native Colorado River cutthroat trout to a portion of the species’ historic range in the Hermosa Creek watershed. The effort began in 1991 with habitat improvement, construction of instream barriers, removal of nonnative fish and restoration of native trout. More than 17 miles of Hermosa Creek have been isolated to allow genetically pure trout to reoccupy their former habitat. The restoration project is also used as a working stream laboratory for Fort Lewis College classes.