NOHVCC Youth Scholarship Program
An incredible opportunity for young people interested in a career in OHV recreation management

   The National Off Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) recently started a new program working with youth service and conservation corps. In addition, young men and women who are interested in a career in OHV recreation management have a new opportunity to further their education.

   "The idea behind this new program is twofold," explains the NOHVCC Executive Director Russ Ehnes. "It gives the youth of our country an opportunity to learn about, and perhaps find a career in, OHV recreation. On the other hand the program helps get the word out to OHV land managers and clubs that there is this huge, primarily untapped resource that can be used to help them build and maintain trail systems. If the NOHVCC Youth Scholarship Program works as planned, it will be win-win for everyone involved."

    At the forefront of the scholarship program is a trip to the NOHVCC Annual Conference in March for young adults (18-25) who have recently participated in OHV recreation projects. For 2009, the first year of the scholarship, Eric Hughes from the Western Colorado Conservation Corps and Carith Kamermans and Kristen Courtney from the Southwest Conservation Corps will be attending the Conference in Houston and giving a presentation on how youth corps and OHV organizations and land managers can work together. In 2009, their costs will be funded as part of conference support from the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Recreational Trails Program (RTP).

    Christopher Douwes of the FHWA wants to make it known to NOHVCC Partners and supporters that RTP funds can be used to fund youth corps working on motorized trail projects. "I would love to see motorized groups such as the NOHVCC develop an ongoing working relationship with youth corps organizations throughout the country to keep our OHV trails in prime condition. And if some of these young people find they enjoy being involved with OHV recreation and end up pursuing a career in that field, all the better."
 

   Which brings us to the second phase of the NOHVCC Youth Scholarship Program. When a young man or woman with experience on OHV projects shows an interest in pursuing a career in OHV management, the scholarship program can provide the student with tuition for on-line or on-campus Marshall University (West Virginia)  OHV Recreation Management  courses. The Nick J. Rahall II Appalachian Transportation Institute and the NOHVCC are currently sponsoring the Marshall University scholarship.
 

For more information on youth, service and conservation corps, the Recreational Trails Program, and how this workforce and funding program can come together to benefit the future of quality OHV recreation, see below (all of this information can also be found on the  Corps Network website.)

Why Youth, Service and Conservation Corps?
Corps are State and local programs engaging primarily youth and young adults (ages 16-25) in service. Corps members receive training and mentoring from adult leaders, a modest stipend, and opportunities for education and career preparation. By partnering with resource and recreation providers, these young people have a chance to do important work for our public lands. Many agencies see another important benefit: nurturing a pool of potential employees who are able to step into jobs with both training and enthusiasm.

Home Page for the Corps Network (National umbrella group)

National List of Corps by State

A Guide to Transportation Funding Programs for Service and Conservation Corps
The purpose in this guide is to help more organizations, including service and conservation corps, access RTP funding for stewardship of our public lands and resources. The Corps Network also wants to acquaint Federal and State land managers with the benefits of employing Corps members on a variety of projects. Finally, their goal is to help State resource and transportation agencies encourage the use of corps in their funding programs.
 

Funding for Motorized Trail Projects
Federal legislation requires that States use 40 percent of their RTP funds for “diverse recreational trail use,” 30 percent for nonmotorized recreation, and 30 percent for motorized recreation. Only Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, and Rhode Island are exempt from the requirement regarding motorized recreation. Motorized recreation involves off-highway vehicles (OHVs) such as trail motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), four-wheel drive vehicles, and snowmobiles.

One of the goals of RTP is to provide funds to help agencies do a better job of managing motorized activities. Some of the greatest needs for resource protection are referred to by Federal agencies as “unmanaged recreation.” Problems include erosion, impacts on sensitive habitat, and creation of unauthorized routes. While many corps organizations have concentrated on nonmotorized recreation in the past, motorized recreation can be an ideal match for youth corps. Many projects can involve typical corps work, including trail maintenance, fencing, signing, revegetation, and other environmental improvements. OHV projects also give opportunities to learn job skills, equipment skills, and people skills, while developing an enjoyment for OHV recreation. .

Corps have established good partnerships with several State OHV programs. Many States have funds from State vehicle fees or fuel taxes which can be used to match Federal RTP funds. Most jurisdictions also report that there is less competition for grants in the motorized recreation category. Following are examples of successful motorized projects in which corps have participated:

* The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps constructed “kiosk assembly kits” for trail information and rider education. ATV clubs assembled and installed the kiosks.

* In Colorado, the Mile High Youth Corps is helping a user group locate and mark 20 miles of new single track in the Rampart Range Motorized Recreation area. The Western Colorado Conservation Corps is constructing six miles of trail on the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Bangs Canyon area.

* The California Conservation Corps and Student Conservation Association have worked on a variety of motorized trail projects in California including trail repair, signage, and habitat restoration work.

The Recreational Trails Program
The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is an assistance program of FHWA which provides funds to the States for grants and educational programs. The goal of RTP is to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreational activities. Nationwide, $85 million is available for Federal FY 2009,  ranging from about $825,000 for the District of Columbia to more than $4.68 million for California. Most States receive between $1.1 and $1.8 million annually.

See the Recreational Trails Program website for more information and links to State programs: www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/