Passport to Texas

Tree planting in Bastrop State Park

TPW TV: American Youthworks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

About 96% of Bastrop State Park burned in the 2011 Labor Day Wildfires. Since then, Texas Parks and Wildlife has been restoring the park with the help of various groups. Texas Parks and Wildlife TV producer Alan Fisher followed one group of young people from American Youth Works as they pitched in.

54 – The have a program called the Texas Conservation Corps. These young people are basically at a point in their life where they can take on a long-term stint working outdoors on public lands, doing various kinds of work, and getting a small stipend. But, they’re mostly there because they want to pitch in and contribute. I’m here because I used to come here as a kid, and I really enjoyed it; I want to give back to it. So, I followed them doing a variety of work; they were marking and clearing trees. They were also constructing bridges using materials from the park – using drought-killed and fire-killed trees. They can make lovely bridges, and they fit right in the with the CCC [Civilian Conservation Corps] look. Somebody referred to it as the CCC with tattoos and piercings. They are tattooed, they do have long hair and they have piercings — but they are such kind, wonderful people. When they go out people recognize them and know the work that they’re doing, and they get thanked almost everywhere they go. I think it makes the long days a little easier for them.

This segment airs on the Texas Parks and Wildlife TV Series during the last week of March on PBS stations; check your local listings.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.