Anyone who has spent time in our national or state parks knows the huge debt that we owe to the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC).  The CCC was a New Deal program under Franklin Roosevelt during the Great Depression to put America back to work.  It proved critical to the nation’s recovery.

The CCC hired an army of over 3 million men, usually organized into companies of 200, to enhance the natural infrastructure of America. The CCC operated 4,500 camps in national and state parks and forests – building roads, camps, trails, dams and other infrastructure. They worked extensively in Zion, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Acadia, and Big Bend national parks.  In Texas, 29 of our state parks were developed by the CCC.  Roosevelt’s “tree army” also planted three billion trees –   and are responsible for over half the reforestation in our nation’s history.

I am inspired by the work of the CCC – enjoying today the fruit of their labor as I travel through our parks.  And it got me thinking….

What if we started a Christian Conservation Corp – building on the legacy of the original CCC – to ignite a passion in young Christians for God’s creation.  This gap year program for young adults graduating high school or college would include meaningful work in America’s parks with intimate exposure to God’s creation in a spiritually enriching environment.  Who might be called to launch that idea?

Toodling and Noodling, Stan