Americorps team helps Greenprint Collaborative

LITCHFIELD >> An AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) team is serving with the Litchfield Greenprint Collaborative from March 9 to March 24. The team is creating animal habitats, protecting community gardens, and improving park infrastructure, according to a press release.

The NCCC team of 12, Buffalo 6, from the Atlantic Region campus of Baltimore is building owl nest boxes to protect the eggs and owlets from predators. They are also constructing wire cages to protect garden plants from wild animals and installing outhouses along nature trails for the public’s use.

Through their service, NCCC Members are protecting animals that are in danger of predators wiping them out and in need of extra protection to repopulate. They are also helping to protect the fresh vegetables being grown in the community from the local deer.

“Greenprint’s land trusts are so grateful for the work of the Buffalo 6 AmeriCorps NCCC team,” said Connie Manes, manager of Litchfield Hills Greenprint Collaborative. “We’ve enjoyed getting to know these civic-minded youth, and are amazed by the amount and quality of their service.”

The Litchfield Hills Greenprint Collaborative is responsible for protecting 70,000 acres of significant land including farmland, forest systems and drinking water resources. Some past projects include nominating projects for appropriate government funding and referral to appropriate external conservation development entities.

AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) and its FEMA Corps unit engages up to 2,800 young Americans in a fulltime, 10-month commitment to service each year. AmeriCorps NCCC members address critical needs related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, and urban and rural development; FEMA Corps members are solely dedicated to disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery work. The programs are administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). CNCS is the federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Social Innovation Fund, and Volunteer Generation Fund programs, and leads the President’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit www.nationalservice.gov.