Category: Uncategorized

Alumni Spotlight: Lauren Segarra

Lauren is a 2015 corps alum from South Carolina. She currently works for the Cle Elum Ranger District in the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest in Washington. Lauren Segarra discovered EarthCorps thanks to the helpful recommendation of a friend. Having just graduated college with a degree in biology and ecology, Lauren was eager to start her career in... Keep Reading about Alumni Spotlight: Lauren Segarra

Guest Blog: 7 Steps to Creating a Rain Garden (and 5 Major Benefits)

Here at EarthCorps, we love rain gardens. Our crews spend a lot of time implementing and maintaining them across the Puget Sound region. But what exactly is a rain garden, why are they important, and how do you make one? We’ll let our guest blogger, Rachel Perez, explain: Rain is an essential step of the... Keep Reading about Guest Blog: 7 Steps to Creating a Rain Garden (and 5 Major Benefits)

Quena Batres ’14 wins Golden Tennis Shoe Award

EarthCorps alum Quena Batres (’14) was recently awarded a 2022 Golden Tennis Shoe award for her work in increasing access to outdoor sports for women of color. Quena, alongside co-founder Liselle Pires, launched Trail Mixed Collective in early 2021. The mission of Trail Mixed is to “increase representation of women of color in outdoor sports... Keep Reading about Quena Batres ’14 wins Golden Tennis Shoe Award

Prioritizing People and the Planet

An Inspirational Letter from our Board Vice President, Shanon Tyland Hello, my name is Shanon Tysland and I have had the honor to serve on the board of directors of EarthCorps for the past year. I love the work EarthCorps is doing to restore habitats and build environmental leaders for the world we are all... Keep Reading about Prioritizing People and the Planet

EarthCorps and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal Speak Up for the Climate

On March 24th, 2022, EarthCorps joined Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and other partners as she announced the Climate Resilience Workforce Act at Hilltop Park in Burien. The Congresswoman met with our Corps Members to speak about climate resilience and the importance of investing in green jobs. Our Executive Director, Evlyn Andrade, also spoke to show her... Keep Reading about EarthCorps and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal Speak Up for the Climate

EarthCorps Welcomes Evlyn Andrade as New Executive Director

January 20, 2022 – On behalf of the board of directors and staff at EarthCorps, we are thrilled to share the news that we have hired Evlyn Andrade as our next Executive Director.  Evlyn brings not only a passion for the environment and youth development but also extensive experience in management, finance, fundraising, organizing, and advocacy across the... Keep Reading about EarthCorps Welcomes Evlyn Andrade as New Executive Director

Vika Vysna: Building the Future through Restoration

Veronika (Vika) Vysna is a 2008 EarthCorps alumna from Slovakia. She currently works for Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union (EU), in Luxembourg. In 2007, Vika Vysna was between jobs, volunteering with a non-governmental organization (NGO) in the northern part of her home country of Slovakia. One day, the organization asked her whether... Keep Reading about Vika Vysna: Building the Future through Restoration

Eric Jensen: A Holistic Perspective on Conservation

Eric was a 2014 Corps Member. He is currently based in Colorado and works as a Data Scientist at Climate Engine, where he uses global climate and earth science datasets to help governments, companies, and organizations to meet their sustainability targets. Sometimes the right opportunity presents itself at just the right moment. Growing up in... Keep Reading about Eric Jensen: A Holistic Perspective on Conservation

Ravi Prasad: Leading the Way for Global Green Recovery

Ravi was a 2014 International Corps Member. He is currently working for the UNDP as a monitoring and reporting specialist and is based in Fiji. Ravi Prasad has always felt connected to nature. Born and raised in Fiji, he grew up in a Pacific Island country known for its rugged landscapes and coral reefs. Ravi’s... Keep Reading about Ravi Prasad: Leading the Way for Global Green Recovery

Uncovering our Inner Agility: EarthCorps’ Alumni Leadership Workshop

On August 5th, EarthCorps held its first ever virtual leadership development workshop for alumni. The 1.5 hour Zoom session focused on agility and adaptability in the workplace. The EarthCorps leadership development workshop allowed participants from around the globe to uncover their strengths as leaders in an ever-changing and complex world. Our facilitator, Kim, guided the... Keep Reading about Uncovering our Inner Agility: EarthCorps’ Alumni Leadership Workshop

A Change Was Made Selling Lemonade

We are continuously impressed by the support from our community, and today we would like to thank some of our youngest and most creative supporters! On a warm summer day, the Valeri family kids set up an adorable lemonade stand and made a sign that said “50% of all profits goes to Save The Bees.”... Keep Reading about A Change Was Made Selling Lemonade

UN Decade On Ecosystem Restoration

The United Nation’s Decade on Ecosystem Restoration launches on World Environment Day – June 5, 2021! The UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration focuses on reviving and restoring damaged ecosystems across the globe. Healthy ecosystems are crucial in creating a thriving planet for people to enjoy generations from now. Scientists say we just have 10 more... Keep Reading about UN Decade On Ecosystem Restoration

Floating Wetlands in Lake Union

Nearshore wetlands provide food and rearing habitats for juvenile salmon, and improve water quality by intercepting stormwater, trapping sediment, sequestering metals, and reducing harmful algal blooms. However, more than 30% of Puget Sound coastlines and over 75% of Seattle’s shorelines have been converted to urban conditions, including ports, marinas, docks, bulkheads, armored revetments, roads, railways,... Keep Reading about Floating Wetlands in Lake Union

Thank you ExtremeTerrain!

EarthCorps is grateful for partners like ExtremeTerrain, whose Clean Trail Program, helps fund our work improving trails across Puget Sound. They support projects across the country, and we encourage you to get outside and explore some of these iconic trails! Did you know that over the past 28 years EarthCorps has built and maintained over... Keep Reading about Thank you ExtremeTerrain!

We Can’t All Be Corps Members, So Here Are Some Tips to Be More Green!

Small changes in your daily life can make a huge difference! Here are some ways to help you get started! Water Reduction: Did you know that every time you brush your teeth and have the faucet running, you are wasting about 3 gallons of water per minute (water footprint)? Turning off the water when brushing your... Keep Reading about We Can’t All Be Corps Members, So Here Are Some Tips to Be More Green!

The Benefits of Trees

It's a TREE-mendous time to celebrate Earth Month! Here at EarthCorps, we think trees are pretty cool and we wanted to share all their benefits with you!

Message from Board President about Leadership Transition

Dear EarthCorps community, As the EarthCorps Board of Directors prepares to launch a nationwide search for our next executive director, I want to salute Steve Dubiel for his 22 years of visionary leadership and his tremendous achievement in building a tiny nonprofit into a model of environmental restoration and youth leadership development whose impact extends... Keep Reading about Message from Board President about Leadership Transition

Leadership Transition

Dear EarthCorps community, I have the utmost gratitude and respect for our extended EarthCorps community, and so it is with mixed emotions that I share with you my decision to leave EarthCorps in June, after 22 years as executive director. It is not a decision I take lightly, but I am convinced that the timing... Keep Reading about Leadership Transition

Tacoma Open Space Program Highlights

Volunteer restoration at South Ash St. working to turn around a neglected urban open space. EarthCorps’ Tacoma Open Space Program coordinates volunteer environmental restoration projects at ten different sites throughout the city. These sites range from forested upland areas, to a rehabilitated salt marsh, to urban wetlands, as well as other parcels of open land.... Keep Reading about Tacoma Open Space Program Highlights

2021: Looking forward

Steve Dubiel, Executive Director, shares the top 5 things he’s looking forward to at EarthCorps in 2021.

My 2020 reflection and experience with EarthCorps

Lessons Learned From My Beloved Father

by Marisol Morales Article originally published on 7/24/20 on the EchoX website. As we celebrate Latino Conservation Week (July 18-26), I have been reflecting on my own experiences as a Chicana and of people who helped shape my views of the conservation movement.  For me, conservation means stewarding our lands to preserve and respect all... Keep Reading about Lessons Learned From My Beloved Father

Black Lives Matter

A Statement from EarthCorps EathCorps believes in a world where people and nature thrive together. Recent events, including the murder of George Floyd, are a painful reminder that we are failing. Our world does not allow all people to thrive. Black lives matter. Enough is enough.  EarthCorps stands in solidarity with the Black community and with People... Keep Reading about Black Lives Matter

Our Role as Environmental Educators

Hi all! My name is Ignatius Davids but friends call me “Iggy”. I hope everyone is staying safe in this global crisis. As an Environmental Educator, I have come to realize that, the teaching of environmental education is such an important component for our survival as a species.   Environmental education shows us how important... Keep Reading about Our Role as Environmental Educators

Breaking News: How the CARES Act supports us all

As we all navigate new challenges and uncertainties, we’d like to share some good news. On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. This bill brings $2.2 trillion dollars to provide much-needed support for American families, workers, businesses, and nonprofits. This is good news for all... Keep Reading about Breaking News: How the CARES Act supports us all

Our Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak

UPDATED MAY 19, 2020 The world today is a scarier, more uncertain place than usual.  Quarantines, economic instability and political strife seem to be the new normal.  Never before has the work of community-led nonprofits – promoting grassroots leadership, lifting up women’s and people of color voices, providing access to the underserved and otherwise creating... Keep Reading about Our Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak

Why am I a part of EarthCorps?

A Global Movement to Restore Our Environment

Interview with Madeline de Mahy, Senior Project Manager The United Nations General Assembly declared 2021-2030 the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The declaration aims to promote global efforts around ecosystem restoration as a way to address the climate crisis and improve food security, water supply, and biodiversity. In September, on the heels of the UN’s... Keep Reading about A Global Movement to Restore Our Environment

US Senator Cory Booker cites EarthCorps’ work in Climate Stewardship Act proposal!

We’re trying to play it cool, but this is REALLY big! Here is the back story: EarthCorps teamed up with Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE) to study the rate at which coastal wetlands, estuaries, and tidal marshes sequester carbon. We studied how saltwater grasses and other marsh plants take carbon out of the air, and end up burying... Keep Reading about US Senator Cory Booker cites EarthCorps’ work in Climate Stewardship Act proposal!

2019 International Corps Members

In June, EarthCorps welcomed new corps members from India, Georgia, Haiti, the Philippines, Brazil, Colombia, and Russia to Seattle, Washington!Leaving the familiar behind and plunging into the unknown, these young adults are committed to learning about the world in a way that books, television, and school can’t reveal. Cross-cultural exchange strengthens and more deeply connects our... Keep Reading about 2019 International Corps Members

Save the Salmon to Save the Orcas

Puget Sound orcas are hungry.  The Southern Resident killer whales, who spend summer and fall in Puget Sound, are picky eaters. About 80% of their diet is Chinook salmon – and they eat a lot of them. An adult orca eats about 385 pounds of fish each day! The Southern Resident killer whales developed a taste for Chinook salmon... Keep Reading about Save the Salmon to Save the Orcas

EarthCorps salutes new UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

The newly declared UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 aims to massively scale up the restoration of degraded and destroyed ecosystems around the world. Declaring a decade for ecosystem restoration amplifies the public’s demand that climate change and it’s devastating effects must be at the top of national agendas, and that restoration is a proven measure to fight climate change and... Keep Reading about EarthCorps salutes new UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

Kindness comes in snack bars

Piles of blackberry canes, ivy vines, and thorns are now stacked behind them on compost piles. With the sun hanging heavy over the heads of volunteers, it’s time for a break. Every year, EarthCorps hosts hundreds of volunteer events throughout the greater Seattle area to improve the health of our critical urban forests through hands-on... Keep Reading about Kindness comes in snack bars

The Power of Women Role Models

My first day at EarthCorps, less than 24 hours after I had dyed my hair a bright and distracting shade of blue, I walked into EarthCorps’ classroom for a workshop on non-profit management. I felt some anxiety and those familiar first day of work jitters. I had joined EarthCorps’ Crew Program late in the summer,... Keep Reading about The Power of Women Role Models

Rattlesnake Ledge

Winding through the forest, a busy trail overlooks the Cedar River watershed, Mount Si, Mount Washington, Rattlesnake River, and Chester Morse Lake. Built fifteen years ago to accommodate an estimated 40,000 hikers a year, the trail’s stunning panoramic views are now seen by almost 300,000 each year. This is Rattlesnake Ledge. The increased popularity of... Keep Reading about Rattlesnake Ledge

A Legacy Lives on in the Hylebos Watershed

Where do you want to leave your mark? John Eastman, a generous resident of Federal Way, had a special relationship with the Hylebos Watershed. There, a rich network of streams, wetlands, forests and open space surround the Hylebos Creek. Hylebos creek empties into Tacoma’s Commencement Bay, in the south Puget Sound. The watershed lies primarily... Keep Reading about A Legacy Lives on in the Hylebos Watershed

Inviting the World into Our Home

When my husband David and I are not traveling, we host young internationals from EarthCorps, bringing the world into our home and mentoring the next generation of environmental leaders.  EarthCorps brings together young people from all over the planet to learn about environmental leadership, trail building, and restoration in Seattle, Washington. The young internationals range... Keep Reading about Inviting the World into Our Home

Spirit of Service

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed that “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” EarthCorps has seen a surge of community members wanting to give back. In January and February 2017 more than 1,100 volunteers have worked with us to improve the health of our parks; a 30% increase from... Keep Reading about Spirit of Service