Youth Development Program

  • Group of children smiling and posing with a baby alpaca at a petting zoo, with other alpacas and fencing in the background.

    Indian Valley Stewardship Camp

    For the past 25 years, The Watershed Center has offered IVSC to youth in the Hayfork area, nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards. IVSC provides six weeks of free camp experiences for TK–6th grade students. Starting during spring break and extending into summer, campers participate in fun and enriching outdoor activities building self-confidence, making new friends, and connecting with nature and their community. IVSC is a collaborative effort with Mountain Valley Unified School District’s Expanded Learning Opportunities Program.

  • Youth Backpacking Trip

    This immersive wilderness experience into the beautiful backcountry of Trinity County is designed for youth, ages 11+. This immersive wilderness experience gives young explorers the chance to unplug, admire breathtaking views, swim in crystal-clear alpine lakes, and learn essential backcountry skills—all while forming lasting connections with their group and the natural world. Best of all, this life-changing opportunity is completely free, with gear provided as needed, and is offered each summer.

  • Group of young people watching a scientist demonstrate the use of equipment in a lush outdoor garden with plants and trees.

    Youth Conservation Corps

    For over 20 years, The Watershed Center has provided paid work-based learning experiences in natural resources management to Trinity County youth.  The YCC summer program connects teens to meaningful work, in partnership with the Forest Service and the community.  Through hands-on projects—such as trail maintenance, invasive weed removal, and wildlife habitat restoration—participants build job skills while cultivating environmental stewardship and civic responsibility.

  • Children and adults gathered around educational displays and science experiments in a community center or library.

    Trinity Together

    A fiscally sponsored program of The Watershed Center, Trinity Together supports college and career readiness for all residents of Trinity County. Initiatives support a Cradle to Career Partnership model that provides hands-on learning, career pathway navigation, and work-based learning opportunities.

    www.trinitytogethercradletocareer.org

Training the Next Generation of Stewards: The Youth Conservation Crews

The Watershed Center employed 10 high-school aged students for a 7-week Youth Conservation Crew 2025 season. The YCC program partnered with local tribes, agencies, and advocacy organizations to implement a variety of priority stewardship projects. Participants gained hands-on work experience, bolstered resumes, and developed skills to take with them into the future. In this video, Josh Smith describes the ~20-year history of the YCC program at the Watershed Center and its impact on career readiness and workforce development for local youth. This program was made possible with funding from the Klamath River Fund: Community Impact Grant 2025 of the Humboldt Area Foundation + Wild Rivers Community Foundation.

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An infographic about Indian Valley Stewardship Camp, highlighting its activities and achievements in 2025. Contains a photo of children in kayaks on a river, and a group photo of campers and leaders at a campsite.
Poster detailing the youth backpacking trip in 2025, describing work experience for the junior guide and the backpacking conditions at Stoddard Lake, with photos of hiking scenes and a group of kids on top of a summit.
An infographic for the 2025 Youth Conservation Crew season shows youth in work gear and hard hats and displays the statistics from the summer.
An infographic titled "Trinity Together Accomplishments" displays data from the 2024-2025 program year. It shows that Trinity Together engaged youth with 175.5 total in-classroom hours, 81 career exploration opportunities, 20 science teacher upskilling and medical career exploration visits, and drove 2,549.6 miles. The infographic includes a bar chart of school visits by location, photos of youth participating in activities, and logos for Trinity Together and Watershed Center in Hayfork, California.

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