The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

N/A © Graphic courtesy of AmeriCorps

“I know how much we can accomplish with the right people, and we’re also giving important opportunities for people to learn, and improve, skills.”

Kyle Strauss
The Conservancy's Oregon ACT coordinator

Kyle Strauss was an AmeriCorps member. Today he manages the Conservancy's AmeriCorps team.

After college, Kyle Strauss moved to the one corner of the country he hadn’t yet been: Oregon. Lured by landscapes, he joined AmeriCorps, a national program that facilitates a year of service. Working with the Northwest Service Academy and The Nature Conservancy, Strauss planted trees and removed invasive species.

Now Strauss is program coordinator for the Conservancy’s 13-member AmeriCorps Conservation Team (ACT). Oregon was the first Conservancy chapter to manage its own AmeriCorps team and, according to Strauss, they've been remarkably successful.

“Having been an AmeriCorps member and now helping train them really is a full circle,” Strauss said. “I know how much we can accomplish with the right people, and we’re also giving important opportunities for people to learn, and improve, skills.”

Crisscrossing the state, members spend their time under the tutelage of conservation staff advancing field research, restoring habitats and engaging local communities. Providing over 20,000 hours of service each year, they remove invasive plants, gather scientific data, lead volunteer and student work parties and help with prescribed burns.

Through this experience, ACT members are gaining valuable conservation and leadership skills while spreading the word about the Conservancy's work. In addition, their dedication is helping to attract and retain hundreds of volunteers who, like you, are committed to preserving Oregon's rich natural heritage.

The Nature Conservancy in Oregon is excited and proud to have forged this partnership with AmeriCorps. Download the ACT Now newsletter today to read about the impressive work they're accomplishing!