Kenai Refuge YCC Youth Crew members work to install habitat-friendly boardwalk to provide fishing access along the Kenai River.

Five local youth ages 15 to 18 completed a successful summer of work as part of the Youth Conservation Corps at Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.  The summer program is a long-time favorite with community high school students seeking temporary employment in the natural resources field, as well as with the many visitors whom benefit from the crew's work.  In 2006 the small crew completed a mind-boggling amount of work in 8 weeks that included habitat restoration, litter clean-up, trail work, campground improvements, fishing access projects, parking area rehabilitation, and assistance with the Refuge's environmental education program.  The work was accomplished with hand tools (shovels, weed whips, hand saws, loppers, pulaskis, rakes, and wheelbarrows) and more than a little mosquito repellant!