resources for teachers
Conservation Youth Corps (CYC) is a program of Credit Valley Conservation that exists for the purpose of providing valuable, interesting, learning and volunteer opportunities in environmental stewardship and conservation for youth in our watershed.
CYC is comprised of two basic components, our High School Tree Planting Program (HSTPP) and our CYC Summer Program. The HSTPP is offered during the spring and fall of the year to high schools looking to see their students more actively engaged in community environmental stewardship and experiential learning. The Summer Program consists of week-long volunteer work terms for eligible students and offers up to 35 “community involvement” hours.
For more information on these programs you can navigate to the various pages on this website, you can also call or email and we’ll be happy to answer any of your questions.
CYC in Your School
During the spring of the year we like to visit our watershed-area high schools when and wherever we can. Depending on your needs we can tailor our presentations or information booth to fit your current unit topic in class or to whatever environment you may wish to have a booth set up. We have displays, video, posters and flyers for students as well as other interesting stuff. We’ll talk to just about anybody about stewardship and conservation but consider your science, geography and social studies classes as well as your eco or outdoors clubs. We’re available pretty well anytime from April right through to mid-June.
In-Class Presentations
We can come into your class and present on our programs, volunteer opportunities, discuss with students the application of their studies to real-world conservation, stewardship and resource management activities. Many students are unaware of just how many career skill sets can be applied to environmental and conservation related work.
Fairs and Other Special Events
We’re always interested in attending events at your school where outside groups can come inside to share information or participate in school-sponsored activities. If y our school is hosting an eco-fair, volunteer fair, or other similar activity please let us know. Just call, provide some of the detail about the main focus and purpose of your event and of course the time and date. There are a lot of these events at schools during certain times of the year, we may not be able to get to them all, please book early.
Tree Planting and Other Stewardship Activities
Our tree planting activities take place on public lands throughout the watershed. Chances are we can find something relatively close to you. Please refer to our High School Tree Planting Program page for more details. If you’re interested in naturalizing your school’s grounds let us know we may be able to direct you to agencies specializing in that kind of activity.
Other stewardship-type projects like trail-work, boardwalk building or invasive species work does become available for groups from time to time. Call to ask, we may able to coordinate something for you. Please remember though, activities other that tree planting will most likely be only suitable to smaller groups.
