By Stefan Reinold

I served in AmeriCorps NCCC during Class 3 (member/leader) in Charleston, SC, and Class 4 (team leader) in Denver, CO. With an educational background in biology and a focus on ecology, I was most interested in AmeriCorps NCCC’s environmental projects.  

Once in the NCCC program, I was able to complete the wildland firefighting training through cooperation with the Frances Marion National Forest in South Carolina. Over my two years in NCCC, I was able to work on some prescribed fires while also getting out on some initial response to small wildfires. Toward the end of my second year I led a crew of NCCC members to fight the large fires that occurred in Florida in 1998.  

It is through these operations that I really got interested in forest management concepts. I learned that prescribed fires were an important tool of forest management. I also learned that many of the catastrophic wildfires stemmed from mismanagement of our forests and land at the turn of the 19th century.

While serving in NCCC, I also completed work removing noxious weeds and invasive species on many projects. Again I learned a lot about the interactions of species and the importance of ecosystem management. Many invasive species can easily overrun an area since there are no natural predators or controls available.

After AmeriCorps, I continued my love for the outdoors by working for Rocky Mountain National Park completing trail work (skills learned in AmeriCorps) while also maintaining my red-card certification.  I had the opportunity to respond as part of a National Park Service crew on wildfires in Texas. At this point I knew that I wanted to work in the field of forestry. I decided to go back to school and get a Master’s degree in Forest Management.  After school I worked as a research associate at Colorado State University, as a Seasonal Forester with Colorado State Forest Service, and as a Conservation Forester with the Jefferson Conservation District.

Currently, I run my own consulting firm working with private landowners. Instead of working on the wildland firefighting end, I decided that good forest management was just as important. Through good forest management the impact of devastating wildfires can be minimized. I educate my clients on how to complete forest management activities that will help improve the health of their forests while also decreasing the risks of loss of property from catastrophic wildfires. I educate my clients on developing defensible space for their homes to decrease risk of loss during wildfires. I also complete a lot of work for Colorado State Parks, helping them to identify locations to complete management activities.

AmeriCorps NCCC gave me the ability to explore my interest to work in the outdoors through Environmental Stewardship. It allowed me to learn new skills and abilities, to learn how to work well with a team, and how to complete various natural resource projects. I highly recommend this program to others, and if you don’t find a career in NCCC, maybe you will find a spouse. I was lucky enough to find both.

Stefan Reinold is a Certified Forester with Colorado Forest Management, LLC. As part of the AmeriCorps 20th anniversary, The Corporation for National and Community Service is celebrating Environmental Stewardship Month in April. Check out our blog for 20 Ways AmeriCorps Helps the Earth and other posts on AmeriCorps important work in environmental stewardship.