BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Conservation Corps members gathered at Sandy Point State Park on Tuesday to share stories about why they felt called to serve and what they’ve learned from their work, before setting out for a day of cutting back invasive plants.

As part of AmeriCorps Week, the event brought representatives from AmeriCorps and Maryland state agencies to the Chesapeake Bay-front park in Annapolis to celebrate the ongoing achievements of the Maryland Conservation Corps. A partnership between AmeriCorps and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Conservation Corps places about 40 members across eight state parks every year.

At the event, the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation presented AmeriCorps CEO Michael Smith with a proclamation from Gov. Wes Moore declaring this week as AmeriCorps Week in Maryland, noting how the service work through the program strengthens members, communities, and the state as a whole.

In view of the Bay, Conservation Corps members spoke about what they’ve gained from the program, from learning teaching skills and environmental education to working a chainsaw and getting out of their comfort zone.

Elizabeth Butz, a Conservation Corps and AmeriCorps member at Susquehanna State Park, said she joined because she had a passion for the environment and thought it was a good opportunity to learn job skills.

“It’s been a really great way to give back to those parks that I grew up going to,” she said. “And then I’ve learned a lot about being able to do environmental education especially, so it lets me turn my passions into a way to educate others.”

Read the rest of this story here at the Department of Natural Resources website.

Photo: Maryland Conservation Corps members pose with state and AmeriCorps officials in front of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge at Sandy Point State Park. Photo by Joe Zimmermann/Maryland DNR