Partners: Civilian Conservation Corps

On September 29th, 2001, The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) passed their legacy to National Public Lands Day. From 1933 to 1942 President Franklin D. Roosevelt recruited a civilian army to conserve our nation's natural resources. The Civilian Conservation Corps would engender strong national pride in America's rich legacy of land stewardship and would prove to be of moral and spiritual value to our great nation.

Known as "Roosevelt's Tree Army" more than two million Americans -- mostly men --planted over three billion trees and spent countless hours fighting forest and coal fires. They also surveyed and mapped lands and lakes, wired whole towns, and built fences, lodges, museums, lookout towers, wells and pump houses. The numbers are impressive:

Built 46,854 bridges
Restored 3,980 historic structures
Developed 800 state parks (many states had no parks before the CCC)
Installed 5,000 miles of water supply line

On National Public Lands Day 2001, the Corp's magnificent heritage of stewardship was handed down to volunteers across the country. The conservation promise long held in the able hands and trusted hearts of the Corps will pass to a younger generation. On September 29, 2001, in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park, CCC alumni recognized National Public Lands Day and its partners as keepers of their legacy. The Shenandoah has hosted CCC reunions since 1934. Other National Public Lands Day events around the country also will celebrate the work of the CCC with alumni joining volunteers of all ages for this annual day to benefit our public lands.

View photos of the CCC reunion.

National Public Lands Day volunteers are keeping the promise of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the "tree army" that exemplified land stewardship from 1933-1942, to preserve and protect America's natural heritage. In the year 2000, National Public Lands Day teamed up with its federal agency partners for a premier event in Anacostia, Washington, D.C. Several federal and local land management organizations teamed up with several non-profit organizations at four locations on the Anacostia River on National Public Lands Day.

In 2008, National Public Lands Day volunteers commemorated and celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps by planting 1.6 million trees between Arbor Day and National Public Lands Day. Read more.

Learn about the Redvale Civilian Conservation Corps Camp (Colorado)

The Redvale CCC Camp is one of the last vestiges of the CCC and their 1930s activities in Dry Creek Basin, Colorado. Learn more about the Redvale CCC Camp and its history and significance.

Today the camp is located on Bureau of Land Management public lands and serves as an unofficial campground and staging area for big game hunters each Fall.

There are remnants of structure foundations, several concentrations of artifacts and some unusual stonework. All of these are in danger of being lost.

President Obama recently announced United We Serve, a new program encouraging Americans to create meaningful change in their communities by engaging in service. Watch the video.

United We Serve was kicked off on June 22 and will run through the National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11.