GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The Green Bay Conservation Corps has been around less than a year, but has already been hard at work in the city.
The organization became the state’s first municipal-based corps in September of 2022, making this its first Earth Day.
“The Green Bay Conservation Corps is an AmeriCorps program run through the city of Green Bay, and we focus on improving all of the parks, trails, and greenways,” says Green Bay Conservation Corps Coordinator, Maria Otto.
Since then, the group of six employees has accomplished quite a bit.
“We collected over seven pounds of native seed from our parks, we run the greenhouse at the sanctuary where we are growing over a thousand plants, native and local plants,…they were able to remove almost one hundred acres of invasives,” says Otto.
For Saturday’s Earth Day festivities, the organization spread out between four locations inviting volunteers to come join in removing trash and invasive species.
“It’s the one day that we bring everyone together to celebrate the positive impact that humans can have,” says Otto.
The Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary location had two activities to offer.
The first one gave people the opportunity to create pollinator nesting habitats.
“I teach earth and environmental science at a local high school, and the Green Bay Conservation Corps came and talked to my group of students about how to get involved in the Green Bay Conservation Corps… and I saw that they posted this event and it sounded fun,” says Grace Corriveau.
The other activity that the Green Bay Conservation Corps did for Earth Day at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary is remove the invasive species, garlic mustard.
UW-Green Bay partnered with the organization for its day of service.
“We are a part of what’s known as the GPS program at UWGB, it’s designed for first year students to not only get acclimated to college but the Green Bay community as well,” says student, Nathan Danz.
“I’m having so much fun, I love getting down and getting my hands dirty, taking care of the weeds and stuff,” says student, Marissa Bilotti.
Earth Day provided an opportunity to expose outsiders to the conservation corps, which is growing.
“We’re bringing on 15 summer members in the next few weeks,” says Otto.
More hands to tackle jobs that might otherwise not get accomplished without this new group.
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