Interior Department, Outdoor Manufacturer Thule Partner to Give Youth, Veterans Opportunities to Work on Public Lands

Date: January 7, 2016
Contact: Jessica Kershaw, Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Interior today welcomed a $100,000 donation from outdoor manufacturer, Thule, in support of the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC), an ongoing national effort to engage the next generation of outdoor stewards by training and employing thousands of America’s young people and veterans to protect, restore, and enhance our nation’s public lands and waters. 

“Thule’s generous donation will engage more youth in hands-on service to America’s public lands and waters while opening new doors to employment and creating lifelong connections to nature,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. “We’re grateful for public-private partnerships like the one with Thule, which will benefit the Nation’s young people and the communities they serve.”

Through the 21CSC, thousands of young adults and veterans will work on projects across America’s public lands, including maintaining campgrounds, preserving historic sites, monitoring water quality, building trails and more. From Denali to the Everglades, youth conservation corps are gaining work experience, helping improve the visitor experience and mobilizing entire communities in the stewardship of our parks, refuges, waters and heritage.

“We are proud to make this contribution to the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps and be able to support the organization's efforts to help get America’s youth involved in the outdoors,” said Thule President, Fred Clark.  “For Thule, the decision to support the 21CSC isn’t about generating the next consumer.  It is about getting kids outdoors, which is something we all believe in.”

Thule, founded in 1942 to help people with active lives transport gear safely and easily, joins companies like American Eagle Outfitters, CamelBak, The North Face, Coca-Cola, The Campion Foundation, Youth Outdoor Legacy Fund, REI and American Express in a national movement to invest in and help prepare the next generation of conservation stewards and leaders by providing meaningful and lasting opportunities to play, learn, serve and work in the great outdoors.

The 21CSC is part of an overall strategy by the Obama Administration to connect young people to the outdoors. Other efforts include First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Outside initiative and President Obama’s Every Kid in a Park program to provide all fourth grade students and their families with free admission to national parks and other public lands and waters for a full year. These complement the National Park Service’s Find Your Park campaign preparing for this year’s centennial of the National Park System.  For more information about the youth initiative, visit: www.doi.gov/youth.