JBRPC is committed to the development of a diverse and skilled local workforce.
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Develop a local workforce of young adults with the technical and leadership skills to maintain and manage high-value tidal wetlands and nature-based restoration projects
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Use wetlands, one of the world’s most productive ecosystems, to foster critical, ecological thinking that informs adaptive management techniques for nature-based solutions
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Integrate local stakeholder knowledge and community values to form a holistic understanding of conservation and restoration needs and potential solutions
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Invest in communities most impacted by climate change, increasing their resilience through equitable opportunities for education and employment
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Demonstrate the value of wetlands maintenance for long-term project success to drive additional investments and policy that creates and sustains these vital nature-based jobs
Jamaica Bay Wetlands Fellowship
“This fellowship has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding on how vulnerable and unpredictable our urban ecosystem can be especially within wetland areas. Consistent erosion and loss of vegetation not only affects the people who harbor the land but the unprotected wildlife as well which is why it’s so important that we don’t continue to neglect these natural areas around NYC and attempt to maintain or give back to the earth any chance we have.”
6 month
long career development program
70,000
native plants planted
6 tons
of trash removed
2 acres
or nearly 9,000 sq ft of invasive species cleared
“I’ve gained valuable insights, discovered new interests, and even developed some new skills... I opened myself up to personal growth, learning, and discovering exciting things I may never encounter again.”
The Jamaica Bay Wetlands Fellowship will train the next generation of wetland managers, building skills and defining a career path for young people within the diverse vibrant communities surrounding Jamaica Bay.
Past Programs
City Cleanup Corps
September 2021–March 2022
City Cleanup Corps worked at city, state and federal parks around Jamaica Bay and Rockaway for six months. The Fellows worked to beautify and restore park sites for the benefit of the community and park visitors. The program provided a collaborative, mentorship structure that focused on skill development for long-term career advancement and job placement.
Wild Year: Adventures in Urban Parks Through Stewardship, Education and Recreation
2020–2021
Collaborative program with St. John’s Residence for Boys connects youth in the foster care or detention system to the outdoors by engaging them in activities that focus on stewardship, education, and recreation. The program leverages the natural environment to serve as a buffer for stress and increase resiliency. Wild Year challenges participants to work hard, learn and escape in nature.
Conservancy Corps
2020-2021
Partnership program developed during the covid pandemic crisis to meet the needs of parks and public-private partnerships experiencing great need due to severe reductions in resources and staff. Conservancy Corps provided paid fellowships at Park Alliance groups at all five boroughs in NYC. The Conservancy Corps assisted with park maintenance, restoration, and public programming. The program included a professional development program with a focus on launching high need careers in parks’ conservation and preservation.
Restoration Corps
2016–Current
The Jamaica Bay R-Corps is a green jobs training program for local youth to restore the natural environment through shoreline and habitat restoration. R-Corps integrates restoration work with education programs in wetland ecology, marine science, and and water quality monitoring. Partnership program with the American Littoral Society (ALS).