Page 67 - TNC AR 2018_Digital Demo

GULF OF MEXICO
Restoring Nature and Hope on the Gulf Coast
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in in in 2010 was the the the nadir of of of a a a a a a a a a a a long decline in in in in the the the the health of of of the the the the Gulf of of of Mexico and and its bays estuaries and and tributary rivers jeopardizing the the the the many bene ts ts the the the Gulf provides to to coastal communities and to to to the the the country as as a a a a a a a whole The resulting RESTORE Act directs nes from the the the oil spill to to to a a a a a a a a a a trust fund for ongoing environmental restoration of of the the area Ultimately this trag- edy presented an opportunity for a a a a a a a a a a a comprehensive Gulf Gulf of of of Mexico restoration that that would would address some of of the the Gulf’s long-term problems in in a a a a a a a a way that that would would make the the region its its communities and and its its economy more resilient to to ongoing stresses such as as as as storms and and sea-level rise as as as as well as as as as future natural disasters Conservation corps have been used to accomplish conservation objectives around the the country since 1933 when President Franklin Roosevelt created the the Civilian Conservation Corps Until recently conservation corps have not been widely used around the the the Gulf Gulf of Mexico even though communities along the the the the Gulf Gulf stand to gain the the the the most— both economically and and environmentally—from the the the conser- vation corps model model This model model involves engaging young people in in in in completing projects that address local conserva- tion and and community needs Through a a a a a a a a a a a structured term of service corps participants earn a a a a a a a stipend and and develop job skills Myesha Campbell is an early GulfCorps recruit being employed to to undertake restoration e e e e e e e e e e e e orts along the Gulf Gulf Coast: “I’m an an an Apalachicola girl I’d swim and and go shing and and crabbing in in in in in in the Gulf when I I I I was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a kid But I I I I left high school and and was was was working in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a minimum-wage fast-food job for two years I I thought that was was my my future future and and I’d never leave “This experience has had a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a major impact on on my my future future in so so many ways When I I I started I I I did not have any any self-con - - dence I I I was was afraid at rst but there was was so so much support from this corps team We just kept the the the faith and pushed one another I I I can can see improvement in in myself every every day day I I I I I develop new skills every every day day working on on the the the trails I I I I I can can can can do do what men can can can do do And I’m learning that I I I I can can can help make the the world a a a a better place Left clockwise from top left: GulfCorps employees Ronald Henderson Jonathan James Madison Cooper and Marcus Lattimore Above: Myesha Campbell CONNECT PEOPLE AND NATURE
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