1 

AmeriCorps, the federal agency leading service and volunteering in the 

United States, helps millions of Americans improve their lives and the lives of 

their fellow citizens through service. Through AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps 

Seniors, national service members and volunteers serve hand-in-hand with 

local communities to tackle their most pressing challenges. AmeriCorps has 

made sustained investments in conservation, resource management, and

environmental education across the country. Among the interventions and 

national service programs AmeriCorps has funded in the environmental 

stewardship area, those with positive results from high-quality, independent, 

and rigorous impact studies, as assessed through external systematic 

evidence reviews are featured in this brief. All featured interventions are 

AmeriCorps State and National-supported Programs.1

1 “AmeriCorps State and National.” AmeriCorps.gov. https://americorps.gov/serve/fitfinder/americorps-state-national 

AmeriCorps, a federal agency, 

brings people together to 

tackle the country’s most 

pressing challenges, through 

national service and 

volunteering. AmeriCorps 

members and AmeriCorps 

Seniors volunteers serve with 

organizations dedicated to the 

improvement of communities. 

AmeriCorps helps make 

service to others a cornerstone 

of our national culture. Learn 

more at AmeriCorps.gov.

EVIDENCE BRIEF

Effective AmeriCorps-Funded 

Environmental Stewardship Programs

AmeriCorps Research and Evaluation | December 2021 | AmeriCorps.gov
 2 

Where did these programs serve?

These AmeriCorps interventions spanned a range of ecosystems and environmental settings across the 

country, including:

• Subalpine meadows

• Watersheds 

• Riparian corridors

• Wetlands

• Creeks and rivers

• Lands prone to wildfire

• State and national park 

trails 

What did these programs accomplish?

Environmental stewardship-focused programs supported by AmeriCorps have produced favorable and measured 

outcomes in the areas of:

• Trail reconstruction

• Natural habitat restoration 

• Native species propagation

• Stormwater runoff management 

• Fuels management and wildfire risk mitigation

• Dissemination of natural resource 

management knowledge and best 

management practices 

• Noxious weed removal and invasive species

coverage reduction

Additionally, one report examined how hosting AmeriCorps programs enhanced host organizations’ capacity to 

accomplish greater amounts of trail maintenance and fuels management.

One last evaluation detailed the impact of environmental AmeriCorps programs on participating members’ intent

to pursue natural resource management, attitudes towards public lands, and proclivity for environmental activism.

How did these programs do it? 

Deeply engaged with the communities and environments in which they served, these evidence-based AmeriCorps 

programs employed a variety of conservation and resource management models. Program activities included:

• Educating residents about resource management programs occurring in their neighborhoods 

• Coordinating with members of the community to monitor changes in stormwater runoff and in overall 

tree health

• Planting new trees, shrubs, and other native species to propagate healthy species coverage and improve 

stormwater runoff

• Eradicating and suppressing invasive plants through the usage of power tools, hand tools, and herbicides

• Bringing trail to grade by adding fill material to ruts and other eroded areas

• Mitigating the risk of wildfire through fuels reduction and native habitat restoration

The evidence base around environmental stewardship is an emerging field; this brief provides an overview 

of evaluations conducted on various AmeriCorps programs relating to Environmental Stewardship. The 

evaluations highlighted in this brief primarily used quasi-experimental designs (QED) and demonstrate how 

AmeriCorps environmental stewardship programs have positively impacted communities, ecosystems, and 

service members/host agencies themselves.
 3 

Effective Interventions Funded by Americorps and Their Impacts

INTERVENTIONS THEIR IMPACT

Washington Conservation Corps (WCC)

members planted native species, applied 

restoration methods including solid tube tree 

protectors and deer repellant, and then tested 

the effectiveness of each method on plant 

survival rates. 

Results from the 2018 study showed that plant survival rates 

significantly improved following the use of solid tube 

protectors (covers placed on bases of plants to guard against 

deer browse and other maintenance activities) and deer 

repellant (Plantskydd). Crews initially installed plants during 

the winter, randomly assigning treatments. That following 

summer after one growing season, crews observed the 

following:

• Plants with tube protectors survived at a significantly 

greater rate (86%) compared to reference (68%) and 

Plantskydd-treated (64%) plants.

• Plants with tube protectors experienced less string 

trimmer damage after regular upkeep and maintenance 

(6% of plants) compared to reference (22%) and 

Plantskydd-treated (26%) plants. 

• Although not statistically significant, damage from deer 

browse was lowest among plants with tube protectors 

(1% of plants), second lowest for Plantskydd-treated 

plants (2%), and highest for reference plants (3%). 

Washington Conservation Corps (WCC)

focused on design and implementation of 

environmental restoration projects, including 

wetland and riparian corridor enhancement 

and restoration.

Results from the 2015 study showed that restoration activities 

conducted by WCC crews successfully achieved the goals of 

establishing a diverse assemblage of native plants and 

reducing the presence of invasive species. A statistical analysis 

confirmed that restoration actions significantly increased 

native cover and reduced the cover of noxious weeds. Based 

on transect (recording the number of occurrences in a given 

plot of land) data, diverse collections of native trees and 

shrubs were also established: 

• Native plant cover increased by 9.6% at restoration sites 

compared to an increase of 0.4% at untreated reference 

sites

• Noxious weed coverage decreased by 15.6% at 

restoration sites compared to a decrease of 1.4% at 

reference sites

• Average plant survival improved to 72%; 9 of 23 sites 

met the 80% survival rate goal, but 16 of 23 still met 

diversity standards

• Although not statistically significant, the cover of reed 

canarygrass decreased at restoration sites by 8.6% 

compared to a decrease of 0.4% at restoration sites
 4 

INTERVENTIONS THEIR IMPACT

Student Conservation Association (SCA) 

improved the micro-environment of the 

subalpine Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite 

National Park by restoring the natural 

hydrology and soils for 4,200 ft of the Glen 

Aulin Trail. Addressing the trail damage that 

likely led to the vegetation, diversity, and soil 

loss in wilderness areas, SCA helped bring the 

topography to grade.

SCA members contributed to the restoration of 4,200 feet of 

trail topography, surface hydrology, and soils over a four-year 

span. Specifically:

• Bringing 1,350 ft of trail up to grade in dry meadow

• Bringing 330 ft of trail up to grade in wet meadow, and 

restoring another 720 ft of trail in this area

• Restoring 2,000 ft of trail in meadow-forest ecotone

(transition between environments) to its natural habitat

Five years after restoration activities, the entire restored area 

had maintained the topographic level of the natural meadow 

without any soil loss occurring. Vegetation cover in the 

restored area increased to 77% of the amount of cover in 

adjacent, undisturbed meadow, showing that restoration 

activities had largely improved and restored the treatment 

areas to their natural levels.

Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa 

utilized AmeriCorps members to reduce 

residential stormwater flow to storm sewers 

through the construction of “Best Management 

Practices” (BMPs). The construction of BMPs in 

in an older neighborhood of Duluth, MN was 

also meant to enhance homeowner 

understanding of stormwater runoff and

individual responsibility pertaining to 

watershed health. Part of this program was to 

train conservation corps members as well as 

local stakeholders on rainwater reduction and 

how to install BMPs. 

Native vegetation and 46 stormwater BMPs were installed on 

22 residential and city properties in the treatment 

neighborhood/sub-watershed:

• 250 trees and shrubs • 5 rain gardens 

• 4 stormwater ditch checks • 2 stormwater swales

• 20 rock sump storage 

holes

• 16 aerated lawns

• 22 rain barrels

Comparison of runoff amounts between control and treatment 

streets indicated a reduction in peak stormwater flow on the 

treatment street for rainstorms of 1.3 inches or less. The 

treatment street experienced 3% less stormwater runoff after 

BMP installation than experienced by the control street,

therein outperforming expectations.

Pre- and post-project surveys showed that residents that 

received BMPs increased their understanding of stormwater 

issues by about 10%. Additionally, after participating in this 

intervention, 17% more residents said property owners should 

take at least some responsibility for stormwater runoff (an 

increase from 66 to 83%). 

30 crew members were trained in various aspects of BMP 

installation, including rain garden and ditch check 

construction. 15 members of the general public and 2 

landscape professionals were additionally trained in rain 

garden construction.
 5 

INTERVENTIONS THEIR IMPACT

EarthCorps engaged AmeriCorps members to 

scale-up green infrastructure to better manage 

stormwater and decrease pollution into the 

Puget Sound watershed. Removing invasive 

species from the watershed improved natural 

habitat health, providing a greater barrier to 

stormwater runoff.

After one year of restoration activities paired with a follow-up 

maintenance treatment, the average percent cover of invasive 

species dropped from 93.2% to 16.3%, with a standard 

deviation of 24.8%. Comparatively, average percent cover of 

invasive species in the control plots was 98.8% at the 

beginning of the study and 96% at the end of the study, with 

standard deviations of 2% and 5% respectively. 

Montana State Parks AmeriCorps deployed 

AmeriCorps members to state park properties 

to implement various weed treatments. 

Members additionally educated the public 

about the “threats posed by noxious weeds to 

Montana’s economy, culture and recreational 

opportunities”.

Montana State Parks AmeriCorps’ weed treatments proved to 

be successful as statistically significant changes were found in 

all measured objective fields:

• Invasive spotted knapweed coverage decreased by 6% 

as a result of treatments and increased by 19% at the 

control sites. 

• Total noxious weed cover was reduced by 25% when 

treated by AmeriCorps members yet increased by 9% at 

control sites. 

• Beneficial plant cover increased in treatment sites by 

13% and decreased in control sites by 8%. 

• The mean beneficial plant coverage increased by 13%, 

meeting the 10% objective.

Nevada Conservation Corps (NCC)

organized AmeriCorps members into forestry 

teams to mitigate fire threat, reduce the 

spread of invasive species, and restore and redesignate trails. 

The NCC treatment of public lands was effective in reducing 

the fire regime condition class (FRCC) of treated lands, therein 

reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire. The higher the FRCC, 

the greater departure from the central tendency of an area’s 

reference conditions. The greater the departure from an area’s 

historic range of variability, the greater the risk for wildfire. 

Controlling for pre-intervention FRCC levels, the lands treated 

by NCC experienced a statistically significant decrease in their 

mean FRCC levels compared to untreated comparison plots of 

land. 
 6 

INTERVENTIONS THEIR IMPACT

Public Lands Service Coalition (PLSC)

examined the impact AmeriCorps members 

on the capacity of host agencies. Members 

participated with conservation agencies to 

build and maintain trails, campgrounds, boat 

docks, and recreation facilities; eliminate 

invasive species; remove hazardous fuels; and 

restore critical ecosystem and habitats at 

national and state forests.

Conservation corps were identified as vital partners for land 

management agencies in activities related to trail upkeep, 

invasive species removal, and fuels management. Land 

management personnel who partnered with conservation 

corps programs:

• Created or maintained 30 percentage points more of the 

trail miles they planned to accomplish (total of 68%) 

compared to the personnel who did not partner with 

conservation corps (38%). 

• Completed 42 percentage points more of the fuel acres 

work they planned to accomplish (total of 72%) 

compared to comparison group who did not partner 

with conservation corps (30%). 

33% of sampled land management personnel that partnered 

with conservation corps suggested that much of their planned 

work would simply not have been completed had they not 

partnered with said corps.

Public Lands Service Coalition (PLSC)

measured the impact of conservation corps 

experiences on its members by examining 

changes in members’:

• Intent to pursue natural resource 

management careers

• Attitudes towards public lands

• Inclination towards environmental 

activism

Changes were measured through pre- and 

post- surveys gauging respondents’ attitudes 

on a five-point Likert scale.

Those that participated in conservation corps appeared to 

foster the following positive developments at greater levels 

compared to those who did not participate in such programs:

• Higher intent to pursue natural resource management 

related education and careers

• Increased positive attitudes towards public lands 

• Increased environmental activism

These results remained statistically significant even after 

controlling for higher rated baseline characteristics of those 

self-selecting into conservation corps programs compared to 

the lower-rated baseline levels of the comparison group. 

These three characteristics improved more for members than 

any increases seen by those who did not serve.
 7 

How Environmental Stewardship Programs Relate to 

Climate Change 

Climate change impacts communities in numerous ways including 

threatening wildlife and natural ecosystems, damaging infrastructure, 

impairing transportation, impacting human health and wellness, diminishing 

food and water supplies, and increasing the number and strength of extreme 

weather events including wildfires and hurricanes.2

Individuals can aid in mitigating the effects of climate change by preserving 

resources and promoting community resilience through environmental 

stewardship. Community resiliency is defined by the ability of a community to 

utilize and preserve available resources to prepare for, combat, withstand, 

and recover from adverse situations caused by climate change.3 The 

evaluation reports detailed in this brief outline environmental stewardship 

projects that have increased an understanding of environmental issues, 

preserved and supported natural habitats, and improved water reclamation, 

all of which can contribute to building community resilience in the face of 

climate change. 

While climate change affects communities in different ways, marginalized and 

impoverished communities face the impacts of climate change on a greater 

scale.4 Climate resilient communities have the resources and knowledge to 

anticipate, plan for, and react to extreme weather events and environmental 

disturbances related to climate change.5 AmeriCorps programs that increase 

a community’s understanding of environmental issues through environmental 

stewardship can aid in addressing the current and future impacts of climate 

change and increase resiliency throughout communities in the United States. 

2 ”Climate Impacts on Society.” EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, December 22, 2016. 

https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/climate-impacts/climate-impacts-society_.html

3 “Climate Change and Social Inequality.” Department of Economic and Social Affairs. United Nations, October 2017. 

https://www.un.org/esa/desa/papers/2017/wp152_2017.pdf

4 “Community Resilience.” RAND Corporation. https://www.rand.org/topics/community-resilience.html

5 “Climate Resilience Portal.” Resilience Solutions. Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. https://www.c2es.org/content/climateresilience-overview/

Suggested Citation

AmeriCorps Research and 

Evaluation. (2021). Evidence 

Brief: Effective AmeriCorpsFunded Environmental 

Stewardship Programs. 

Washington, DC: Author.
 8 

Programs by Components, Outcomes, Targeted Environments, and AmeriCorps 

Member Roles

PROGRAM (SITE 

EVALUATED)

PROJECT 

ACTIVITIES

OUTCOMES TARGETED 

ECOSYSTEM(S)

AMERICORPS 

MEMBERS’ ROLES

Washington 

Conservation 

Corps

(Bellingham, WA)

• Planting native 

vegetation 

• Protecting newly 

planted species 

with protection 

tubes

• Applying deer 

repellent

• Regular plant 

environmental 

maintenance and 

upkeep

• Improved survival 

rate of planted 

native species

• Wetland AmeriCorps 

members installed 

native plants, 

mounted plant 

protection tubes, 

administered deer 

repellent, performed 

plant maintenance, 

and observed plant 

survival rates.

Washington 

Conservation 

Corps

(WA)

• Planting native 

vegetation in a 

combination of 

bare-root, potted, 

and live-stake 

plantings

• Mulching, fabric 

sheeting, and 

tree protection

• Trimming, hand 

removal, and 

grubbing weeds

• Applying 

herbicide

• Increased native 

species cover and 

diversity

• Decreased 

invasive species 

cover

• Improved survival 

rate of installed 

native trees and 

shrubs 

• Wetlands

• Riparian corridor 

AmeriCorps 

members participate 

in the 

implementation of 

environmental 

restoration projects 

including wetland 

and riparian corridor 

enhancement.

Student 

Conservation 

Association (SCA)

(Yosemite National 

Park, CA)

• Removing old 

rock check dams 

and salvaging 

topsoil

• Importing cubic 

yards of fill 

material from 

nearby 

ephemeral 

drainages to level 

topography of 

trail

• Replanting 

natural 

vegetation 

• Improved soil 

levels

• Increased plant 

coverage 

percentage

• Increased 

amount of trail 

brought to grade 

(in feet)

• Subalpine 

meadow

• River valley

• National park 

lands

AmeriCorps 

members participate 

in environmental 

education trainings 

and trail restoration 

projects.
 9 

PROGRAM (SITE 

EVALUATED)

PROJECT 

ACTIVITIES

OUTCOMES TARGETED 

ECOSYSTEM(S)

AMERICORPS 

MEMBERS’ ROLES

Conservation 

Corps Minnesota & 

Iowa

(Duluth, MN)

• Installing 

stormwater “Best 

Management 

Practices” (BMPs)

• Increasing 

residents’ 

understanding of 

stormwater 

issues/individual 

responsibility

• Demonstrate 

effectiveness of 

stormwater BMPs 

to homeowners

• Train AmeriCorps 

members, local 

landscapers, and 

general public in 

BMP installation

• Improved 

stormwater flow, 

temperature, 

conductivity, and 

turbidity (relative 

clarity of the 

water) in the 

storm sewers of 

the subwatersheds 

before and after 

intervention

• Increased 

residents’ 

knowledge of 

runoff issues, 

solutions, and 

responsibilities at 

the beginning 

and end of the 

project

• Watershed and 

sub-watershed

AmeriCorps 

members help 

construct and install 

BMPs. Members 

additionally conduct 

door-to-door preand post-BMP 

construction surveys 

to participating 

neighbors.

EarthCorps 

(Greater Seattle, 

WA)

Suppressing

invasive plants by:

• Using power and 

hand tools

• Applying 

herbicide

• Brush-cutting

• Using foliar spray

• Decreased 

invasive plant 

cover

• Watershed AmeriCorps 

members complete 

invasive plant 

treatments to 

improve natural 

health of watershed 

environment

Montana State 

Parks AmeriCorps

(MT)

• Organizing hand 

pulls with 

volunteers

• Applying 

chemicals

• Biological control 

collections and 

releases

• Decreased 

spotted 

knapweed cover

• Decreased total 

noxious weed 

cover

• Increased total 

beneficial plant 

cover

• Montana state 

park lands

AmeriCorps 

members implement 

weed and invasive 

species treatments 

and educate public 

on effects of noxious 

weeds
10 

PROGRAM (SITE 

EVALUATED)

PROJECT 

ACTIVITIES

OUTCOMES TARGETED 

ECOSYSTEM(S)

AMERICORPS 

MEMBERS’ ROLES

Nevada 

Conservation 

Corps

(NV)

• Fuel reduction 

and habitat 

restoration

• Treatment and 

removal of 

noxious weeds

• Post-fire reseeding and 

native plant reintroduction 

• Trail 

management and 

restoration; 

improving trail 

access to fire 

locations

• Reduced risk of 

catastrophic 

wildfires through 

the reduction of 

fire fuels and the 

propagation of 

native species

• Nevada public 

lands and 

communities 

AmeriCorps 

members treat and 

abate noxious 

weeds, perform tasks 

including a post-fire 

reseeding and native 

plant reintroduction, 

reduce fuels on trail 

corridor, maintain 

fuel breaks, and 

improve trail access 

to fire locations. 

Public Lands 

Service Coalition 

(PSLC)

(National)

• Trail 

management and 

restoration

• Invasive species 

management

• Fuels 

management

• Maintained miles 

of trails 

• Reduced wildfire 

risk

Contributed to host 

agency:

• Community 

engagement

• Resource 

enhancement

• Agency efficiency

• National and 

state public lands 

throughout the 

country

AmeriCorps 

members build and 

maintain trails, 

campgrounds, boat 

docks, and 

recreation facilities, 

eliminate invasive 

species, remove 

hazardous fuels, and 

restore critical 

ecosystems and 

habitats. 

Public Service 

Lands Coalition 

(PSLC)

(UT, CA, AZ, NM, 

MT, CO)

• Participation in a 

variety of 

conservation 

activities as corps 

members 

partnered with 

PSLC 

Observed positive 

changes in 

members’:

• Intent to pursue 

natural resource 

management 

careers

• Attitudes towards 

public lands

• Inclination 

towards 

environmental 

activism

• Public lands 

throughout the 

Western United 

States

AmeriCorps 

members in this 

study participated in 

a variety of natural 

resource 

management 

activities across six 

Western states
11 

Key Studies That Form Basis for Evidence

INTERVENTION DOCUMENT EVALUATOR

Washington 

Conservation Corps

The Watershed Company (2018). Impact Evaluation 

Report: Washington Conservation Corps 

Restoration Methods. 

The Watershed Company

Washington 

Conservation Corps

The Watershed Company (2015). Impact Evaluation 

2014-2015: Washington Conservation Corps 

Restoration Sites. 

The Watershed Company

Student 

Conservation 

Association

Eagan, S., Newman, P., Fritzke, S., & Johnson L. 

(2004). Subalpine Meadow Restoration in Yosemite 

National Park. Wisconsin: Ecological Restoration, 

22(1), 24-29.

Sean Eagan, Peter Newman, Sue 

Fritzke, and Louise Johnson

Conservation Corps 

Minnesota & Iowa 

Kleist, C., Brady, V., & Schomberg J. (2011). Duluth 

Residential Stormwater Reduction Demonstration 

Project for Lake Superior Tributaries. 

City of Duluth Utility Operations 

and University of Minnesota 

Duluth

EarthCorps The Watershed Company (2019). Impact Evaluation 

Report: EarthCorps Restoration Methods. 

The Watershed Company

Montana State Parks 

AmeriCorps

Maiman-Sessions, J., & Shteir S. The Efficacy of 

AmeriCorps Weed Treatments in Montana State 

Parks 2019 Impact Evaluation. 

Montana State Parks AmeriCorps

Nevada 

Conservation Corps

Christiansen, E. (2020). Great Basin InstituteNevada Conservation Corps- Evaluation Report 

2019-2020. 

Center for Program Evaluation – 

Community Health Sciences, 

University of Nevada, Reno

Public Lands Service 

Coalition 

McCreary, A., Edwards, M., Mckenna, M., Seekamp, 

E., and Lockwood, S. (2020). 2019 Public Lands 

Service Coalition Partnership Impact Evaluation 

Interim Report. 

North Carolina State University 

and Western Kentucky University

Public Lands Service 

Coalition

Duerden, M., Edwards, M., and Lizzo, R. (2015). 

Participant Impact of the Conservation Corps 

Experience. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, 

Education, and Leadership, 7(1), 35-47.

Mat D. Duerden, Michael B. 

Edwards, and Robin Lizzo

For more information, please contact evaluation@cns.gov.