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    "title": "Issue Papers - California Ecology Corps",
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    "ocrText": "Ronald Reagan Presidential Library\nDigital Library Collections\nThis is a PDF of a folder from our textual collections.\nCollection: Reagan, Ronald: Gubernatorial Papers,\n1966-74: Press Unit\nFolder Title: Issue Papers - California Ecology Corps\nBox: P30\nTo see more digitized collections visit:\nhttps://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digital-library\nTo see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library inventories visit:\nhttps://reaganlibrary.gov/document-collection\nContact a reference archivist at: [email protected]\nCitation Guidelines: https://reaganlibrary.gov/citing\nNational Archives Catalogue: https://catalog.archives.gov/\nCaly Ecology Carp\nState of California\nResources Agency\nDepartment of Conservation\nTHE CALIFORNIA ECOLOGY CORPS\nThe California Ecology Corps is the solution Governor Reagan has adopted to\nmeet California's continuing need for a reserve of trained manpower to con-\nfront the ravages of wildland fire and to meet this State's commitment for\npreserving the environment.\nThe Corps was officially established in an Executive Order (see Attachment\nA) issued by Governor Reagan on April 27, 1971. That event marked the\nbeginning of the Corps as a legal entity, but it was by no means the first\nstep.\nTo find the first step we must go back in time more than 20 years ago when\nCalifornia's conservation camp program was inaugurated and even before that,\nback many decades to the days when state and county fire wardens conscripted\ncitizens off the street or out of a sawmill to fight forest fires. In the\nintervening years, science has produced modern methods of fire control and\nfire suppression, but these new tools have not eliminated the need for\ntrained manpower in organized crews.\nOver the years, the Division of Forestry, the State's wildland firefighting\nforce, has of necessity increased in efficiency and in manpower. Today,\nsome 3,000 men, whose job it is to meet the challenges of the wildland fires,\nare on the State's payroll. This force is augmented each summer by 1,800\nPresented by James G. Stearns, Director, California Department of Conservation,\nbefore the Assembly Committee on Efficiency and Cost Control, Sacramento,\nCalifornia, April 4, 1972.\nyoung men who are employed as seasonal firefighters. Together, they man the\nfire stations, bulldozer crews and air bases that are three of the basic\ncomponents available to us for wildland firefighting.\nConservation Camp Program\nIn the late 1940's, the need for trained hand crews became evident to the\nState's professional wildland firefighters as the fourth component. In\ncooperation with the State Department of Corrections and the California\nYouth Authority, the conservation camp program became a reality and was\nformally organized.\nThis program enabled foresters to utilize minimum security inmates as fire-\nfighting hand crews and to assist in the construction of our fire defense\nsystem, working out of a new camp environment in the State's forest lands.\nWorking with the leadership of forestry personnel, the inmates have proven\nto be a tremendous asset.\nAnd then came social changes -- and new concepts in penology and dealing\nwith prison inmates. A new probation subsidy program was initiated in 1966,\nproviding for payment to the counties on a per-case basis SO that county\nprobation staffs could be beefed up and the less serious felons who formerly\nended up in conservation camps could be dealt with at home.\nSince the probation subsidy program started in 1966, the prison population --\nand, of course the camp population -- began to decrease rather rapidly. In\nrecent years, the prison population had dropped from 28,800 to under 20,000,\nas of this week.\n-2-\nA study was conducted in 1970-71 to find the alternative manpower sources\nnecessary to replace the dwindling camp population. A partial solution\nwas to contract with counties to use local prisoners to provide the man-\npower. (San Diego County now supplies manpower for two camps; another\ncamp will soon be manned by county prisoners from Shasta and four other\nnorthern California counties.)\nAs this narration indicates, the Department of Conservation was faced with\na problem, and with an obligation to find broader solutions.\nCalifornia Ecology Corps is ONE of the solutions. But it is more than\nthat: it is a unique experiment in bringing concerned young men into the\nfield of conservation in this State to provide the work experience and job\ntraining that can open career doors in many conservation fields.\nThe Problem Becomes Acute\nAlthough we in the Department of Conservation had long been aware that\nsome day the conservation camp program would no longer provide the total\nanswer to the manpower reserve problem, and although we had been searching\nfor alternatives for a long time, the need became acute just over a year\nago when, simply stated, there were not enough inmates to adequately man\nthe camps then in existence. Looking at the program as it then existed,\nit was obvious, from a purely financial point of view, that as many as\nfive of the conservation camps must be closed by June 30, 1971. That\nprospect was not satisfactory to Governor Reagan or to the Legislature.\nThe question remained -- what shall we do?\n-3-\nIn our earlier examination, we had thought of some type of program where\nyoung men who had completed their high schooling and yet who had not\ndecided where their lives would lead them could serve for, hopefully, up\nto two years. Such a program, we decided, would be patterned after\nexperiences in other programs we have administered using young men;\nexcept that we would have these young people in our employ on a year-\naround basis rather than just during the critical months that we know as\nthe \"fire season.\" On the other hand, we knew that this program would\naugment the conservation camp program to the extent that the young men\nwould engage in a variety of ecology and conservation-related work\nprojects similar to the federal government's Civilian Conservation Corps\nof the pre-World War II era, including work on federal land where inmates\ncan only work on an emergency basis.\nThus, with this concept in mind and the problem at hand, the California\nEcology Corps became a fact. To implement a new program would obviously\nrequire considerable attention to detail, including recruitment. We\nasked ourselves, \"Where can we find young men who are readily accessible,\nwho are unemployed, and who could be put to work quickly within the\nlimits of funds available to us\"?\nIt was at this point that we turned to the Selective Service System and\nspecifically to those with conscientious objector classification.\nConscientious Objectors\nLet me remind you that the Executive Order signed by Governor Reagan and\nsubsequently ratified by the Legislature as part of the Budget Act of\n1971 did not limit the California Ecology Corps to conscientious objectors.\n-4-\nThe language of the Executive Order does not, in fact, set forth any\nqualifications for persons employed in the program.\nNevertheless, we did ask that the Corps be designed as alternate service\nfor young men who had been classified as conscientious objectors by\nlocal draft boards. Conscientious objector officials from the California\nheadquarters of the Selective Service System studied our request and\nvisited the facilities we proposed to use to house the Corpsmen. Dr.\nCurtis Tarr, Director of the Selective Service System in Washington, D.C.,\nalso made a personal inspection trip, as did various representatives of\nconscientious objector associations.\nIn the spring of 1971 there were approximately 5,000 consicentious ob-\njectors in California, and many of them were looking for alternate ser-\nvice. Alternate service, incidentally, is easily defined as a 24-month\nperiod when conscientious objectors must work for a non-profit or public\nservice agency, thus serving a time comparable to the time a draftee into\nthe armed services must serve.\nAnd so to meet the immediate problem, namely the prospect of closing five\nconservation camps, we had a program and we had an immediate source from\nwhich to recruit. In the meantime, we had arrived at satisfactory\narrangements offsetting the additional costs of the new program (camp\noverhead, corpsmen pay and subsistence) through cooperative agreements\nwith other conservation agencies of the State and federal governments.\nBasically, these agreements allowed the Department of Conservation to\ncharge the other agencies on a man-day basis for the environmental and\nconservation work to be done by the new California Ecology Corps. The net\n-5-\ncost of the Ecology Corps to the State of California in 1972-73 is\nbudgeted at $814,398 based on a corpsman population of 340. (See Attach-\nment B for a list of projects; see Attachment C for budget summary.)\nThe agreements were negotiated; and we decided to convert inmate-manned\nconservation camps in Humboldt, Tehama, and Calaveras counties into\ncenters to house the new Ecology Corps. These sites were selected be-\ncause they were the closest to the work projects that were the subject\nof the various agreements that had been negotiated. (A fourth center\nwas later added in Inyo County.)\nDraft Law Expires\nWe set July 1, 1971, as the date to officially launch the Ecology Corps;\nbut, as it turned out, this was not a good day insofar as the Nation's\ndraft law was concerned. The law expired on that date, and it would be\nmonths before Congress would agree on a new law. In the meantime, al-\nthough many of the conscientious objectors did respond and select the\nCalifornia Ecology Corps as their alternate service, many others con-\ncluded that in the absence of a draft law, they were under no selective\nservice obligation whatsoever. Consequently, we did not fulfill our\nearlier expectation of quickly filling the new Ecology Centers with\nminimums of 80 men each.\nThe availability of conscientious objectors remains questionable.\nDespite this, there is no plan to phase conscientious objectors out of\nthe California Ecology Corps, but rather continue the Corps as qualified\nalternate service for those who volunteer.\n-6-\nRecruitment Expanded\nOn December 1, 1971, in keeping with the original concept of the Corps, I\nauthorized the recruitment of any qualified young men for six-month en-\nlistments; and this meant that we would no longer rely solely on our\noriginal source for recruitment, the conscientious objectors. We have\nbeen successful in the weeks since December 1 in recruiting young men\nand more than doubling the size of the Corps. The attached graph\n(Attachment D) illustrates our recruitment success, and I particularly\ncall your attention to the increase since the first of the year. I am\nconfident that each of the four centers will be at minimum capacity\nwithin a few weeks, thereby giving us at least 340 men.\nAs of today, there are slightly over 100 corpsmen who are conscientious\nobjectors. These are men whose average age is 22, who average two years\nof college. These are the \"seniors\" in the program; and the majority\nare, and have been, highly-productive and dedicated workers whose extra\neffort made the whole idea work.\nMany of the newer members of the Corps are in the program as a result of\nother forms of recruitment. Some are, for example, young men out of\nhigh school -- and out of work. There are some Vietnam veterans in the\nprogram now, and more are expected.\nBenefits and Requirements\nCorpsmen are not regular state employees: they are exempt contractees.\nThey do receive some benefits comparable to our regular employees,\nsuch as vacations, holidays and workmen's compensation insurance. A\ncomprehensive health benefit program will be implemented August 1, 1972.\n-7-\nSince the beginning of the program, we have provided Corpsmen with food,\nlodging, clothing and personal care items and have paid them $40 each\nmonth. Beginning July 1, 1972, Corpsmen will receive at least $100 per\nmonth plus the other items I have listed. On February 1, the overtime\nrate for most emergency work was set at $2.80 per hour.\nCorpsmen are entitled to approximately the same grievance procedure as\nallowed regular State employees, including the permanent employees of\nthe Department of Conservation. A Corpsman with a grievance discusses\nthe problem with his immediate supervisor (generally a crew foreman of\nthe Division of Forestry) and, failing to receive acceptable adjudication\nat this level can appeal to the Center Director, the Corps Administrator,\nand ultimately to me.\nDuring the summer fire season, Corpsmen must remain at their duty post\nfor a continuous five-day period. At other times, they are required to\nperform their normal eight-hour work shift, Monday through Friday. These\nrequirements are not unique to the Ecology Corps, but are the same\nrequirements applied to all fire station personnel.\nOffers Individual Potential\nThe California Ecology Corps has much to offer the young men who partici-\npate. Educational institutions, such as the North American School of\nConservation and Ecology, for example, are working with us in recruiting\nCorpsmen. Several of that school's recent graduates are now Corpsmen\nobtaining actual on-the-job experience in ecology and conservation work.\nAlready, some Corpsmen have gone on to employment for public and private\n-8-\nenvironmental agencies, since service in the Corps qualifies as job\nexperience for civil service examinations and for other employment.\nCommunity colleges are looking at the California Ecology Corps as a\npossible supplement to their environmental and forestry curriculum\nfor the same reasons.\nLet me also emphasize the potential the Corps offers the State of\nCalifornia as a training resource for future employees of the Division\nof Forestry, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and other units\nof all levels of government concerned with environmental protection.\nAs I have said, four centers are now in operation. The centers and a\nbrief description follows:\nTehama Ecology Center. Located 25 miles east of Red Bluff in\nTehama County near the community of Paynes Creek, Corpsmen are\nperforming a valuable service of habitat improvement on the nearby\nTehama Winter Deer Range for the Department of Fish and Game.\nCalaveras Ecology Center. This center, four miles from Angels\nCamp, houses Corpsmen who are engaging in numerous conservation\nprojects in the Sierras for several agencies, primarily the United\nStates Forest Service, National Park Service, and Department of\nParks and Recreation.\nHumboldt Ecology Center. Situated in the midst of California's\nState Parks, Corpsmen at this center are performing vital work in\nrecreational development for our State Park system.\n-9-\nInyo Ecology Center. This center is 10 miles from the city of Bishop.\nThe Corpsmen here will be involved in trail construction and other\nconservation projects in the High Sierra for National Park Service,\nBureau of Land Management, and Department of Parks and Recreation.\nIn addition to the Centers, several spike camps are in operation. Corps-\nmen assigned to these camps, such as those at the Sequoia-Kings Canyon\nNational Park Headquarters at Ash Mountain and at E1 Portal near Yosemite\nValley are engaged in special work projects for the National Park Service\nexcept when they are needed for fire dispatch. (Photographs of the\nprojects are shown in Attachment E.)\nThe Corpsmen have performed, and performed well, in a wide variety of\nprojects since July 1, 1971. Representatives of several of the contract-\ning departments have prepared testimony for your information, and a\ncomplete list of current or completed projects as of today is attached.\nBeyond its mission in ecology work and emergency firefighting, the Corps\nperforms yet another valuable service. A skilled, trained mountain\nrescue team is now available to local authorities throughout the State\nto assist in the rescue of persons trapped in mountainous areas and\ncliffs.\nThere may be some confusion between the role of the California Ecology\nCorps and that of the Youth Conservation Corps, established last year,\nand/or the California Youth Conservation Corps, which was authorized in\nlegislation proposed last year by Assemblyman Mobley.\nThe programs and the concepts are entirely different. The California\nEcology Corps is a permanent year-around program employing men who are\n-10-\nat least 18 years old. The other programs are primarily designed as a\nsummer work program for younger people, both boys and girls. Both of\nthese programs have definite roles in the protection of California's\nenvironment; and, as a matter of fact, each should compliment the work\nof the other.\nSummary of Comments\nTo summarize the present situation with the Ecology Corps, I would like\nto refer again to the situation the Department found itself in just\nabout a year ago.\nWe had five fine state facilities about to be vacated and a continuing\nand pressing need for the trained hand crews that have become a part\nof the State's resource management and protection system.\nA continuing success of the Department of Corrections rehabilitation\nprogram made it plain that it was vitally necessary to establish a work\nforce of free people to continue these worthwhile public efforts into\nthe years ahead.\nWe have succeeded in establishing the Ecology Corps in less than a year\nand have found that we can recruit and organize into productive crews\nthe young men that have participated up to this point. We can look\nbeyond work projects now contracted for to a substantial expansion in\nthe program as other public agencies turn to these crews more and more\nto accomplish the purposes for which they receive public funds.\nThe comparison must be drawn when we look to the future with the old\nCivilian Conservation Corps we all remember from the depression. That\nagency built practically the entire network of roads and trails and\n-11-\ncampgrounds available to the Forest Service and Park Service today, and\nopened an area of employment for thousands of young men whose oppor-\ntunities were extremely limited. Some of those same men are high in\nstate government positions today, as they are in conservation agencies\nacross the country.\nWith careful management, the Ecology Corps can fulfill those purposes\nin California again; and at the same time we can continue our partner-\nships with the Department of Corrections, California Youth Authority,\nand the counties to the end that existing facilities can be utilized,\nand the vital work can go on. I will say, again, the California\nEcology Corps was developed to make up the difference between the in-\nmates and wards available to us and our manpower needs, and not to\nsupplant them. These proven programs will continue, with the\nCalifornia Ecology Corps a new and exciting element.\nI would ask your support and understanding to that end.\n#\n#\n#\n-12-\nATTACHMENT A\nEXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT\nState of California\nEXECUTIVE ORDER NO. R-27-71\nPreservation and protection of the bountiful resources with which this state\nhas been enriched demand ever increasing vigil and continuing effort.\nTo meet this responsibility, it has been determined there is a need for an\norganized group of citizens who are willing to join in a common purpose to\nconserve California's great natural resources.\nTherefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State\nof California, the following is ordered:\nSection 1. California Ecology Corps. The California Ecology Corps is hereby\nestablished and shall activate on July 1, 1971. The Corps will be headed by the\nDirector of Conservation.\nSection 2. The Director shall have authority to direct and supervise all\npersonnel and activities thereof. The Director shall take all actions as may be\nnecessary to organize the corps so as to carry out the functions and to achieve\nthe purposes set forth in this order.\nSection 3. Functions. The Corps shall:\n(1) Recruit and employ members to aid in the maintenance of the natural\necology and the preservation of the beauty and natural resources of this\nstate.\n(2) Utilize its members in conservation and emergency projects to effect full\nutilization and protection of the natural resources for the greatest possible\nnumber of people.\nShall assist in the protection of natural resources, which will include, but will\nnot be limited to, forests, grasses, vegetation, soil, air, water, wildlife,\nrecreational and scenic resources.\n(3) Assist in fire prevention and fire protection.\nSection 4. Cooperation. The corps shall cooperate with all sectors of\ngovernment in carrying out its objectives. All state departments shall, whenever\npossible or feasible, cooperate with the Corps in the protection of environment\nor preservation of natural resources.\nIN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great\nScal of the State of California to be affixed hereto this 27th day of April, 1971.\nOF\nRONALD REAGAN\nGREAT BUREKA THE STATE\nGovernor of California\nTHE\nAttest:\nEDMUND G. BROWN, JR.\nCALIFORNIA\nSecretary of State\nATTACHMENT B\n1\nCALIFORNIA ECOLOGY CORPS\n1971-72 Fiscal Year\nCENTER\nPROJECTS\nSUPPORTING AGENCY\nHumboldt\n1. Construct 1,000 pienic tables, 750 camp cupboards, 750 camp stoves,\nCalif. Department of Parks\n200 fire rings, 750 stove grills, 1,000 assorted signs\nand Recreation\n2. Construct roadside rest -- 1,400 man days\nCalif. Department of Parks\nand Recreation\n3. Construct 75-unit campground.\nCalif. Department of Parks\nand Recreation\n4. San Simeon State Beach - expand camping facilities.\nOffice of Architecture and\nConstruction\nTehama\n1. Rehabilitation of the Tehama Winter Deer Range, including spring\ndevelopment, big game water guzzlers, Ishi fire road construction\nCalif. Department of Fish\nand fence building.\nand Game\n2. Construct big game water guzzlers with exclosures in Modoc County.\nCalif. Department of Fish\nand Game\n3. Mechanical and hand drill planting of browse species (brush) for\ninterstate deer herd and rehabilitation of burned over area in\nCalif. Department of Fish\nModoc County. (Snag falling and planting.)\nand Game\n4. Lopping mountain mahogany for re-sprouting deer browse on Hot Creek\nCalif. Department of Fish\nRidge, Shasta County.\nand Game\n5. Flood control maintenance on Sacramento River - Colusa area.\nDepartment of Water Resources\nCalaveras\n1. Road stabilization -- water drains, culverts, and berms\nStanislaus National Forest\n2. Timber stand improvement -- brushing, clearing.\nStanislaus National Forest\n3. Fuel break construction.\nStanislaus National Forest\n4. Lake boundary cleanup.\nStanislaus National Forest\nPage 2\nCENTER\nPROJECTS\nSUPPORTING AGENCY\nCalaveras\n5. Cover type conversion -- range improvement, construct pre-attack road\n(Cont.)\nsigns\nStanislaus National Forest\n6. Fire station and fire access road maintenance.\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n7. Water system maintenance.\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n8. Construct nursery potting flats and shipping tops.\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n9. Surplus property acquisition and distribution.\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n10. Mountain rescue training\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n11. Training and development of visual aids for Fire Academy\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n12. Mapping for water pollution control and soil study classification\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n13. Campground maintenance\nEl Dorado National Forest\n14. Beach cleanup -- Lake Tahoe\nEl Dorado National Forest\n15. Slip planting for Genetics Lab (Lab located in Placerville)\nE1 Dorado National Forest\n16. Fertilizing plants for seed and soil experiments.\nEl Dorado National Forest\n17. On site planting -- storing and shipping seedlings.\nEl Dorado National Forest\n18. Hazard reduction -- tree removal.\nSequioa-Kings Canyon N. P.\n19. Campground cleanup.\nSequioa-Kings Canyon N. P.\n20. Hogan Reservior Recreation area development.\nCorps of Engineers\n21. Tree planting -- Kaweah Reservoir.\nCorps of Engineers\nPage 3\nCENTER\nPROJECTS\nSUPPORTING AGENCY\nCalaveras\n22. Trail maintenance -- fire break construction, campground cleanup,\nCalif. Department of Parks\n(Cont.)\nCalaveras Big Trees State Park.\nand Recreation\n23. Emergency snow removal\nCalif. Division of Highways\nInyo\n1. White Mountain Research Station maintenance and operations\nU. C. Riverside\n2. Construct three dams on Owens River for fish habitat improvement\nCalif. Department of Fish\nand Game\n3. Pup fish sanctuary development\nCalif. Department of Fish\nand Game\n4. Construct drift fences on Tule Elk winter range.\nCalif. Department of Fish\nand Game\n5. Stream improvements.\nBureau of Land Management\n6. Water development;, campground improvement, trail construction in\nNew York Mountain area.\nBureau of Land Management\n7. Campground development\nCounty of Inyo\n8. Water development, campground improvement, trail work Death Valley National Monument\n9. Restoration of Ghost Town Bodie.\nCalif. Department of Parks\nand Recreation\nATTACHMENT C\n1972-73\nLINE ITEM DETAIL\nBUDGET FOR ECOLOGY CENTERS\nAPRIL 1, 1972\nHumboldt\nTehama\nCalaveras\nInyo\nTotal\nEcology\nEcology\nEcology\nEcology\nAll\nPERSONAL SERVICES\nCenter\nCenter\nCenter\nCenter\nCenters\nSalaries & Wages\nForest Ranger II\n(1)\n14,114\n(1)\n14,114\n(1)\n14,114\n(1)\n14,113\n(4)\n56,455\nFire Crew Foreman\n(5)\n59,258\n(5)\n59,258\n(5)\n59,258\n(6)\n71,110\n(21)\n248,884\nHeavy Fire Equip. Oper.\n(1)\n10,878\n(1)\n10,878\n(1)\n10,878\n(1)\n10,878\n(4)\n43,512\nForestry Cook II\n(2)\n15,088\n(2)\n15,088\n(2)\n15,088\n(.5)\n3,772\n(6.5)\n49,036\nTotal Salaries & Wages\n(9) 99,338\n(9)\n99,338\n(9)\n99,338\n(8.5) 99,873\n(35.5) 397,887\nStaff Benefits\nRetirement (Staff Only)\n14,900\n14,900\n14,900\n14,980\n59,680\nHealth & Welfare\n(Staff Only)\n1,728\n1,728\n1,728\n1,632\n6,816\nWorkmen's Comp. (Staff)\n1,818\n1,818\n1,818\n1,828\n7,282\nWorkmen's Comp. (Corpsmen)\n9,000\n9,000\n12,000\n9,000\n39,000\nTotal Staff Benefits\n27,446\n27,446\n30,446\n27,440\n112,778\nTotal, Personal Services\n126,784\n126,784\n129,784\n127,313\n510,665\nOPERATING EXPENSES AND\nEQUIPMENT\nGeneral Expense\n8,000\n8,000\n8,100\n8,000\n32,100\nSmall Tools\n891\n891\n1,518\n891\n4,191\nHousing\n3,726\n3,726\n6,348\n6,348\n20,148\nOper. Supp. & Exp.\n891\n891\n1,518\n1,518\n4,818\nCommunications\n1,215\n1,215\n2,070\n2,070\n6,570\nTravel-in-State\n1,377\n1,377\n2,346\n2,346\n7,446\nMotor Vehicle Oper.\n18,063\n18,063\n30,774\n30,774\n97,674\nEmp. Relocation\n480\n480\n840\n480\n2,280\nUtilities\n10,692\n10,692\n18,216\n18,216\n57,816\nRecreation & Lib. Supp.\n972\n972\n1,656\n972\n4,572\nRepair & Maint. of Fac.\n4,293\n4,293\n7,314\n7,314\n23,214\nSubsistence\n42,300\n42,300\n56,400\n42,300\n183,300\nCorpsmen Clothing\n13,950\n13,950\n18,600\n13,950\n60,450\nMedical & Dental Supp.\n1,782\n1,782\n3,036\n1,782\n8,382\nSearch & Rescue\n-\n-\n2,000\n2,000\n4,000\nCorpsman Pay\n36,775\n36,775\n45,970\n36,775\n156,295\nExp. Acct. Property\n1,000\n1,000\n1,000\n1,000\n4,000\nEquipment\n8,744\n8,744\n8,744\n8,745\n34,977\nTotal O. E. & E.\n155,151\n155,151\n216,450\n185,481\n712,233\nGross Total Cost\n281,935\n281,935\n346,234\n312,794\n1,222,898\nReimbursements\n-104,000\n-104,000\n-120,000\n-80,500\n-408,500\nNet Total Cost\n177,935\n177,935\n226,234\n232,294\n814,398\nB&SO\nCONTUI\nCalifornia Ecology Corps\nDivision of Forestry\nJuly 1971 -- April 1972\nConservation Camps\nJuly 1970 -- April 1972\n340\n2:\n300\n2\n2\n250\n19\n18\n200\n11\n16\n150\n15\n14\n100\n1\n12\n50\n11\n10\n0\nJ\nA\nS\n0\nN\nD\nJ\nF\nM\nA\nJ A S 0 N D J F M A M J J A S 0 N D J F M A\n1971\n1972\n1970\n97\n972\nThe California Ecology Corps in fotos\nECOLOGY\nCORPS\nMountain rescue training\nclimbing, and will be given additional training in\ncold weather survival, snow and ice-field climbing,\nand cross-country skiing. They will also be trained\nMembers of the Ecology Corps' new mountain\nin first aid and follow-up field medical treatment, as\nrescue team have been going through an intensive\nwell as litter handling.\ntraining program which will eventually prepare them\nOperating out of the Calaveras Ecology Center,\nto handle rescue missions in difficult terrain and\nthe mountain rescue team will be available to public\nunder all-weather conditions.\nagencies, statewide, for rescue missions in any of\nRescue team members have already received\nCalifornia's rugged terrain, but especially in the\nprofessional instruction in both free and aid rock\nSierra-Nevada range.\nTimber stand\nimprovement\nand fuel break\nconstruction\nCorpsmen working for the\nStanislaus National Forest have\nbeen engaged primarily in tim-\nber stand improvement and fuel\nbreak construction.\nTimber stand improvement\ninvolves thinning overcrowded\ntimber stands to promote better\ntree growth, clearing brush from\nareas to be planted as timber\nplantations, and disposing of\nroad-side slash with motorized\nchippers.\nThe construction of fuel\nbreaks generally involves clear-\ning a swath of brush from\nalongside fire access roads. Fuel\nbreaks provide an early defense\nagainst wildland fires.\nInstructing COD trainees\nBOX FILMS THE\nFour corpsmen were given a tem-\nporary assignment this January to in-\nstruct Career Opportunity Develop-\nment trainees attending a five week\nsession at the Division of Forestry\nFire Academy in lone.\nUtilizing special program learning\naids, the corpsmen helped the C.O.D.\ntrainees review high school level\ncourse material in English, mathe-\nmatics and physical sciences.\nFire road\nconstruction\nA major project at the Tehama\nEcology Center has been constructing\nthe Ishi road, an unpaved all vehicle\nroad that will serve both as a major\nfire access road and as a major link\ninto the Tehama Winter Deer Range.\nCorpsmen on the project are en-\ngaged drilling blasting holes, and con-\nstructing culverts and header walls\naround the culverts.\nConstructing\ncamp ground equipment\nCorpsmen working in the carpen-\ntry shop at the Humboldt Ecology\nCenter are presently constructing pic-\nnic tables and camp cupboards for\nthe State Department of Parks and\nRecreation.\nThe carpentry shop will also pro-\nduce assorted signs for the Depart-\nment of Parks and Recreation.\nCampsite development\nAt the Humboldt Ecology\nCenter, there are two crews of\ncorpsmen assigned to campsite\ndevelopment at Benbow Lake\nState Park.\nFunded by the State De-\npartment of Parks and Recrea-\ntion, the project involves clear-\ning the land, leveling campsites,\ninstalling pipe lines, building\nfences, and constructing roads\nand parking areas.\nCorpsmen are also engaged\nin removing hazardous limbs,\nsnags and dead trunks that\nmight endanger children playing\nin the park; thinning trees to\nmake the campsites more access-\nable for campers, and construc-\nting gates and log banks to pre-\nvent cars from parking\nimproperly.\nCEC\nGREAT BUREKA OF STATE\nNews from the Department of Conservation\nState of California - Resources Agency 1416 Ninth Street, Sacramento, California 95814\nCALIFORNIA\nFor further information call:\nJerry Newton\nOffice of Information (916) 445-7228\nDate:\nApril 4, 1972\nFOR RELEASE: Today\nMemo to Editors:\nAttached is the text of testimony to be delivered before a meeting of\nthe Assembly Committee on Efficiency and Cost Control at 1:45 p.m.\nTuesday, April 4, in Room 6028 of the State Capitol. The topic is the\nCalifornia Ecology Corps. The speaker will be James G. Stearns,\nDirector of the Department of Conservation, the department that administers\nthe California Ecology Corps.\nDirector Stearns has headed the department since 1967, when he was\nappointed by Governor Reagan. He is a former Modoc County supervisor.\nCONSERVATION IS WISE USE-KEEP CALIFORNIA GREEN AND GOLDEN\nState of California\nResources Agency\nDepartment of Conservation\nTHE CALIFORNIA ECOLOGY CORPS\nThe California Ecology Corps is the solution Governor Reagan has adopted to\nmeet California's continuing need for a reserve of trained manpower to con-\nfront the ravages of wildland fire and to meet this State's commitment for\npreserving the environment.\n:\nThe Corps was officially established in an Executive Order (see Attachment\nA) issued by Governor Reagan on April 27, 1971. That event marked the\nbeginning of the Corps as a legal entity, but it was by no means the first\nstep.\nTo find the first step we must go back in time more than 20 years ago when\nCalifornia's conservation camp program was inaugurated and even before that,\nback many decades to the days when state and county fire wardens conscripted\ncitizens off the street or out of a sawmill to fight forest fires. In the\nintervening years, science has produced modern methods of fire control and\nfire suppression, but these new tools have not eliminated the need for\ntrained manpower in organized crews.\nOver the years, the Division of Forestry, the State's wildland firefighting\nforce, has of necessity increased in efficiency and in manpower. Today,\nsome 3,000 men, whose job it is to meet the challenges of the wildland fires,\nare on the State's payroll. This force is augmented each summer by 1,800\nPresented by James G. Stearns, Director, California Department of Conservation,\nbefore the Assembly Committee on Efficiency and Cost Control, Sacramento,\nCalifornia, April 4, 1972.\nyoung men who are employed as seasonal firefighters. Together, they man the\nfire stations, bulldozer crews and air bases that are three of the basic\ncomponents available to us for wildland firefighting.\nConservation Camp Program\nIn the late 1940's, the need for trained hand crews became evident to the\nState's professional wildland firefighters as the fourth component. In\ncooperation with the State Department of Corrections and the California\nYouth Authority, the conservation camp program became a reality and was\nformally organized.\nThis program enabled foresters to utilize minimum security inmates as fire-\nfighting hand crews and to assist in the construction of our fire defense\nsystem, working out of a new camp environment in the State's forest lands.\nWorking with the leadership of forestry personnel, the inmates have proven\nto be a tremendous asset.\nAnd then came social changes - and new concepts in penology and dealing\nwith prison inmates. A new probation subsidy program was initiated in 1966,\nproviding for payment to the counties on a per-case basis so that county\nprobation staffs could be beefed up and the less serious felons who formerly\nended up in conservation camps could be dealt with at home.\nSince the probation subsidy program started in 1966, the prison population --\nand, of course the camp population -- began to decrease rather rapidly. In\nrecent years, the prison population had dropped from 28,800 to under 20,000,\nas of this week.\n-2-\nA study was conducted in 1970-71 to find the alternative manpower sources\nnecessary to replace the dwindling camp population. A partial solution\nwas to contract with counties to use local prisoners to provide the man-\npower. (San Diego County now supplies manpower for two camps; another\ncamp will soon be manned by county prisoners from Shasta and four other\nnorthern California counties.)\nAs this narration indicates, the Department of Conservation was faced with\na problem, and with an obligation to find broader solutions.\nCalifornia Ecology Corps is ONE of the solutions. But it is more than\nthat: it is a unique experiment in bringing concerned young men into the\nfield of conservation in this State to provide the work experience and job\ntraining that can open career doors in many conservation fields.\nThe Problem Becomes Acute\nAlthough we in the Department of Conservation had long been aware that\nsome day the conservation camp program would no longer provide the total\nanswer to the manpower reserve problem, and although we had been searching\nfor alternatives for a long time, the need became acute just over a year\nago when, simply stated, there were not enough inmates to adequately man\nthe camps then in existence. Looking at the program as it then existed,\nit was obvious, from a purely financial point of view, that as many as\nfive of the conservation camps must be closed by June 30, 1971. That\nprospect was not satisfactory to Governor Reagan or to the Legislature.\nThe question remained -- what shall we do?\n-3-\nIn our earlier examination, we had thought of some type of program where\nyoung men who had completed their high schooling and yet who had not\ndecided where their lives would lead them could serve for, hopefully, up\nto two years. Such a program, we decided, would be patterned after\nexperiences in other programs we have administered using young men;\nexcept that we would have these young people in our employ on a year-\naround basis rather than just during the critical months that we know as\nthe \"fire season.' On the other hand, we knew that this program would\naugment the conservation camp program to the extent that the young men\nwould engage in a variety of ecology and conservation-related work\nprojects similar to the federal government's Civilian Conservation Corps\nof the pre-World War II era, including work on federal land where inmates\ncan only work on an emergency basis.\nThus, with this concept in mind and the problem at hand, the California\nEcology Corps became a fact. To implement a new program would obviously\nrequire considerable attention to detail, including recruitment. We\nasked ourselves, \"Where can we find young men who are readily accessible,\nwho are unemployed, and who could be put to work quickly within the\nlimits of funds available to us\"?\nIt was at this point that we turned to the Selective Service System and\nspecifically to those with conscientious objector classification.\nConscientious Objectors\nLet me remind you that the Executive Order signed by Governor Reagan and\nsubsequently ratified by the Legislature as part of the Budget Act of\n1971 did not limit the California Ecology Corps to conscientious objectors.\n-4-\nThe language of the Executive Order does not, in fact, set forth any\nqualifications for persons employed in the program.\nNevertheless, we did ask that the Corps be designed as alternate service\nfor young men who had been classified as conscientious objectors by\nlocal draft boards. Conscientious objector officials from the California\nheadquarters of the Selective Service System studied our request and\nvisited the facilities we proposed to use to house the Corpsmen. Dr.\nCurtis Tarr, Director of the Selective Service System in Washington, D.C.,\nalso made a personal inspection trip, as did various representatives of\nconscientious objector associations.\nIn the spring of 1971 there were approximately 5,000 consicentious ob-\njectors in California, and many of them were looking for alternate ser-\nvice. Alternate service, incidentally, is easily defined as a 24-month\nperiod when conscientious objectors must work for a non-profit or public\nservice agency, thus serving a time comparable to the time a draftee into\nthe armed services must serve.\nAnd so to meet the immediate problem, namely the prospect of closing five\nconservation camps, we had a program and we had an immediate source from\nwhich to recruit. In the meantime, we had arrived at satisfactory\narrangements offsetting the additional costs of the new program (camp\noverhead, corpsmen pay and subsistence) through cooperative agreements\nwith other conservation agencies of the State and federal governments.\nBasically, these agreements allowed the Department of Conservation to\ncharge the other agencies on a man-day basis for the environmental and\nconservation work to be done by the new California Ecology Corps. The net\n-5-\ncost of the Ecology Corps to the State of California in 1972-73 is\nbudgeted at $814,398 based on a corpsman population of 340. (See Attach-\nment B for a list of projects; see Attachment C for budget summary.)\nThe agreements were negotiated; and we decided to convert inmate-manned\nconservation camps in Humboldt, Tehama, and Calaveras counties into\ncenters to house the new Ecology Corps. These sites were selected be-\ncause they were the closest to the work projects that were the subject\nof the various agreements that had been negotiated. (A fourth center\nwas later added in Inyo County.)\nDraft Law Expires\nWe set July 1, 1971, as the date to officially launch the Ecology Corps;\nbut, as it turned out, this was not a good day insofar as the Nation's\ndraft law was concerned. The law expired on that date, and it would be\nmonths before Congress would agree on a new law. In the meantime, al-\nthough many of the conscientious objectors did respond and select the\nCalifornia Ecology Corps as their alternate service, many others con-\ncluded that in the absence of a draft law, they were under no selective\nservice obligation whatsoever. Consequently, we did not fulfill our\nearlier expectation of quickly filling the new Ecology Centers with\nminimums of 80 men each.\nThe availability of conscientious objectors remains questionable.\nDespite this, there is no plan to phase conscientious objectors out of\nthe California Ecology Corps, but rather continue the Corps as qualified\nalternate service for those who volunteer.\n-6-\nRecruitment Expanded\nOn December 1, 1971, in keeping with the original concept of the Corps, I\nauthorized the recruitment of any qualified young men for six-month en-\nlistments; and this meant that we would no longer rely solely on our\noriginal source for recruitment, the conscientious objectors. We have\nbeen successful in the weeks since December 1 in recruiting young men\nand more than doubling the size of the Corps. The attached graph\n(Attachment D) illustrates our recruitment success, and I particularly\ncall your attention to the increase since the first of the year. I am\nconfident that each of the four centers will be at minimum capacity\nwithin a few weeks, thereby giving us at least 340 men.\nAs of today, there are slightly over 100 corpsmen who are conscientious\nobjectors. These are men whose average age is 22, who average two years\nof college. These are the \"seniors\" in the program; and the majority\nare, and have been, highly-productive and dedicated workers whose extra\neffort made the whole idea work.\nMany of the newer members of the Corps are in the program as a result of\nother forms of recruitment. Some are, for example, young men out of\nhigh school -- and out of work. There are some Vietnam veterans in the\nprogram now, and more are expected.\nBenefits and Requirements\nCorpsmen are not regular state employees: they are exempt contractees.\nThey do receive some benefits comparable to our regular employees,\nsuch as vacations, holidays and workmen's compensation insurance. A\ncomprehensive health benefit program will be implemented August 1, 1972.\n-7-\nSince the beginning of the program, we have provided Corpsmen with food,\nlodging, clothing and personal care items and have paid them $40 each\nmonth. Beginning July 1, 1972, Corpsmen will receive at least $100 per\nmonth plus the other items I have listed. On February 1, the overtime\nrate for most emergency work was set at $2.80 per hour.\nCorpsmen are entitled to approximately the same grievance procedure as\nallowed regular State employees, including the permanent employees of\nthe Department of Conservation. A Corpsman with a grievance discusses\nthe problem with his immediate supervisor (generally a crew foreman of\nthe Division of Forestry) and, failing to receive acceptable adjudication\nat this level can appeal to the Center Director, the Corps Administrator,\nand ultimately to me.\nDuring the summer fire season, Corpsmen must remain at their duty post\nfor a continuous five-day period. At other times, they are required to\nperform their normal eight-hour work shift, Monday through Friday. These\nrequirements are not unique to the Ecology Corps, but are the same\nrequirements applied to all fire station personnel.\nOffers Individual Potential\nThe California Ecology Corps has much to offer the young men who partici-\npate. Educational institutions, such as the North American School of\nConservation and Ecology, for example, are working with us in recruiting\nCorpsmen. Several of that school's recent graduates are now Corpsmen\nobtaining actual on-the-job experience in ecology and conservation work.\nAlready, some Corpsmen have gone on to employment for public and private\n-8-\nenvironmental agencies, since service in the Corps qualifies as job\nexperience for civil service examinations and for other employment.\nCommunity colleges are looking at the California Ecology Corps as a\npossible supplement to their environmental and forestry curriculum\nfor the same reasons.\nLet me also emphasize the potential the Corps offers the State of\nCalifornia as a training resource for future employees of the Division\nof Forestry, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and other units\nof all levels of government concerned with environmental protection.\nAs I have said, four centers are now in operation. The centers and a\nbrief description follows:\nTehama Ecology Center. Located 25 miles east of Red Bluff in\nTehama County near the community of Paynes Creek, Corpsmen are\nperforming a valuable service of habitat improvement on the nearby\nTehama Winter Deer Range for the Department of Fish and Game.\nCalaveras Ecology Center. This center, four miles from Angels\nCamp, houses Corpsmen who are engaging in numerous conservation\nprojects in the Sierras for several agencies, primarily the United\nStates Forest Service, National Park Service, and Department of\nParks and Recreation.\nHumboldt Ecology Center. Situated in the midst of California's kind\nState Parks, Corpsmen at this center are performing vital work in\nrecreational development for our State Park system.\n-9-\nInyo Ecology Center. This center is 10 miles from the city of Bishop.\nThe Corpsmen here will be involved in trail construction and other\nconservation projects in the High Sierra for National Park Service,\nBureau of Land Management, and Department of Parks and Recreation.\nIn addition to the Centers, several spike camps are in operation. Corps-\nmen assigned to these camps, such as those at the Sequoia-Kings Canyon\nNational Park Headquarters at Ash Mountain and at E1 Portal near Yosemite\nValley are engaged in special work projects for the National Park Service\nexcept when they are needed for fire dispatch. (Photographs of the\nprojects are shown in Attachment E.)\nThe Corpsmen have performed, and performed well, in a wide variety of\nprojects since July 1, 1971. Representatives of several of the contract-\ning departments have prepared testimony for your information, and a\ncomplete list of current or completed projects as of today is attached.\nBeyond its mission in ecology work and emergency firefighting, the Corps\nperforms yet another valuable service. A skilled, trained mountain\nrescue team is now available to local authorities throughout the State\nto assist in the rescue of persons trapped in mountainous areas and\ncliffs.\nThere may be some confusion between the role of the California Ecology\nCorps and that of the Youth Conservation Corps, established last year,\nand/or the California Youth Conservation Corps, which was authorized in\nlegislation proposed last year by Assemblyman Mobley.\nThe programs and the concepts are entirely different. The California\nEcology Corps is a permanent year-around program employing men who are\n-10-\nat least 18 years old. The other programs are primarily designed as a\nsummer work program for younger people, both boys and girls. Both of\nthese programs have definite roles in the protection of California's\nenvironment; and, as a matter of fact, each should compliment the work\nof the other.\nSummary of Comments\nTo summarize the present situation with the Ecology Corps, I would like\nto refer again to the situation the Department found itself in just\nabout a year ago.\nWe had five fine state facilities about to be vacated and a continuing\nand pressing need for the trained hand crews that have become a part\nof the State's resource management and protection system.\nA continuing success of the Department of Corrections rehabilitation\nprogram made it plain that it was vitally necessary to establish a work\nforce of free people to continue these worthwhile public efforts into\nthe years ahead.\nWe have succeeded in establishing the Ecology Corps in less than a year\nand have found that we can recruit and organize into productive crews\nthe young men that have participated up to this point. We can look\nbeyond work projects now contracted for to a substantial expansion in\nthe program as other public agencies turn to these crews more and more\nto accomplish the purposes for which they receive public funds.\nThe comparison must be drawn when we look to the future with the old\nCivilian Conservation Corps we all remember from the depression. That\nagency built practically the entire network of roads and trails and\n-11-\ncampgrounds available to the Forest Service and Park Service today, and\nopened an area of employment for thousands of young men whose oppor-\ntunities were extremely limited. Some of those same men are high in\nstate government positions today, as they are in conservation agencies\nacross the country.\nWith careful management, the Ecology Corps can fulfill those purposes\nin California again; and at the same time we can continue our partner-\nships with the Department of Corrections, California Youth Authority,\nand the counties to the end that existing facilities can be utilized,\nand the vital work can go on. I will say, again, the California\nEcology Corps was developed to make up the difference between the in-\nmates and wards available to us and our manpower needs, and not to\nsupplant them. These proven programs will continue, with the\nCalifornia Ecology Corps a new and exciting element.\nI would ask your support and understanding to that end.\n#\n#\n#\n-12-\nATTACHMENT A\nEXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT\nState of California\nEXECUTIVE ORDER NO. R-27-71\nPreservation and protection of the bountiful resources with which this state\nhas been enriched demand ever increasing vigil and continuing effort.\nTo meet this responsibility, it has been determined there is a need for an\norganized group of citizens who are willing to join in a common purpose to\nconserve California's great natural resources.\nTherefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State\nof California, the following is ordered:\nSection 1. California Ecology Corps. The California Ecology Corps is hereby\nestablished and shall activate on July 1, 1971. The Corps will be headed by the\nDirector of Conservation.\nSection 2. The Director shall have authority to direct and supervise all\npersonnel and activities thereof. The Director shall take all actions as may be\nnecessary to organize the corps so as to carry out the functions and to achieve\nthe purposes set forth in this order.\nSection 3. Functions. The Corps shall:\n(1) Recruit and employ members to aid in the maintenance of the natural\necology and the preservation of the beauty and natural resources of this\nstate.\n(2) Utilize its members in conservation and emergency projects to effect full\nutilization and protection of the natural resources for the greatest possible\nnumber of people.\nShall assist in the protection of natural resources, which will include, but will\nnot be limited to, forests, grasses, vegetation, soil, air, water, wildlife,\nrecreational and scenic resources.\n(3) Assist in fire prevention and fire protection.\nSection 4. Cooperation. The corps shall cooperate with all sectors of\ngovernment in carrying out its objectives. All state departments shall, whenever\npossible or feasible, cooperate with the Corps in the protection of environment\nor preservation of natural resources.\nIN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great\nSeal of the State of California to be affixed hereto this 27th day of April, 1971.\nOF\nRONALD REAGAN\nGovernor of California\nAttest:\nEDMUND G. BROWN, JR.\nCALIFORNIA\nSecretary of State\nATTACHMENT B\nCALIFORNIA ECOLOGY CORPS\n1971-72 Fiscal Year\nCENTER\nPROJECTS\nSUPPORTING AGENCY\nHumboldt\n1. Construct 1,000 picnic tables, 750 camp cupboards, 750 camp stoves,\nCalif. Department of Parks\n200 fire rings, 750 stove grills, 1,000 assorted signs.\nand Recreation\n2. Construct roadside rest -- 1,400 man days\nCalif. Department of Parks\nand Recreation\n3. Construct 75-unit campground.\nCalif. Department of Parks\nand Recreation\n4. San Simeon State Beach - expand camping facilities.\nOffice of Architecture and\nConstruction\nTehama\n1. Rehabilitation of the Tehama Winter Deer Range, including spring\ndevelopment, big game water guzzlers, Ishi fire road construction\nCalif. Department of Fish\nand fence building.\nand Game\n2. Construct big game water guzzlers with exclosures in Modoc County\nCalif. Department of Fish\nand Game\n3. Mechanical and hand drill planting of browse species (brush) for\ninterstate deer herd and rehabilitation of burned over area in\nCalif. Department of Fish\nModoc County. (Snag falling and planting.)\nand Game\n4. Lopping mountain mahogany for re-sprouting deer browse on Hot Creek\nCalif. Department of Fish\nRidge, Shasta County.\nand Game\n5. Flood control maintenance on Sacramento River - Colusa area\nDepartment of Water Resources\nCalaveras\n1. Road stabilization -- water drains, culverts, and berms.\nStanislaus National Forest\n2. Timber stand improvement -- brushing, clearing.\nStanislaus National Forest\n3. Fuel break construction.\nStanislaus National Forest\n4. Lake boundary cleanup.\nStanislaus National Forest\nPage 2\nCENTER\nPROJECTS\nSUPPORTING AGENCY\nCalaveras\n5. Cover type conversion -- range improvement, construct pre-attack road\n(Cont.)\nsigns\nStanislaus National Forest\n6. Fire station and fire access road maintenance\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n7. Water system maintenance\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n8. Construct nursery potting flats and shipping tops\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n9. Surplus property acquisition and distribution.\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n10. Mountain rescue training\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n11. Training and development of visual aids for Fire Academy\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n12. Mapping for water pollution control and soil study classification\nCalif. Division of Forestry\n13. Campground maintenance\nEl Dorado National Forest\n14. Beach cleanup - Lake Tahoe.\nEl Dorado National Forest\n15. Slip planting for Genetics Lab (Lab located in Placerville)\nEl Dorado National Forest\n16. Fertilizing plants for seed and soil experiments.\nEl Dorado National Forest\n17. On site planting -- storing and shipping seedlings.\nEl Dorado National Forest\n18. Hazard reduction -- tree removal.\nSequioa-Kings Canyon N. P.\n19. Campground cleanup\nSequioa-Kings Canyon N. P.\n20. Hogan Reservior Recreation area development.\nCorps of Engineers\n21. Tree planting -- Kaweah Reservoir.\nCorps of Engineers\nPage 3\nCENTER\nPROJECTS\nSUPPORTING AGENCY\nCalaveras\n22. Trail maintenance -- fire break construction, campground cleanup,\nCalif. Department of Parks\n(Cont.)\nCalaveras Big Trees State Park.\nand Recreation\n23. Emergency snow removal\nCalif. Division of Highways\nInyo\n1. White Mountain Research Station maintenance and operations.\nU. C. Riverside\n2. Construct three dams on Owens River for fish habitat improvement\nCalif. Department of Fish\nand Game\n3. Pup fish sanctuary development.\nCalif. Department of Fish\nand Game\n4. Construct drift fences on Tule Elk winter range.\nCalif. Department of Fish\nand Game\n5. Stream improvements.\nBureau of Land Management\n6. Water development, campground improvement, trail construction in\nNew York Mountain area.\nBureau of Land Management\n7. Campground development.\nCounty of Inyo\n8. Water development, campground improvement, trail work -- Death Valley National Monument\n9. Restoration of Ghost Town -- Bodie.\nCalif. Department of Parks\nand Recreation\nATTACHMENT C\n1972-73\nLINE ITEM DETAIL\nBUDGET FOR ECOLOGY CENTERS\nAPRIL 1, 1972\nHumboldt\nTehama\nCalaveras\nInyo\nTotal\nEcology\nEcology\nEcology\nEcology\nAll\nPERSONAL SERVICES\nCenter\nCenter\nCenter\nCenter\nCenters\nSalaries & Wages\nForest Ranger II\n(1)\n14,114\n(1)\n14,114\n(1)\n14,114\n(1)\n14,113\n(4)\n56,455\nFire Crew Foreman\n(5)\n59,258\n(5)\n59,258\n(5)\n59,258\n(6)\n71,110\n(21)\n248,884\nHeavy Fire Equip. Oper.\n(1)\n10,878\n(1)\n10,878\n(1)\n10,878\n(1)\n10,878\n(4)\n43,512\nForestry Cook II\n(2)\n15,088\n(2)\n15,088\n(2)\n15,088\n(.5)\n3,772\n(6.5)\n49,036\nTotal Salaries & Wages\n(9)\n99,338\n(9)\n99,338\n(9)\n99,338\n(8.5) 99,873\n(35.5)\n397,887\nStaff Benefits\nRetirement (Staff Only)\n14,900\n14,900\n14,900\n14,980\n59,680\nHealth & Welfare\n(Staff Only)\n1,728\n1,728\n1,728\n1,632\n6,816\nWorkmen's Comp. (Staff)\n1,818\n1,818\n1,818\n1,828\n7,282\nWorkmen's Comp. (Corpsmen)\n9,000\n9,000\n12,000\n9,000\n39,000\nTotal Staff Benefits\n27,446\n27,446\n30,446\n27,440\n112,778\nTotal, Personal Services\n126,784\n126,784\n129,784\n127,313\n510,665\nOPERATING EXPENSES AND\nEQUIPMENT\nGeneral Expense\n8,000\n8,000\n8,100\n8,000\n32,100\nSmall Tools\n891\n891\n1,518\n891\n4,191\nHousing\n3,726\n3,726\n6,348\n6,348\n20,148\nOper. Supp. & Exp.\n891\n891\n1,518\n1,518\n4,818\nCommunications\n1,215\n1,215\n2,070\n2,070\n6,570\nTravel-in-State\n1.377\n1,377\n2,346\n2,346\n7,446\nMotor Vehicle Oper.\n18,063\n18,063\n30,774\n30,774\n97,674\nEmp. Relocation\n480\n480\n840\n480\n2,280\nUtilities\n10,692\n10,692\n18,216\n18,216\n57,816\nRecreation & Lib. Supp.\n972\n972\n1,656\n972\n4,572\nRepair & Maint. of Fac.\n4,293\n4,293\n7,314\n7,314\n23,214\nSubsistence\n42,300\n42,300\n56,400\n42,300\n183,300\nCorpsmen Clothing\n13,950\n13,950\n18,600\n13,950\n60,450\nMedical & Dental Supp.\n1,782\n1,782\n3,036\n1,782\n8,382\nSearch & Rescue\n$\n-\n2,000\n2,000\n4,000\nCorpsman Pay\n36,775\n36,775\n45,970\n36,775\n156,295\nExp. Acct. Property\n1,000\n1,000\n1,000\n1,000\n4,000\nEquipment\n8,744\n8,744\n8,744\n8,745\n34,977\nTotal O. E. & E.\n155,151\n155,151\n216,450\n185,481\n712,233\nGross Total Cost\n281,935\n281,935\n346,234\n312,794\n1,222,898\nReimbursements\n-104,000\n-104,000\n-120,000\n-80,500\n-408,500\nNet Total Cost\n177,935\n177,935\n226,234\n232,294\n814,398\nB&SO\nPOPULATION TRENDS\nCalifornia Ecology Corps\nDivision of Forestry\nJuly 1971 -- April 1972\nConservation Camps\nJuly 1970 -- April 1972\n40\n220:\n00\n210\n2000\n50\n1900\n1800\n:\n1700\n1600\n50\n1500\n1400\n00\n1300\n1200\n50\n1100\n1000\n0\nCALIFORNIA\nThe California Ecology Corps in fotos\nECOLOGY\nCORPS\nMountain rescue training\nclimbing, and will be given additional training in\ncold weather survival, snow and ice-field climbing,\nand cross-country skiing. They will also be trained\nMembers of the Ecology Corps' new mountain\nin first aid and follow-up field medical treatment, as\nrescue team have been going through an intensive\nwell as litter handling.\ntraining program which will eventually prepare them\nOperating out of the Calaveras Ecology Center,\nto handle rescue missions in difficult terrain and\nthe mountain rescue team will be available to public\nunder all-weather conditions.\nagencies, statewide, for rescue missions in any of\nRescue team members have already received\nCalifornia's rugged terrain, but especially in the\nprofessional instruction in both free and aid rock\nSierra-Nevada range.\nTimber stand\nimprovement\nand fuel break\nconstruction\nCorpsmen working for the\nStanislaus National Forest have\nbeen engaged primarily in tim-\nber stand improvement and fuel\nbreak construction.\nTimber stand improvement\ninvolves thinning overcrowded\ntimber stands to promote better\ntree growth, clearing brush from\nareas to be planted as timber\nplantations, and disposing of\nroad-side slash with motorized\nchippers.\nThe construction of fuel\nbreaks generally involves clear-\ning a swath of brush from\nalongside fire access roads. Fuel\nbreaks provide an early defense\nagainst wildland fires.\nInstructing COD trainees\nBON FILMI INC\nFour corpsmen were given a tem-\nporary assignment this January to in-\nstruct Career Opportunity Develop-\nment trainees attending a five week\nsession at the Division of Forestry\nFire Academy in lone.\nUtilizing special program learning\naids, the corpsmen helped the C.O.D.\ntrainees review high school level\ncourse material in English, mathe-\nmatics and physical sciences.\nFire road\nconstruction\nA major project at the Tehama\nEcology Center has been constructing\nthe Ishi road, an unpaved all vehicle\nroad that will serve both as a major\nfire access road and as a major link\ninto the Tehama Winter Deer Range.\nCorpsmen on the project are en-\ngaged drilling blasting holes, and con-\nstructing culverts and header walls\naround the culverts.\nConstructing\ncamp ground equipment\nCorpsmen working in the carpen-\ntry shop at the Humboldt Ecology\nCenter are presently constructing pic-\nnic tables and camp cupboards for\nthe State Department of Parks and\nRecreation.\nThe carpentry shop will also pro-\nduce assorted signs for the Depart-\nment of Parks and Recreation.\nCampsite development\nAt the Humboldt Ecology\nCenter, there are two crews of\ncorpsmen assigned to campsite\ndevelopment at Benbow Lake\nState Park.\nFunded by the State De-\npartment of Parks and Recrea-\ntion, the project involves clear-\ning the land, leveling campsites,\ninstalling pipe lines, building\nfences, and constructing roads\nand parking areas.\nCorpsmen are also engaged\nin removing hazardous limbs,\nsnags and dead trunks that\nmight endanger children playing\nin the park; thinning trees to\nmake the campsites more access-\nable for campers, and construc-\nting gates and log banks to pre-\nvent cars from parking\nimproperly.\nApril 5, 1972\nDepartment of Conservation - BRIEFING FOR GOVERNOR - California Ecology Corps\n1. Assembly Committee on Efficiency and Cost Control conducted a hearing Tuesday\nto determine if the California Ecology Corps is performing as it should and\nspecifically as provided in the Governor's Executive Order of April 27, 1971,\nwhich created the Corps.\n2. Corpsmen from Inyo Ecology Center, one of four in the program, filed a petition\nwith the Governor on Tuesday complaining about pay and benefits and that projects\nof the Corps are not truly ecological in nature.\nResponse to Pay and Benefits Issue:\nCorpsmen pay is $40 monthly, plus subsistence, and will go to $100 on July 1;\na special overtime rate of $2.80 for emergency work has been paid since February 1.\nFunds for corpsmen pay come from contracts with other state and federal conservation\nagencies; the Department of Conservation assesses $8.50 per man-day and this goes to\n$12.50 to cover the pay increase. The man-day charge includes support costs as well as\ncorpsmen pay.\nThe Department of Conservation has been attempting to improve the pay situation,\nwithin funds available. The eventual goal is the minimum wage, paid in dollars, and\nsubsistence.\nMedical care in work-related incidents is covered under workmen's compensation\nand emergency medical and dental care is provided regardless of the circumstances.\nThe Department is developing a comprehensive health benefit package which it will\nimplement August 1. There will be a slight cost to Corpsmen.\nProjects:\nCorps projects are environmental protection in nature and are consistent\nwith the life and property-protection mission of the Department of Conservation\nand the concept outlined in the Governor's Executive Order.\nCorpsmen are doing an excellent job. They have also been adequately trained\nto meet the challenge of a critical wildland fire situation, if one should develop\nin California this summer.\n3. The Assembly Committee hearing concluded with a request by Assemblyman Cullen,\nthe committee chairman, that the Department provide cost figures involved for\na budget providing the minimum wage for 340 corpsmen; this will be provided\nby April 15, 1972.\n######\nState of California\nTHE RESOURCES AGENCY OF CALIFORNIA\nMemorandum\nTo\n:\nHonorable Ronald Reagan\nDate\n: May 17, 1971\nGovernor of California\nState Capitol\nSubject : California\nSacramento, California\nEcology Corps\nAttention: Mrs. Nancy Clark Reynolds\nFrom\n# Department of Conservation - Office of the Director\nBackground\nCalifornia Ecology Corps was established by executive order on April 27 as\na source of trained manpower for various conservation projects, particu-\nlarly including wildland fire fighting. Conservation camp population has\nbeen steadily decreasing (now at the rate of about 20 per month) and\nalternative sources of manpower have been studied. California Ecology\nCorps will provide a partial solution.\nActivities Since Corps Established\n1. Selective Service System has been asked to provide approximately 250\npersons classified as conscientious objectors. CO's are required to per-\nform 24 months of service \"in the national interest;\" California Ecology\nCorps has been designated as an acceptable alternate service. As of\nMay 17, the Selective Service System has signed up about 40 volunteers for\nthe Corps; there should be no difficulty obtaining enough CO's to staff\ntwo or three centers.\n2. Plum Creek Conservation Camp (25 miles east of Red Bluff) has been\ndesignated as Tehama Ecology Center. Corpsmen will perform range improve-\nment work on the nearby Tehama Winter Deer Range. Selection of a second\nsite, Calaveras Ecology Center near Angels Camp (the Vallecito Conservation\nCamp) is proposed for announcement by you at your May 18 press conference.\nA third site is pending final arrangements (hopefully with the Department\nof Parks and Recreation) on funding. This site will probably be the\npresent High Rock Conservation Camp near Garberville in Humboldt County,\nbut should not be announced at this time.\n3. Joe E. Griggs, a state forest ranger who has recently served as admin-\nistrator of the Divisiion of Forestry fire academy at Ione, has been named\nby me as project administrator for the Corps. He has had considerable\nexperience in the camp program.\n4. An emblem for the Corps has been designed and made public, via a\npresentation to you on May 12.\nHonorable Ronald Reagan\n-2-\nMay 17, 1971\nPublic Reaction\nThe Corps has been generally well received by the public. Your office and\nmine have received about 125 letters and only about 10 percent have been\ntotally negative. Many have questioned some of the requirements and many\nhave been critical of the $15 \"pay.\" (The point being that we are trying\nto \"punish\" CO's by setting the \"pay\" so low.)\nI have been on two major radio talk shows originating in Los Angeles; and\nthere have been numerous press inquiries about the Corps. Newspaper\neditorials in papers such as San Diego Union, San Jose Mercury, Santa Rosa\nPress Democrat, and the Oakland Tribune have been favorable.\nOur requirement for \"reasonably short\" hair -- purely for fire safety\npurposes -- has caused some questions. We are not advocating \"butch\" or\nmilitary cuts; we just want the hair short enough to be contained within\nthe Corpsman's safety helmet to avoid personal danger. No beards are\npermitted for the same reason.\nAnother topic of some controversy has been \"uniforms.\" Corpsmen will wear\nblue jeans, a tan shirt (with the CEC emblem/shoulder patch) and safety\naccessories, including boots and helmet. An important reason for this\n\"uniform appearance\" is for instant recognition, particularly during\nemergency situations.\nExpansion Beyond Conscientious Objectors\nWe have frequently been asked if persons other than CO's can volunteer.\nOur answer is that the initial phase will include only CO's, but we will\naccept other applications for the time when the Corps is expanded to\ninclude others; we are not able to say when that will be.\nThere have been at least a dozen inquiries about volunteering. These have\nbeen from California and also from Tennessee, Illinois, Hawaii, Florida,\nand other states. Two girls have inquired. (We do not contemplate a\ncoeducational ecology center!)\nInterest from Other States\nWashington, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma have requested information\nabout the California Ecology Corps program. They were sent the basic\ninformation package distributed to the press on April 27.\nJames G. Stearns, Director\nJGS:mr\nEnrironment\nState of California\nResources Agency\nDEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION\nJames G. Stearns, Director\nCALIFORNIA ECOLOGY CORPS\nPRESS BACKGROUND REPORT\nPrepared by Information Office\nDepartment of Conservation\nGerald E. Newton, Information Officer\n916-445-7228 or 445-3976\nApril 27, 1971\nCALIFORNIA ECOLOGY CORPS\nAn all-volunteer California Ecology Corps, with a primary goal\nof preserving and protecting California's natural resource\nenvironment, has been established by Governor Ronald Reagan.\nThe Corps has been designated as \"appropriate civilian work\"\nfor young men having conscientious objector status to volunteer\nunder the Selective Service Act.\nUnder the direction of the Department of Conservation, and super-\nvised by the Division of Forestry, the Corps will engage in a wide\narray of conservation projects.\nImproving Recreational Opportunities: Working in park areas, the\nCorps will engage in such activities as building trails, improving\naccess to remote areas, improving and developing camp sites, erosion\ncontrol and clean-up efforts.\nWildlife Assistance: Deer and game habitat will be improved;\nstreams cleared to aid natural propagation of fish life and for\nflood control; access to remote areas of public game areas will be\nimproved.\n-2-\nForests: The Corps will participate in reforestation projects,\nbuild fuelbreaks, clear streams, work on revegetation projects,\nseed burned-over areas, and assist in other programs to improve\nCalifornia's forests and watersheds.\nAlthough environment protection will be the principal objective\nof the Corps, it serves as another valuable asset for the\ncitizens of California: A ready reserve of trained manpower to\ncombat the menace of forest fires, floods and other natural dis-\nasters. In addition, the Corps will be available to local\nauthorities for assistance in search and rescue missions.\nCalifornia already maintains the world's outstanding forest fire-\nfighting force -- the Division of Forestry -- but the California\nEcology Corps will provide instant backup service and will be\nthoroughly trained in fire control by the Division of Forestry.\nIn its pilot stages, the Corps will encompass three Ecology Centers\naccommodating approximately 80 men each.\nConscientious objectors are those young men who have been so desig-\nnated by the Selective Service System as a result of having declared\ntheir conscientious objections to serving in the armed military\nservice.\n-3-\nThose so classified, and having met the physical standards of\nmilitary service, must complete 24 months of \"appropriate\ncivilian work.\" The work must be with a non-profit organi-\nzation and must be \"in the national interest.\"\nThe Selective Service System defines \"appropriate civilian work\"\nas service to a government agency or a non-profit corporation\nwhose activities benefit the general public and do not principally\nbenefit the organization or governmental entity itself.\nThe regulations of the Selective Service System also state the\nfollowing, in part:\nCivilian work which is appropriate to be performed\nin lieu of induction into the Armed Forces by\nregistrants classified in Class I-0 should meet the\ncriteria prescribed in Section 1660.1 of the Selective\nService Regulations.\nWhenever possible, the work should be performed out-\nside of the community in which the registrant resides.\nThe position should be one that cannot readily be\nfilled from the available competitive labor force, or\nfrom civil service or merit registers of the federal,\nstate or local governments, and should constitute a\ndisruption of the registrant's normal way of life\nsomewhat comparable to the disruption of a registrant\nwho is inducted into the Armed Forces.\n(Source: Paragraph 1, Local Board Memorandum No. 64,\nas amended September 12, 1968; issued by National\nHeadquarters, Selective Service System.\n-4-\nWhen a registrant (for the draft) has been classified\nin Class I-0 volunteers for civilian work in lieu of\ninduction (into the military service) and has been\nfound qualified for service in the Armed Forces, (he)\nshall be processed in the same manner as a volunteer\nfor induction except that, in lieu of induction, he\nshall be ordered by the local (draft) board to perform\ncivilian work.\n(Same source as above; Paragraph 2.)\nAny registrant who is between the ages of 18 and 26\nand who has been classified in Class I-0, or who\nclaims eligibility for classification in Class I-0,\nmay volunteer at his local board for civilian work\ncontributing to the maintenance of the national health,\nsafety or interest in lieu of induction.\n(Source: Section 1660.10, Selective Service System\nRegulations.)\nVolunteers will apply to their Selective Service Boards for enlistment\nin the Corps.\nVolunteers will be provided room and board at the Center. Clothing\nwill also be supplied. Safety standards required of regular fire-\nfighters of the Division of Forestry will apply, including reasonably\nshort hair and an allowance for properly trimmed mustaches.\nECOLOGY CENTERS\nThe California Ecology Corps will operate out of Ecology Centers.\nAt this time, the exact locations of the Centers have not been\nselected. This is primarily because a determination must first be\n-5-\nmade as to where the bulk of the work programs involving the\nCorps will be, and then determining which state-owned facili-\nties are closer to that work. In any event, the Centers will\nbe former conservation camps, five of which are being phased\nout by the State.\n####\nApril 28, 1971\nNEWS RELEASE\nFOR RELEASE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 1971\nMr. Carlos C. Ogden, State Director of the California Selective\nService System announced today the California Selective Service System\nthoroughly endorsed the volunteer California Ecology Corps established by\nGovernor Ronald Reagan by executive order and announced to the press by the\nGovernor on Tuesday, April 27, 1971.\nMr. Ogden emphasized this volunteer program will provide con-\nscientious objectors with an excellent opportunity to perform a service\nthat will assist the nation-wide ecology effort and provide the young\nparticipants with a real sense of accomplishment. The Ecology Corps is\nnot restricted to conscientious objectors but will be open to all qualified\nvolunteers.\nHe adds that only conscientious objectors who submit a written\nrequest for this type of service will be assigned to the California Ecology\nCorps, which will make it possible to fulfill the 24-month alternate service\nobligation as required by the Selective Service Law. If a young man who is\nclassified as a conscientious objector wishes to participate in this program,\nhe should direct his inquiry to his local board.\nVolunteers for the California Ecology Corps will be assigned and\nutilized at ecology centers at conservation facilities located in key forest\nand coastal areas,\nState of California - The Resources Agency\nDEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME\nDEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION\nContact: Jerry E. Newton\n916-445-7228 or\n445-6650\nDate:\nApril 29, 1971\nFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\nRED BLUFF - An ecology center to house the first group of California\nEcology Corps volunteers will be established 25 miles east of here\nnear the Tehama Winter Deer Range.\nThe site, first of several to be chosen, was announced today in Sacramento\nby Director James G. Stearns of the State Department of Conservation and\nDirector G. Ray Arnett of the State Department of Fish and Game.\nEcology corpsmen assigned to the new Tehama Ecology Center will play a\nvital role in habitat development on the 46,000-acre Tehama Winter Deer\nRange, Arnett said. \"We have long desired to complete a rehabilitation of\nthis valuable wildlife range,\" Arnett added.\nTeams from the center will also be available for summertime wildland fire-\nfighting and for other emergencies, such as assistance in search and rescue\nefforts in northern California.\nMORE\nAdd 1 - - Ecology Center\nFirst teams of California Ecology Corps -- a unique new program established\nTuesday by Governor Reagan - will report to the center, located near the\nTehama County community of Paynes Creek, about July 1, 1971. Volunteers\nfrom the ranks of conscientious objectors to military duty will be the\nfirst corpsmen.\nFacilities at the center have been used since 1960 to house state conserva-\ntion camp crews. Although camp crews are in the custody of the State\nDepartment of Corrections, the site has no fences or walls. \"About the\nonly restrictions around here are the 'keep off the grass 1 signs on the\nlawn,\" said Joe E. Griggs, Ecology Corps Project Administrator.\n# # #"
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