Teens experience careers on working lands

Some of the nation’s most fertile farm soils are in Solano County, California. But many young people there grow up without the opportunity to connect to agricultural lands and natural areas. They don’t learn about the many careers available to them in agriculture, natural resources and conservation.

A new program last summer provided teenagers with income, training and hands-on experience working with local agricultural leaders. The accredited Solano Land Trust collaborated with Solano County and local agencies on the pilot Summer Youth Employment Program, in which high school students earned income helping at local farms with projects such as pulling up lavender crops that were damaged by flooding and pruning and identifying almond trees.

“This was the first year of the program,” said Tracy Ellison, conservation director at Solano Land Trust. “We are lucky to have such great farm family partners who were willing to jump in and open their farms for this program.”

The teens’ work also included building a trail at Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi Open Space Park, a Solano Land Trust preserve recently renamed by the Tribal Council of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. The trail is near the top of Harmonia Hill, significant for being one of only two known locations where the rare Nodding Harmonia (Harmonia nutans) flower still grows.

The students cleared and dug the new trail on Harmonia Hill and settled two commemorative benches to face the scenery. Solano Land Trust staff talked to the students about careers in conservation and the land trust’s mission. They also thanked the students for their help in preparing the 1,500-acre park for opening.