From Service to Sustainability: The Impact of the Ozark Conservation Corps

Each April, Earth Day and National Volunteer Week remind us of two incredibly powerful ideas: protecting our planet and environment and showing up for our communities.

However, beyond awareness campaigns or one-day events, there are organizations across Arkansas that are helping to turn these values into year-round, consistent impact. One of the organizations is the Ozark Conservation Corps (OCC), a program of Community Training Works, a new yet growing force in environmental service across the Natural State.

Launched in Arkansas in 2023, the OCC is part of a broader effort to empower “individuals from all backgrounds and abilities to contribute purposefully to their community through education and hands-on experience.”

Volunteerism Meets Environmental Stewardship

The Ozark Conservation Corps represents a new era of service in Arkansas. At its core, the OCC seeks to improve “public lands, waterways, trail systems, and roadways across the state of Arkansas while protecting wildlife habitat.” Participants garner real-world experience through environmental projects that directly impact local Arkansas communities.

This is what Earth Day and National Volunteer Week look like in action: it’s not just about awareness; it’s about sustained, measured, and meaningful action.

Real Projects, Real Impact in Arkansas

A strong example of the OCC’s impact on local Arkansas communities is its recent Little Rock Air Force Base Land Enhancement Project, completed in partnership and collaboration with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

From October to December of 2025, AmeriCorps members worked on-site at the Little Rock Air Force Base to carry out conservation work, including the removal of invasive species and the improvement of pollinator habitats, with support from the Three Rivers Resource Conservation & Development Council and Engage Arkansas.

Environmental outcomes of this project include:

• Restored 60 acres by removing invasive tree species
• Improved forest tree canopy conditions, allowing native plant species to thrive
• Expanded pollinator habitats with key plant species such as milkweed, which was “transplanted to attract pollinators and to provide a food source as well as habitat to beneficial insects”
• Rescued & relocated native plants following the March 2025 fire at the St. Joseph Center of Arkansas, which left the building condemned.

At the same time, the project helped deliver measurable workforce development outcomes:

• AmeriCorps volunteers completed 300 service hours, with each member earning a Segal Education Award of $1,565.08, for a total of $4,694.24 in awards.
• Members received on-the-job certification training in First Aid/CPR and Thinking Sawyer Chainsaw Safety.
• Multiple OCC members and staff received A-Sawyer certifications or maintained their B-Sawyer certifications, which teach the safe use of chainsaws and crosscut saws.

This dual impact highlights the OCC’s effects on both the environment and the people involved.

Supporting Community Recovery and Resilience

OCC crews are also contributing to recovery and redevelopment efforts across Arkansas.

In Jonesboro, an OCC crew is working with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) to clear a fire-damaged facility and prepare it for the next phase of demolition. The site, a former AGFC building, was destroyed by a fire, leaving uncertainty around its future use. Crew members are removing office furniture and debris to prepare the site for demolition or potential reuse, and to determine whether the foundation can be salvaged or the land repurposed.

This work highlights an often overlooked aspect of conservation: restoring spaces so they can be used again.

What makes the Ozark Conservation Corps unique is its integrated model:

• Environmental Service: Improving public lands, waterways, and habitats
• Workforce Development: Providing hands-on training, certifications, and career pathways
• Community Impact: Strengthening local infrastructure and resilience

Ozark Conservation Corps works to protect Arkansas’s natural resources, some of the state’s greatest assets. Program like the OCC:

• Expand the workforce for conservation efforts
• Help increase access to service opportunities
• Deliver measurable positive outcomes on the environment
• Strengthen partnerships between agencies and communities

Organizations like the OCC help to demonstrate that volunteerism can drive real and lasting change.

As we reflect on Earth Day and National Volunteer Week, it’s worth asking: what does impact look like beyond a single day? Through projects that restore ecosystems, support recovery, and invest in people, the Ozark Conservation Corps is helping answer that question every day.

This article is part of the Engage Arkansas 2026 Civic Challenge. The Civic Challenge focuses on one vital impact area affecting Arkansans statewide each month. In April, Engage Arkansas highlighted the importance of volunteerism and community action. To learn more about Engage Arkansas, visit EngageArkansas.org.

Axton Tackett, April 2026