A Chainsaw Crew Builds Skills for Cortez Young Adults and Protects Local Forests | LOR Foundation
In-Progress Environment

A Chainsaw Crew Builds Skills for Cortez Young Adults and Protects Local Forests

Cortez
  • Local Champion: Southwest Conservation Corps
  • Date Funded: January 22, 2026
  • Grant Amount: $18,000

Many Cortez young adults lack the technical skills for local jobs in land management and conservation, while agencies and nonprofits struggle to find trained workers for fire mitigation and forest projects. Staff with the Southwest Conservation Corps saw a clear solution to both problems, so they reached out to LOR with their idea. LOR’s funding will help the Southwest Conservation Corps launch a chainsaw crew and train eight young adults in chainsaw safety and wilderness first aid. The new crew will complete nine weeks of fuels mitigation and other conservation projects across Montezuma County, building pathways to both land management careers and healthy forests.

Contact our community officer in Cortez. Meet Nicci Crowley
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