2026 Summer Stewards Program
Building skills, protecting communities, and creating the next generation of natural resource stewards.
The 2026 Summer Stewards Program concluded on August 14, 2026. Throughout the summer, young Stewards gained hands-on experience in wildfire mitigation, forest management, watershed restoration, monitoring, teamwork, and natural resource management.
Working alongside community partners and landowners, the team completed projects across Eastern Oregon while gaining valuable professional, technical, and life skills.
Made Possible by Our Funders
On behalf of the Baker Resources Coalition, we extend our deepest appreciation to the organizations and communities whose financial support made the 2026 Summer Stewards Program possible.
In addition, contracted services provided to the Powder Basin Watershed Council and Wallowa Resources helped cover team salaries during portions of the program.
Wildfire Mitigation & Forest Management
Baker Resources Coalition partnered with the Spring Creek Firewise Community to identify high-risk properties and prioritize wildfire mitigation efforts.
The team used a combination of hand mitigation techniques and forest management activities to reduce wildfire risk on eight rural properties. Defensible spaces were established around homes and outbuildings, while forest management services extended beyond those areas to provide additional protection.
| Date | Property | Team Size | Action | # Slash Piles | Mitigated Material (YD³) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 15–19 | Strommer | 8 | Forest Management | 39 | 1,120.79 |
| June 22–26 | Bowers | 4 | Mitigation & Forest Management | 15 | 464.93 |
| June 29–July 3 | Ewing | 4 | Mitigation & Forest Management | 25 | 163.81 |
| July 6–9 | Combs | 8 | Forest Management | 23 | 715.00 |
| July 9–10 | Brougham | 4 | Forest Management | 7 | 191.65 |
| July 13–17 | Nelson | 8 | Forest Management | 22 | 932.42 |
| July 20–24 | Sullivan | 8 | Mitigation & Forest Management | 14 | 500.74 |
| July 27–31 | Baker | 8 | Forest Management | 24 | 749.29 |
| TOTAL | 169 | 4,838.63 | |||
Expanding Natural Resource Experience
In addition to wildfire mitigation and forest management, Summer Stewards worked with regional partners on watershed restoration and monitoring projects.
Powder Basin Watershed Council
$6,000 ContractTwo split teams, each consisting of one crew lead and three Stewards, worked with the Powder Basin Watershed Council on three projects:
- Alder Meadow Riparian Fence Rebuild — funded by the Forest Service and Roundhouse Foundation.
- Long-Term Status and Trend Water Quality Monitoring — funded by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board.
- Powder Basin Project Effectiveness Monitoring — funded by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board.
The $6,000 contract helped cover team salaries.
Wallowa Resources
$11,256 ContractDuring the final two weeks of the program, the team recorded data on 85 monitoring plots in the Whitman District of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.
This work was completed under a contract with Wallowa Resources and provided valuable field experience in natural resource monitoring while covering the team's salaries for the final two weeks.
More Than a Summer Job
The Summer Stewards Program combines paid work, hands-on natural resource experience, education, and personal development.
Work Experience
- Crew Leads worked 8 hours per day, five days per week.
- Crew Leads earned $20.00 per hour.
- Stewards earned $16.50 per hour.
- Participants gained hands-on experience in mitigation, forest management, watershed work, and natural resource monitoring.
College Credit
- Stewards earned six college credits each through Treasure Valley Community College.
- Students enrolled in NATR 101: Natural Resource Management Experience.
- BRC paid tuition and registration costs so Stewards could participate.
- Students attending Baker High School in the fall can use their TVCC transcript toward additional graduation credits.
Skills That Last a Lifetime
While the technical skills gained through the program are important, perhaps the greatest achievement was the personal growth of the young people who participated. Throughout the summer, Stewards developed confidence, responsibility, resilience, and a deeper understanding of the communities and environments in which they worked.
Connecting Work Experience With Education
Through Treasure Valley Community College's NATR 101 course, Summer Stewards were able to turn their hands-on natural resource experience into college credit. BRC covered tuition and registration costs, helping make the educational opportunity accessible to participants.
Looking Toward the Future
BRC has recently connected with the High Desert Partnership and is working to establish a relationship with the Wallowa Resources Youth Program Supervisor. Both organizations operate youth-based work programs in Eastern Oregon.
The goal is to encourage collaboration among these organizations and amplify their collective voice, particularly when it comes to influencing state-level legislative processes that affect youth-based work programs.
By working together, these organizations can help expand opportunities for young people to gain meaningful employment, education, and hands-on experience in natural resource management.
Growing the Next Generation of Stewards
The 2026 Summer Stewards Program demonstrated what is possible when young people are given meaningful work, educational opportunities, supportive mentors, and the chance to contribute to their communities.
From reducing wildfire risk on rural properties to restoring watersheds and monitoring public lands, these Stewards made a tangible difference across Eastern Oregon — while building skills that will stay with them long after the summer ended.
Thank you to our funders, partners, landowners, mentors, and community supporters for helping make the 2026 Summer Stewards Program possible.