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To apply through the Ohio Woodlands Job Corps, visit ohiodnr.com/forestry or ohiomeansjobs.com. Deadline is Aug. 9.
COLUMBUS — Taking a page from the 1930s era Civilian Conservation Corps, the Ohio Division of Forestry will hire 132 green-minded workers to help restore state forests as part of the newly created Ohio Woodlands Job Corps.
The program is being made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, as the federal stimulus program is known, and funding of $4.4 million. Those hired will be divided into two groups who will work for six months each, or 1,000 hours, starting Sept. 14.
In addition to being paid a wage, they’ll each earn up to $2,300 toward their college education as an affiliate of Americorps.
Without any publicity, 250 have applied already, said Dave Lytle, forestry division chief.
“We’ve had a very strong reaction from the public and the forest industry,” Lytle said. “We feel really good about the program.”
Lytle said state leaders hope that participants will elect to pursue educations and careers in related industries such as forestry and parks management.
“This program will provide valuable training and real world learning experience for corps members interested in making a career in Ohio’s $15 billion wood industry, which directly employs 119,000 people,” said Sean Logan, Ohio Department of Natural Resources director.
According to the forestry division, Corps members will remove invasive species, learn how to fight wildfires and receive extensive training and certification.
Exotic invasive plants — bush honeysuckle and Tree of Heaven — will be destroyed. The plants suppress valuable native species. Workers also will engage in forest inventory work, timber stand improvement, trails maintenance and tree planting.
Gov. Ted Strickland said the program will help improve the forests and the state economy.
“The stimulus dollars used to fund the Ohio Woodlands Job Corps is a wise investment that will encourage healthier forests while creating jobs in regions of our state that are severely challenged by underemployment,” he said. “I would like to thank President Obama and Ohio’s congressional leaders for helping put Ohioans to work while improving our natural resources.”
Initially, the Corps will be working and training at seven state forests.
Headquarters for the crews include:
• Blue Rock (Muskingum County).
• Hocking (Hocking County).
• Maumee (Fulton, Henry and Lucas counties).
• Pike (Highland and Pike counties).
• Scioto Trail (Ross and Pike counties).
• Shawnee (Adams and Scioto counties).
• And Zaleski (Athens and Vinton counties) State Forests.
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