Summer in the Preserves Plants Seeds for the Future

Not everyone figures out their future while pulling weeds, building split rail fences or enhancing trails, but Imelda Gomez just may have.

The 18-year-old Mundelein High School graduate is spending her second summer with the Youth Conservation Corps, a paid, hands-on program in the Lake County Forest Preserves for high school and college students.

This fall, Gomez heads back to the University of Illinois as a sophomore, studying sustainability in food and environmental systems. She credits YCC with helping shape her path.

“It helped me on so many levels,” she said. “The relationships I built with my team and the connections I made in the field were huge.”

Her dream? To work for the Lake County Forest Preserves, or possibly the Champaign County Forest Preserve District near her college campus.

Over the years, a handful of YCC members have gone on to work for the forest preserves as land planners, educators, ranger police and preserve maintenance workers.

“What I love most about this program is how it opens doors,” Forest Preserves Commissioner Marah Altenberg said. “It’s not just a summer job; it’s about influencing futures. Seeing students like Imelda discover their passion shows the lasting impact we can have.”

This summer, 26 students completed the two-month program. Working in five crews, they tackled a range of projects, from spreading wood chips at Lakewood and Independence Grove off-leash dog areas to collecting and planting seeds at the Native Seed Nursery at Rollins Savanna in Grayslake. The teens also replaced split-rail fences and cleared invasive species, including buckthorn, garlic mustard and sweet clover.

For Zion resident Sierra-Rayne Lincke, 18, who spent her summer pulling invasives near Lake Michigan, the work never felt like a chore.

“I love being surrounded by nature; it was hard work at times, but it never really felt like a job,” Lincke said. “It felt like summer, like something I actually wanted to be doing.”

Many of her crew members were familiar faces.

“Most of us went to middle school together in Beach Park,” she said. “We bonded fast. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had. I already want to come back next summer.” She begins studying nutrition and dietetics at the University of Illinois this fall.

That strong sense of connection isn’t luck.

“We start every summer with team-building exercises to help the crews bond right away,” said Landscape Ecology Manager Dave Cassin, who has organized the program for 13 years. “By the end of the season, they feel a real sense of pride. It’s rewarding for them to see how their work improves the preserves.”

That pride is something Matthew Post from Lake Zurich knows well. In his third summer with the program, the Boston University physics major worked at the Lakewood off-leash dog area, replacing wood chips and improving drainage on the trails.

“People at the preserve are so appreciative,” he said. “And I love petting the dogs while I’m working.”