Greenwood Center

people standing and talking deep in the distance in a forest

Corpsmembers on the CCC Greenwood Forestry Corps crew take part in an American Forests training, called Cone Corps, in El Dorado County.

The CCC Greenwood Center is a residential facility located in El Dorado County. The center houses a maximum of 18 Corpsmembers who work on forest health related projects and as part of the culinary program.

The Greenwood Center has a long history in the CCC. Some of the buildings were actually constructed by Corpsmembers in the early days of the program.

In the coming years, the CCC will be reconstructing a majority of the buildings on the site. Corpsmembers will continue to live and work at the location, but will be away from construction activities and areas. Stay tuned for future updates!

4411 Highway 193
Greenwood, CA 95635
530-823-4075

Greenwood Center

Life at the Greenwood Center

corpsmembers with tree limbs at chipper

Greenwood Center Corpsmembers haul tree limbs to a wood chipper in South Lake Tahoe, CA as part of a California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC) fuel reduction project. Photo courtesy CTC.

The Greenwood Center is located in a rural location off of Highway 193 between Cool and Georgetown. The center can see a dusting of snow in the winter months. Corpsmembers have plenty of opportunities for hiking and recreation in the area.

During the center’s reconstruction, Corpsmembers will reside in three portable dormitory buildings. Two of the buildings are adjacent to each other and house male-identifying Corpsmembers. A third building houses female-identifying Corpsmembers.

The dining hall and kitchen is a short walk from the portable dormitory buildings. There is also a recreation-classroom building that is open for Corpsmember use during off-hours. During work hours trainings and Corpsmember Orientation, Motivation, Education, and Training (COMET) takes place in the building. There is also an administrative building for staff.

Culinary Corpsmembers have the opportunity to volunteer at a nearby food bank each week. There are plenty of hiking trails on the center grounds. Due to the rural nature of the facility’s location, having a personnel vehicle is recommended if a Corpsmember wants to explore the greater area and nearby cities and towns.

Projects

beautiful mountain valley photo with corpsmembers on a trail in the distance

Greenwood Corpsmembers work in Desolation Wilderness in the Tahoe National Forest assisting on a trail project along the Tahoe Rim Trail. 

The Greenwood Center focuses on forest health projects in the greater El Dorado County area. Corpsmembers typically work Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. as part of the CCC Forestry Corps crew. Forestry Corpsmembers reduce the risk of wildfire by removing hazardous fire fuels, plant trees and seedlings, collect cones and seeds, fell hazard and dying trees, receive arborist training and certifications.

Greenwood Corpsmembers train in a variety of skills during project work and focused training opportunities. The crew is expected to go through chain saw training, beginner and intermediate tree climbing training, wildland firefighter training, utility line clearance and inspection training, cone collection and monitoring, and more.

Corpsmembers may also camp near work sites, called spikes, for up to eight days straight, usually Wednesday to Wednesday.

Corpsmembers working in the Culinary program work four 10-hour shifts during the week, including split shifts on field crew workdays. Corpsmembers learn food preparation, tool usage, sanitation and safety, food storage, food preparation, and other skills. Certifications available include ServSafe Food Handler and Food Manager.

Education and Training

corpsmember preparing meal in lunch line

Corpsmember Marcus Kim serves lunch as part of a catering opportunity for the Greenwood Center at an executive luncheon at the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) building.

All Corpsmembers at the Greenwood Center complete  (COMET) and Core Training courses. Other specialized trainings and certification opportunities may include:

  • Arbor (Includes tree climbing, rope safety, knots, limbing)
  • First Aid & CPR
  • Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Certificate
  • Chain Saw Training
  • Power Tools Safety and Operation
  • Cone Camp
  • Chipper Safety & Training
  • Culinary Academy Boot Camp
  • Safety Stand Down
  • ServSafe Food Handler Certification
  • Tree Climbing Safety
  • Leave No Trace

Corpsmembers enrolling at the Greenwood Center must possess their high school diploma or equivalency. High school courses are not available at the Greenwood Center at this time.