Salinas Center

Corpsmembers prepare for project work atop Fremont Peak in Monterey County, part of Fremont Peak State Park.

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The Salinas Center provides young adults in Monterey County the opportunity to get paid while they train in a variety of natural resource work, including forestry, trails, and habitat restoration.

The new Salinas Center began operations in winter 2024 and hosts 30 non-residential Corpsmembers, who commute to the center daily.

The two crews based at the center will work in and around local State Parks, with Caltrans, the City of Salinas, Monterey County, and other area jurisdictions and non-profit organizations.

710 Old Stage Road
Salinas, CA 93908
Monterey Bay Center: (831) 768-0150

Salinas Center

Life at the Salinas Center

Corpsmembers at the Salinas Center will have the opportunity to serve and support their local community by completing project work in the City of Salinas and throughout Monterey County.

Corpsmembers will work four 10-hour days, typically Monday through Thursday. Crews may also spike closer to project work. A spike is where a crew camps near a project site to reduce travel time. Corpsmembers are provided with all the necessary gear to camp during spike projects.

In order to complete their CCC Brad Duncan Scholarship, Corpsmembers will have the opportunity to volunteer in the local community. Volunteer opportunities include working at local food banks, non-profits, with Watsonville Wetlands Watch and other local providers.

Corpsmembers may have the opportunity to utilize the gymnasium and outdoor areas available at Rancho Cielo Youth Campus, the grounds of which is where the Salinas Center is located.

Projects

corpsmembers in field planting seeds

For decades, Corpsmembers have assisted scientists and environmental organizations restore and maintain the wetlands of the Central Coast, including the Elkhorn Slough.

The Salinas Center operates two 15 Corpsmember crews. Corpsmembers will work on fuel reduction, habitat restoration, wetland restoration, trail maintenance and construction, and native planting of trees and bushes.

Forestry Corps: The center operates a CCC Forestry Corps crew committed to improving California’s forest health. Corpsmembers are trained to remove and reduce overgrown and dead vegetation posing a potential fire risk. The Forestry Corps may also assist in tree planting, tree felling, and other arborist work and training. Corpsmembers receive on-the-job training, education, and certificates that provide the skills needed to pursue careers in forestry.

Salinas project partners may include Caltrans, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, California State Parks, Elkhorn Slough, Watsonville Wetlands Watch, CAL FIRE, local resource conservation districts, local fire safe councils, and city and county agencies.

Education and Training

corpsmembers in uniform passing sandbags down line

During the 2023 atmospheric river events, Corpsmembers assisted the County of Monterey and City of Salinas by filling and preparing sandbags for the public’s use. 

All Corpsmembers at the Salinas Center are required to complete Corpsmember Orientation, Motivation, Education, and Training (COMET) and core training courses.

Specialized trainings and certifications available may include:

  • Chain Saw Training and Certification
  • Chipper Safety & Training
  • First Aid & CPR
  • Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) 40-Hour Training
  • Public Safety First Aid
  • Public Lands Certification
  • Trail Construction and Maintenance

Corpsmembers seeking to finish their high school diploma have the opportunity to do so with the CCC’s partnered charter school, John Muir Charter School.