Valene

FDR mobilized millions of Americans to plant billions of trees, ultimately saving the nation’s declining forests. In 1933, during the height of the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This ambitious program aimed to aid both a generation of struggling young men and the country’s neglected public lands. From 1933 to 1942, the voluntary initiative enlisted more than three million unemployed men between the ages of 18 and 25. They were sent to isolated wilderness camps where, under structured, military style supervision, they constructed trails, built bridges, and battled wildfires. In exchange, participants received housing, food, and a monthly allowance of $30, with $25 of that amount sent directly to support their families back home. The lasting impact of this Tree Army is still evident throughout the United States. CCC members planted nearly three billion trees, accounting for roughly half of all reforestation efforts in American history up to that point. They also developed essential infrastructure in more than 800 state and national parks. When the program concluded as the United States entered World War II, many of these fit young men shifted from tools to military service. Today, the stone structures and extensive trail networks they created continue to form the foundation of America’s park systems, illustrating the enduring benefits of investing in both people and the natural environment.