YES's Youth Leadership Pathway engages youth from age 8 through 18, and our Fellows - teens in the Pathway who are 16-18 years old - are part of YES's new Coastal Conservation Corps. Thanks to powerful funding support from the California Coastal Commission WHALE TAIL and State Coastal Conservancy grant programs, YES is deepening our focus on climate change and coastal and marine conservation education through workshops and experiential trips to the coast. We're grateful for the new partnerships with groups such as Audubon Canyon Ranch (ACR), the California Academy of Sciences, and Conservation Kids that have helped us launch this exciting new project!

Two weeks ago, we brought 12 teens out to ACR's Volunteer Canyon on the Bolinas Lagoon for a weekend filled with new and fascinating experiences. Led by professional naturalist and educator Catie Clune, the group explored Stinson Beach while learning about the impact and source of microplastics and microfibers - including how our own laundry contributes to this environmental threat.

The group was also treated to a presentation about how nature photography can be a powerful tool in conservation and species protection advocacy from Camilla Fox of Project Coyote, followed by the opportunity to learn and practice our own nature photography with professional photographer Daniel Dietrich of Conservation Kids - you can see our young photographers' work documenting Volunteer Canyon by clicking here.

The trip was fun, educational, and also provided a chance to unwind and connect over preparing meals, getting cozy in the bunkhouse, and spending time clambering over rocks and through the sand at the Pacific's edge. A stop at Samuel P. Taylor State Park provided that one-of-a-kind experience of being immersed in the redwood forest. Teens learned about redwood fire ecology and the unique roles of coastal redwood forests in carbon sequestration and the salmon life cycle. Our teens later shared that understanding how air quality and redwoods are connected was particularly compelling, living with Richmond's Chevron refinery in their home community and experiencing the increase in smoke from wildfires.

The Coastal Conservation Corps project will culminate when these teens serve as environmental educators, sharing their learning and experiences with younger YES youth and our wider Richmond community during our Winter Camp later this month, spring Family Camp, and Camp Days outings to Richmond's own Miller Knox Regional Shoreline.