Celebrating National Public Lands Day with NJ Youth Corps of Phillipsburg

Every September, people all across the country come together for National Public Lands Day (NPLD)—a day dedicated to giving back to the parks, trails, forests, and open spaces that we all share. This year, on Saturday, September 27, 2025, we’re excited to celebrate the role the New Jersey Youth Corps of Phillipsburg plays in keeping our local public lands healthy, beautiful, and open for everyone to enjoy.

How We Pitch In

If you’ve ever walked a trail, relaxed at a park, or explored preserved land in Warren County, chances are you’ve seen (or walked on!) some of the work our crews have helped with. Thanks to our partnerships with the Town of Phillipsburg, the Warren County Department of Land Preservation and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), our Corps members get hands-on experience making a real difference outdoors.

Here are just a few ways we help care for our public lands:

🌱 Pulling out invasive plants and planting native ones so wildlife has a healthy home

🚶‍♀️ Building and repairing trails so they’re safe and accessible

🛠️ Fixing up picnic areas, fences, and park facilities

🌊 Helping with conservation projects that protect waterways and open space

It’s hard work sometimes, but it’s also rewarding—our members gain job skills, learn about the environment, and see firsthand the impact of their efforts in the community.

Why It Matters

Corpsmembers learn teamwork and communication skills working to help maintain public assets like parks and trails.

National Public Lands Day isn’t just about one day of service. It’s about remembering that our parks and open spaces need year-round care—and that when we all pitch in, amazing things can happen. With the support of our partners in Warren County and the NJDEP, we’re proud to do our part in keeping these places thriving.

The work also helps reengage youth with the great outdoors - we use these outdoor spaces as an extension of our classrooms, allowing Corpsmembers to reinforce lessons learned while physically engaging in their learning process.

Celebrate With Us

This weekend, we hope you’ll celebrate National Public Lands Day in your own way: volunteer at a park, take a hike, enjoy some fresh air, or just pause to appreciate the beauty of the outdoors. Public lands are OURS to enjoy and protect!

From all of us at the NJ Youth Corps of Phillipsburg, happy National Public Lands Day! Let’s keep working together to take care of the lands we love—for today, tomorrow, and generations to come!

Do you know a young person who would like to earn money while pursuing their high school diploma and gaining employable skills through work experiences? Call or text GOALS to 908-859-2969 to learn more about the program or have them apply for an upcoming Youth Corps class at njycphillipsburg.com/apply-now 

ABOUT NEW JERSEY YOUTH CORPS OF PHILLIPSBURG:

Funded by the NJ Department of Labor & Workforce Development, The New Jersey Youth Corps is a four-month program for 16-25 year old out-of-school youth that combines academic instruction with job readiness experiences.  Youth Corps helps identify and dismantle barriers to success.  Participants can earn up to $1,900 in incentives over the course of the program.  Additionally, NJYC provides transitional services to all participants post program completion into employment, secondary education, credentialed training, etc.

#education #phillipsburgnj #CorpsWork #ConservationInAction #YouthCorps #NJYCPhillipsburg #merrillcreekreservoir #secondchances #GED #warrencountynj #NationalPublicLandsDay

Here we go again!

Greetings YC friends and Family!

It’s hard to believe we just wrapped up a cohort and are beginning the same intensive process all over again. While the process occasionally feels Sisyphean - our Corpsmembers always have the ability to make the staff’s effort meaningful, thereby culminating in a positive experience for all.

We hit the ground running with our 82nd class on July 6th - bringing in a new cohort. The first days are always a little lopsided - with staff bringing the energy and recruits bringing a lot of skepticism. But in short order, a system of routine - and all the hiccups that come with it - started. It was encouraging to see this group dynamic form.

Class 82 got to work in the classroom by performing their usual assessments, but also did a lot of team building activities - from simple ‘get-to-know-you’ stuff to exploring communication styles and even testing the newly formed bonds they were shaping in designing a better system to drop an egg without breaking it. Check out the video capturing these moments here, or just click the image of the video below.

Catch a glimpse of the activities included in Orientation

Once inducted, the Corpsmembers begin the rhythmic cycle of academic days and service days. It can be more challenging than you think - but the day-in-day-out routine works for our youth. Their first day of service was spent out on Warren County Parkland - specifically Bread Lock Park (BLP) along route 57 in Stewartsville, NJ. A premiere site along the historic Morris Canal Greenway, Lock 7 West became known as “Bread Lock” because the store at the end of the lock sold goods to boatmen passing through back in the mid-19th century, including homemade bread and pies. While still buried, the remains of the lock itself speak to the historical significance of this site as part of the larger Morris Canal Greenway. Today, a short section of the canal has been cleared and offers a lovely walk where you can see the prism that once held water and towpath traveled by mules pulling the boats along. Visitors can also enjoy the nature and exercise trails around the perimeter of the park, as well as the Historic Learning Center. NJYC of Phillipsburg has been maintaining BLP as part of our larger fee-for-service contract with the Warren County Department of Land Preservation. You can check out the work the crew did on their very first service day here or by clicking the video image below.

In developing our service projects over the years, we’ve been trying to increase the program’s capacity to serve our community while developing more technologically demanding, in-demand skills for our Corpsmembers to apply. This past week we took a big step toward that goal. Working with NJ Audubon and our new friends at Merrill Creek Reservoir, we installed data loggers along a section of Upper Merrill Creek to record temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels. These loggers were installed at the headwaters of the creek and two other locations downstream. In a few months, we’ll come back, retrieve them, and then download the data. The data will reflect certain dynamics that will inform us as to potential restoration efforts that might be implemented along the waterway. Check out the video of the installation process here or click below on the video link.

Overall, it has been a busy month - and we’re already 1/4 the way through this cohort! Looking ahead to August, we’ll be updating you on some work we’ll be doing along South Main Street in Phillipsburg - with support from our NJDOT Urban Gateway Enhancement Grant and funds from the NORWESCAP Community Development Team - we look to make an impact downtown!

We’ll also look to share our preparations for our 9/11 Day of Service & Remembrance, update you on the progress we’re making toward our current cohorts’ academic goals as well as some highlights from following up with former YC Alumni!

click to go to the Warren County Civid-19 website

Lastly - we want to remind everyone to be safe out there. The current uptick in reported cases of COVID-19 in our region means more than likely an impact that the more infectious and easily transmissible Delta variant may be on the rise. We encourage you to visit the Warren County website for more information on current protocols, vaccination sites, etc. We have found the County website immensely helpful in guiding our team in implementing safe practices and protocols throughout the pandemic and we appreciate the resources they provide - check them out!

Until then, be safe & stay healthy!

Michael