American Conservation Exprnc

This experience is great if you want to get your foot in the door working with the Federal Government or other non-profit organizations. This is an amazing experience! The staff and crew leaders are great...they provide great references when your done with your season. The down side is...the pay, you will be over worked, almost taken advantage of, for very very little pay...you will loose money doing this job, but the experience what it provides you after can lead to great things.

I would give it a five star rating but there is some serious issues that I am seeing that should be addressed. First, I was told that I could complete my remaining two terms in hurricane, ut by the branch's director and to apply to openings. Well, I did and have been for over two years to all positions yet they go to someone who friend's with the Coordinator or a crew leader. Or if it is a crew member position then I'm being told that I don't quit meet the requirements. Oh, did I mention that I worked for the NPS as their trail technician, hired by BLM for range aide and was ask by the forest service to be annabassador and us repensentive for the usa and they had no problem me and thought I was a good professional. Yet, it is somehow so hard to get even the crew memeber position. During my my time it was amazing and I would love to use my last two terms with this organization but unfortunately I can't because there's a few bad apples who think biology and Environmental science somehow does fit in with conservation when in fact it does, hired his girlfriend from back home to be a crew member, and this Coordinator lies when giving refeneces. Also, it isn't cool to discriminating based on personal feelings and you shouldn't be hiring your friend from back home and then date them after telling someone that you don't date corp members when apparently the Coordinator does. Need to fire the guy if something isn't done about these issues. I just want to use my two terms and work on my career as a natural resource professional. Getting real tired of people doing these sort of things. It's a shame really

Their crew leader took a member out drinking. Both were terminated. I wouldn't say that is good leadership.

They work you like you're on a chain gang. You work 8 day shifts and then stay on a cot in a house for 5 days. No food provided on your days off. You get paid 100 a week before taxes. The team leaders can be cruel or you may get a nice one. They hate you if you aren't a liberal. If you have ADHD and have to take medicine, they call u 'unbalanced'. Not a good experience!

They are not respectful to their neighbors. I was camped in the National Forest near Flagstaff, and it was so peaceful until ACE showed up. I came back to camp to find they had set up a huge tent city right next to me with showers, bathrooms, and a kitchen. They got up every morning well before dawn and made a terrible racket packing and sorting gear in their trailer, and constantly waking me up while I was sleeping. I tried to be friendly, waved and said hello but they ignored me with an attitude. I honestly don't understand how these people can teach life skills with such conduct. Not a supporter.