The California Conservation Corps is state agency made up of men and women between the ages of 18 and 25. These young people sign up for a year of working to improve California's natural resources. They also help with disasters, such as forest fires, earthquakes and floods.
The CCC was started in 1976 and is the oldest and largest conservation corps in existence today. Over 115,000 people have been involved with it since it's inception.
Considering the tough conditions and manual labor, corps members don't take this job for the glamour. Nor do they do it for the salary as they make very little money. It's no surprise then that the CCC's official motto is "Hard work, low pay, miserable conditions...and more!" However, while it may seem negative, the motto is tongue and cheek. Like most service-oriented corps, CCC workers know that their work is contributing to the greater good.