An AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) team is working with Taltree Arboretum and Gardens in Valparaiso from March 11 to April 25. The team is assisting with invasive species removal and the construction of a children’s garden.
The NCCC team of 10 from the Vinton campus is working on making the trails useable and beautiful. They are also removing invasive plants that have drained the land’s resources from 10+ acres of woodland and wetland areas so that the species native to Indiana can flourish.
The removal of these invasive plant species allows for native plants and arboretum exhibits to flourish and allows visitors to experience the beauty of Indiana native wildlife and plants. The children’s garden provides an educating and engaging new opportunity for the children that visit Talltree Arboretum and Gardens.
“I am from Colorado so I love to be outside, and this is a perfect first project for the team to get out and do physical work; it will also be a great opportunity for hiking the trails we fix and getting in a lot of time outside,” says NCCC member Ema Irwin from Evergreen, Colo.
Taltree Arboretum & Gardens, a 501(c) 3 public charity, offers over 360 acres of formal gardens, preserved woodlands, savanna, wetlands, and prairie, with nearly four miles of hiking trails. Themed displays include the Hitz Family Rose Garden, Native Plant Garden, Oak Islands, Taltree Railway Garden, and new Children’s Adventure Garden. Taltree is located just south of U.S. 30 between Merrillville and Valparaiso, IN. For more information, visit http://www.taltree.org/, e-mail info@taltree.org or call (219) 462-0025.
AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time, 10-month, residential, national service program in which 2,800 young adults - all 18 to 24 years old- serve nationwide each year. The NCCC program oversees two service tracks – Traditional NCCC and NCCC FEMA Corps – and members in these programs serve in teams of eight to twelve on three to seven service projects during their service. NCCC Members serve on projects that address critical needs related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation, and urban and rural development. NCCC FEMA Corps Members focus solely on disaster relief and recovery projects through FEMA. The North Central Region campus in Vinton, Iowa is one of five regional campuses in the United States and serves Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The other campuses are located in Baltimore, Md.; Sacramento, Calif.; Vicksburg, Miss.; and Denver, Colo.
In exchange for their service, members receive $5,550 to help pay for college, or to pay back existing student loans. Other benefits include a small living stipend, room and board, leadership development, increased self-confidence, and the knowledge that, through active citizenship, people can indeed make a difference. AmeriCorps NCCC is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Corporation improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. For more information about AmeriCorps NCCC programs, visit the website at www.americorps.gov/nccc.