Young trailblazers: Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park receives $175K to fuel youth program

Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park received a $150,000 grant from the National Park Foundation and $25,000 from donor Helen Wright in support of a transformative youth program.

Guardians of the Trails, now in its seventh year, provides paid, hands-on experience and career mentorship to young people in the community who might not otherwise consider a career in conservation.

The yearlong program offers a life-changing career opportunity, breaks down barriers to national park employment and empowers participants to become conservation leaders in their own communities.

Crews of six youths ages 18 to 30 years old or veterans age 35 years old or younger are hired to work full-time at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. Crew members perform a wide range of essential work including native forest rehabilitation, invasive species removal, rare plant seeds collection, trail brushing and maintenance as well as visitor services assistance and data collection.

The idea of a career in a national park for many young people feels out of reach.

Guardians of the Trails provides a direct pathway to employment, equipping participants with the practical skills, experience and confidence they need to succeed.

The grant and donation are about more than just conservation.

“[They’re] about investing in our youth and their potential,” said Friends of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Fien in a release about the recent grant awards. “We are incredibly grateful to the National Park Foundation for [its] generous award and to our dedicated donor Mrs. Helen Wright for her significant contribution.”

Fien added that the support from the grant and donation allows Friends of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park continue building a program that transforms lives while protecting and preserving the park’s incredible landscape.

“We are so proud to be entering our seventh year of empowering young people and watching them become the next generation of park leaders,” she said.

Donations for Guardians of the Trails can be made directly at the Friends of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park website.