Orange County Conservation Corps

Sunlight through oak canopy over a corpsmember in an OCCC safety vest
Orange County · Est. 1993

Transforming OC's environment.
And young lives.

For 30+ years, Orange County's young adults have built real careers through hands-on conservation across our beaches, trails, and watersheds.

Donate Join the Corps

Recycle your bottles and cans with us.

Cash back in Irvine, Tuesday to Saturday. Free business pickup, too.

Hours & location →
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Young Adults Trained
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Acres Restored
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Native Plants Grown
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Tons Recycled
Habitat Restoration Beach Cleanup Fuel Reduction Stormwater Management Bottle & Can Buyback Workforce Training Native Plant Nursery Career Placement Laguna Lake Park Sacramento Advocacy

Plenty of organizations restore land. Almost none can say the land was the classroom. That's been the difference here for 30+ years. Young people aren't the labor behind the mission, they are the mission.

OCCC field crew walking a tree-shaded trail

Orange County's wild side.
Someone has to look after it.

From the Seal Beach channels to Santiago Creek, our crews do the physical work: restoring habitat, clearing fire-prone brush, cleaning shorelines. Corpsmembers walk away with proof of what they're capable of.

See the work up close →
What we do

Four kinds of work.
One Orange County.

See all the work →
Two corpsmembers clearing invasive cane
Field & Trail

Habitat Restoration

Crews put native trees, shrubs and seedlings in the ground, then clear the invasive growth that would crowd them out. Over a season it brings a creek bank or a neglected park back to life.

  • Native planting along Santiago Creek and Laguna Lake
  • Invasive cane and brush removal
  • Trail and open-space upkeep across Anaheim
Corpsmember collecting recyclables on the sand at Seal Beach
Coastal

Beach & Shoreline Cleanup

Crews work the sand and the wetlands, pulling out the trash and debris that washes in and gets left behind, so the shoreline and the habitat behind it stay healthy.

  • Beach cleanups from Seal Beach to Huntington Beach
  • Wetland and channel debris removal at Bolsa Chica
  • Clearing litter before it reaches the water
Crews in protective suits installing barriers during coastal fire recovery
Fire Safety

Fuel Reduction & Fire Recovery

Crews cut back the dry, fire-prone brush that puts homes and open space at risk, open up defensible space, and help communities clear debris and recover after a fire moves through.

  • Defensible space and brush clearance
  • Fuel reduction in inland canyons
  • Post-fire debris cleanup and recovery
Recycling operations
Recycling

Bottle & Can Buyback

Bring your bottles and cans to our Irvine center and get paid the California Redemption Value, Tuesday through Saturday. Businesses can set up free pickup instead. Corpsmembers run it all and earn certifications, and the proceeds fund their training.

  • CRV buyback in Irvine, Tuesday to Saturday
  • Free recycling pickup for businesses
  • Certifications in sustainable resource management
Recycling center & hours →

6 AM to 2:30 PM. A corpsmember's workday.

Corpsmembers gathered at tables inside Anaheim HQ6:00 AM
Crew muster, Anaheim HQTools checked. Assignments set. Coffee mandatory.
Corpsmember swinging a tool clearing brush beneath a eucalyptus8:00 AM
On site, Santiago CreekInvasive removal along the watershed.
Crew planting a young tree in dappled light11:30 AM
Native plantingTwo hundred seedlings in the ground before lunch.
Corpsmembers in chainsaw certification training2:30 PM
Class timeField work ends. Diplomas and certifications begin.
The Mission · Ages 18-26

A first paycheck.
A real future.

29 paid hours a week. A mentor who knows your name. Education that fits around your life. Open to Orange County residents aged 18 to 26, and to Anaheim residents through 30. No experience required.

Paid field work High school diploma Driver's license Certifications Career placement
Apply to the Corps →
Two smiling corpsmembers in hard hats and safety vests
Now enrollingRolling admissions · Anaheim, CA
The Program

Twelve months.
Four things you leave with.

01

Paid Field Work

29 hours per week on real conservation crews. Your first professional paycheck starts here.

02

Education

Diplomas, certifications, driver's license training, and post-secondary pathways built around your schedule.

03

Mentorship

An individual service strategy and a case manager in your corner. Support that doesn't disappear when it gets hard.

04

Career Placement

Direct pipelines into environmental services, construction, and public agencies. The Corps is just the beginning.

Corpsmembers in caps and gowns at an outdoor graduation
“

They didn't just hand us books. They gave us a crew, a paycheck, and a reason to get up in the morning.

Alyssa C.Program Graduate