Introducing the National Park Foundation’s Inclusion Crews...
Here’s something you probably didn’t know:
The contiguous United States covers 3.8 million square miles, making it the third largest country in the world.
This means that, even while traveling within its borders, the US lays claim to an extensive list of natural wonders. From the glaciers of Alaska, through Arizonian deserts to the wetlands of Florida’s Everglades, there are more than 420 national park sites – each unique in its geography and virtues – which are entrusted to the care of America’s National Park Service and its official nonprofit partner, the National Park Foundation (NPF).
2021 marks the fourth year of Free People’s partnership with NPF, supporting not only their mission to enhance and protect America’s parks, but also service corps, park-focused experiences that engage young adults and veterans in projects that address recreational access, conservation, disaster response, and community needs. Free People’s partnership focuses on inclusive, single-identity crews that are dedicated to connecting traditionally underrepresented communities with parks to learn professional skills and train in park stewardship. Our partnership with NPF will directly support such groups -- including an LGBTQ+ crew, a Native American crew, Latinx crew, a Hawaiian crew, and a women’s crew -- by providing them with a safe and inclusive space to nurture their passion for conservation and public lands.
Last year, through our support of NPF service corps, Free People was able to fund an all-female-identifying crew with Nevada Conservation Corps (NCC), who spent ten weeks in Nevada’s Great Basin National Park. Under the leadership of Aurora Pinkey-Drobnis, the group focused on recreation management, habitat restoration, and building a supportive, nurturing environment for its members.
We spoke to Aurora, the Director of Operations at the NCC (She/Her/Hers), about working with the Conservation Corps and the importance of creating an inclusive crew in the conservation field.
What drives you to continue the work? What do you hope to achieve?
What drives me is the deep-seated belief that what we accomplish as an organization is critical to the future of resource sustainability and equity in environmental careers. Our organization and others like it throughout the country are working intentionally to build a diverse conservation workforce that is collaborative and inclusive, while solving really challenging environmental issues. In my small piece of this puzzle, I hope to empower women from all backgrounds to know that this work is a space where they belong, and that we need all voices included to solve the complex problems we face as a global community. I also aim to mentor individuals and support them in whatever career path they choose. There is so much to be gained from the conservation corps experience including collaboration, problem-solving, self-reliance, professionalism, and perseverance.
Last year you formed the first all-female group at Great Basin National Park. How significant was that for you?
I have dedicated my personal and professional life for the past 9 years to the conservation of public resources (water, forests, wildlife, plants, etc) and the mentorship of young people. For many years before I took my current position, I worked for federal agencies and local non-profits as a chainsaw and trails crew leader. Then later, as a field coordinator and project manager. Through most of that time, I altered my behavior in response to gender-based stereotypes. At work, I would wear baggy overalls, muted colors and flannel with no jewelry. However, in my private life I loved bright colors, long skirts and earrings. During the first week of any position I would think carefully before speaking, try to move the biggest rock or hike the fastest in the group in hopes that no one would doubt my strength, ability, or skills. It took several years of experience and sharing this defeating self-narrative with other women working in the field to realize that I was not alone. I did not need to prove my competence or my worth, my technical skills, leadership ability, and willingness to learn were enough. Since that moment, I have made it my mission to create more women-inclusive spaces in conservation – it is something I wish I had the opportunity to participate in while new to the work. This project in collaboration with NPF and Free People has been paramount in achieving this goal. With the success from last year, I am so excited to keep the momentum going for another all-female crew in 2021.
What was your greatest takeaway from last year’s experience?
My greatest takeaway from last year was the positive and organic crew culture that developed on the crew throughout the season. They started out as strangers, but were all there for the opportunity to learn new skills together in a space supportive of women in conservation. Over time, I noticed the subtle ways they spoke to each other with encouragement and intention. The positive crew culture was a direct result of the meaningful relationships they had built with one another. The group took on an identity of their own with inside jokes, crew roles, and a firm foundation in mutual respect. The women participants found ways to exceed my expectations completing large projects, collecting high quality data, and seeking out all opportunities to learn from NCC staff and the staff at the National Park Service. They even organized a women's clothing swap in the small NPS community of Baker, NV, and volunteered on the weekends!
Why was it important to have an Inclusion Crew going forward?
As much progress as we have made towards gender equality in the environmental sector, there are still huge barriers to women in supervisory positions in land management agencies. As just one example, the percentage of women in Wildland fire is only 11% in the USFS, and as low as 6% for the Dept. of the Interior crews. Women in manual labor and fieldwork positions are often a minority, and can face harassment and hazing that is ingrained in the work culture. For many, this culture is considered part of the work. Even on a crew of supportive individuals, it can be difficult to try challenging things in a mixed space of men and women when there is potential to struggle or fail. Groups of individuals such as women, who share a common identity and have been systematically excluded from certain careers or roles, need space to feel that they belong and where they can share a sense of solidarity. In these spaces, we can have honest dialogue about fears, goals, and insecurities. Creating inclusion and affinity conservation crews allows individuals to nurture their personal power and build supportive communities while conserving critical resources. The end goal is diverse leadership and equity in the voices making decisions regarding the environment and natural resources.
We also chatted with Emily Dyer, one of the members of Aurora’s crew, to learn firsthand about her ten-week experience in Great Basin. This year, Emily is returning to now lead the women’s crew at Great Basin.
What does a typical day in Great Basin National Park look like?
The great thing about NCC is that almost every day is different. New challenges and projects, things are always interesting. Usually the day is nonstop, from the moment you get out of your sleeping bag. It could be ten hours of anything, ranging from hiking up a steep trail with a chainsaw on your back to cutting a brand new trail and swinging a tool all day long. It’s all worth it because of the relationships you build with the members of your crew, and the memories you make in beautiful places.
Favorite food to pack for the trails.
My favorite snack to have on the trail is pretty basic: a blueberry bagel with cream cheese. Gotta have my trail bagel!
If the weeks spent in nature had a soundtrack, what songs would it include?
There are a couple songs I listen to on repeat that keep me going on long days: “Lady Like” by Ingrid Andrees, “My Silver Lining” by First Aid Kit, “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys, “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten,” Roar” by Katy Perry.
What drives you to continue the work? What do you hope to achieve?
I love feeling challenged and learning new skills. Learning to chainsaw and getting my certification was something I never imagined doing but was such an empowering experience. Now I’m really focusing on learning as much as I can about saws. One of my goals going into the summer season is to empower the women around me and help them see that they are capable of so much more than they realize.
What was your greatest takeaway from last year’s experience?
I learned so much about myself last summer. My confidence went through the roof. When people ask me what it was like, I tell them it was like a paid women’s retreat. It was therapy in a weird way. Yeah, we only showered once a week and the work was extremely labor intensive at times, but at the end of the day you’re surrounded by an amazing group of women and you could look back at your work with the biggest sense of accomplishment.
Why was it important to have an Inclusion Crew going forward?
Growing up, I was always told there were certain things I couldn’t do because I was a girl. I love challenging that concept and breaking down those barriers. I think it’s important for women to be represented and celebrated in this line of work and I hope it inspires others.
Any advice for anyone who’d like to join a similar project in their area?
Absolutely, 100% do it! It’s such a fulfilling experience to get to help the environment while being surrounded by supportive like- minded people.
We are proud to continue our support of women’s crews, and are humbled to extend that support to their diverse single-identity inclusive crews. We will continue to add more to this list as we strive to create safe and enriching spaces for individuals who are passionate about conservation and the beautiful nature around us.
Stay tuned to our social media channels for more stories from the field throughout the year.
In the meantime, please visit the Corps Network for available opportunities with the National Park Foundation’s service corps partners.
And don't forget Free People’s Skip A Bag Program. Any time you skip or reuse a cloth Free People shopping bag in our stores, we’ll donate $0.10 of each transaction to the National Park Foundation. Since its inception, Free People has donated $200,000 through the Skip A Bag Program, saving over 2 million bags from reaching the landfill.
The contiguous United States covers 3.8 million square miles, making it the third largest country in the world.
This means that, even while traveling within its borders, the US lays claim to an extensive list of natural wonders. From the glaciers of Alaska, through Arizonian deserts to the wetlands of Florida’s Everglades, there are more than 420 national park sites – each unique in its geography and virtues – which are entrusted to the care of America’s National Park Service and its official nonprofit partner, the National Park Foundation (NPF).
2021 marks the fourth year of Free People’s partnership with NPF, supporting not only their mission to enhance and protect America’s parks, but also service corps, park-focused experiences that engage young adults and veterans in projects that address recreational access, conservation, disaster response, and community needs. Free People’s partnership focuses on inclusive, single-identity crews that are dedicated to connecting traditionally underrepresented communities with parks to learn professional skills and train in park stewardship. Our partnership with NPF will directly support such groups -- including an LGBTQ+ crew, a Native American crew, Latinx crew, a Hawaiian crew, and a women’s crew -- by providing them with a safe and inclusive space to nurture their passion for conservation and public lands.
Last year, through our support of NPF service corps, Free People was able to fund an all-female-identifying crew with Nevada Conservation Corps (NCC), who spent ten weeks in Nevada’s Great Basin National Park. Under the leadership of Aurora Pinkey-Drobnis, the group focused on recreation management, habitat restoration, and building a supportive, nurturing environment for its members.
We spoke to Aurora, the Director of Operations at the NCC (She/Her/Hers), about working with the Conservation Corps and the importance of creating an inclusive crew in the conservation field.
What drives you to continue the work? What do you hope to achieve?
What drives me is the deep-seated belief that what we accomplish as an organization is critical to the future of resource sustainability and equity in environmental careers. Our organization and others like it throughout the country are working intentionally to build a diverse conservation workforce that is collaborative and inclusive, while solving really challenging environmental issues. In my small piece of this puzzle, I hope to empower women from all backgrounds to know that this work is a space where they belong, and that we need all voices included to solve the complex problems we face as a global community. I also aim to mentor individuals and support them in whatever career path they choose. There is so much to be gained from the conservation corps experience including collaboration, problem-solving, self-reliance, professionalism, and perseverance.
Last year you formed the first all-female group at Great Basin National Park. How significant was that for you?
I have dedicated my personal and professional life for the past 9 years to the conservation of public resources (water, forests, wildlife, plants, etc) and the mentorship of young people. For many years before I took my current position, I worked for federal agencies and local non-profits as a chainsaw and trails crew leader. Then later, as a field coordinator and project manager. Through most of that time, I altered my behavior in response to gender-based stereotypes. At work, I would wear baggy overalls, muted colors and flannel with no jewelry. However, in my private life I loved bright colors, long skirts and earrings. During the first week of any position I would think carefully before speaking, try to move the biggest rock or hike the fastest in the group in hopes that no one would doubt my strength, ability, or skills. It took several years of experience and sharing this defeating self-narrative with other women working in the field to realize that I was not alone. I did not need to prove my competence or my worth, my technical skills, leadership ability, and willingness to learn were enough. Since that moment, I have made it my mission to create more women-inclusive spaces in conservation – it is something I wish I had the opportunity to participate in while new to the work. This project in collaboration with NPF and Free People has been paramount in achieving this goal. With the success from last year, I am so excited to keep the momentum going for another all-female crew in 2021.
What was your greatest takeaway from last year’s experience?
My greatest takeaway from last year was the positive and organic crew culture that developed on the crew throughout the season. They started out as strangers, but were all there for the opportunity to learn new skills together in a space supportive of women in conservation. Over time, I noticed the subtle ways they spoke to each other with encouragement and intention. The positive crew culture was a direct result of the meaningful relationships they had built with one another. The group took on an identity of their own with inside jokes, crew roles, and a firm foundation in mutual respect. The women participants found ways to exceed my expectations completing large projects, collecting high quality data, and seeking out all opportunities to learn from NCC staff and the staff at the National Park Service. They even organized a women's clothing swap in the small NPS community of Baker, NV, and volunteered on the weekends!
Why was it important to have an Inclusion Crew going forward?
As much progress as we have made towards gender equality in the environmental sector, there are still huge barriers to women in supervisory positions in land management agencies. As just one example, the percentage of women in Wildland fire is only 11% in the USFS, and as low as 6% for the Dept. of the Interior crews. Women in manual labor and fieldwork positions are often a minority, and can face harassment and hazing that is ingrained in the work culture. For many, this culture is considered part of the work. Even on a crew of supportive individuals, it can be difficult to try challenging things in a mixed space of men and women when there is potential to struggle or fail. Groups of individuals such as women, who share a common identity and have been systematically excluded from certain careers or roles, need space to feel that they belong and where they can share a sense of solidarity. In these spaces, we can have honest dialogue about fears, goals, and insecurities. Creating inclusion and affinity conservation crews allows individuals to nurture their personal power and build supportive communities while conserving critical resources. The end goal is diverse leadership and equity in the voices making decisions regarding the environment and natural resources.
We also chatted with Emily Dyer, one of the members of Aurora’s crew, to learn firsthand about her ten-week experience in Great Basin. This year, Emily is returning to now lead the women’s crew at Great Basin.
What does a typical day in Great Basin National Park look like?
The great thing about NCC is that almost every day is different. New challenges and projects, things are always interesting. Usually the day is nonstop, from the moment you get out of your sleeping bag. It could be ten hours of anything, ranging from hiking up a steep trail with a chainsaw on your back to cutting a brand new trail and swinging a tool all day long. It’s all worth it because of the relationships you build with the members of your crew, and the memories you make in beautiful places.
Favorite food to pack for the trails.
My favorite snack to have on the trail is pretty basic: a blueberry bagel with cream cheese. Gotta have my trail bagel!
If the weeks spent in nature had a soundtrack, what songs would it include?
There are a couple songs I listen to on repeat that keep me going on long days: “Lady Like” by Ingrid Andrees, “My Silver Lining” by First Aid Kit, “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys, “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten,” Roar” by Katy Perry.
What drives you to continue the work? What do you hope to achieve?
I love feeling challenged and learning new skills. Learning to chainsaw and getting my certification was something I never imagined doing but was such an empowering experience. Now I’m really focusing on learning as much as I can about saws. One of my goals going into the summer season is to empower the women around me and help them see that they are capable of so much more than they realize.
What was your greatest takeaway from last year’s experience?
I learned so much about myself last summer. My confidence went through the roof. When people ask me what it was like, I tell them it was like a paid women’s retreat. It was therapy in a weird way. Yeah, we only showered once a week and the work was extremely labor intensive at times, but at the end of the day you’re surrounded by an amazing group of women and you could look back at your work with the biggest sense of accomplishment.
Why was it important to have an Inclusion Crew going forward?
Growing up, I was always told there were certain things I couldn’t do because I was a girl. I love challenging that concept and breaking down those barriers. I think it’s important for women to be represented and celebrated in this line of work and I hope it inspires others.
Any advice for anyone who’d like to join a similar project in their area?
Absolutely, 100% do it! It’s such a fulfilling experience to get to help the environment while being surrounded by supportive like- minded people.
We are proud to continue our support of women’s crews, and are humbled to extend that support to their diverse single-identity inclusive crews. We will continue to add more to this list as we strive to create safe and enriching spaces for individuals who are passionate about conservation and the beautiful nature around us.
Stay tuned to our social media channels for more stories from the field throughout the year.
In the meantime, please visit the Corps Network for available opportunities with the National Park Foundation’s service corps partners.
And don't forget Free People’s Skip A Bag Program. Any time you skip or reuse a cloth Free People shopping bag in our stores, we’ll donate $0.10 of each transaction to the National Park Foundation. Since its inception, Free People has donated $200,000 through the Skip A Bag Program, saving over 2 million bags from reaching the landfill.
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