The Maryland Park Service manages multiple Conservation Corps programs – the Maryland Conservation Corps, the Historic Trades Corps, the Conservation Jobs Corps, and the Veterans Conservation Corps. These programs offer youth and veterans the opportunity to learn new skills, engage in the restoration and maintenance of parks and public lands, and gain on-the-job experience with the Maryland Park Service and the Department of Natural Resources.​

Maryland Conservation Corps

The Maryland Conservation Corps (MCC) provides young adults with opportunities for service in the community and to protect the environment by preserving, enhancing, and restoring Maryland’s natural resources. MCC is an award-winning program that engages young adults in extensive natural resource management and park conservation projects and has been managed by the Maryland Park Service since 1984.

Historic Trades Corps of Maryland

The Historic Trades Corps of Maryland (HTC) is dedicated to preserving some of the 1,200+ historic structures in Maryland State Parks, while training the next generation of craftspeople. Modeled after the Maryland Conservation Corps, the HTC builds the skills of young adults in hands-on restoration projects while gaining exposure to a wide variety of historic trades, such as window preservation, historic masonry, preservation carpentry, deconstruction, and roofing. The Historic Trades Corps launched for the first time in Fall 2026.

Conservation Jobs Corps

The Conservation Jobs Corps (CJC) provides a wide array of job and life skills training, while engaging youth in conservation service projects that restore Maryland State Parks and other public lands. CJC combines outdoor experiential activities and the power of nature to challenge and enrich the lives of youth while preparing them for future success in the workforce.

Veterans Conservation Corps

The Veterans Conservation Corps (VCC) empowers veterans and engages them in conservation service work on public lands. The VCC’s work in State Parks uses veterans’ unique background, diverse job skills, and service ethic to address pressing conservation needs on public lands. The focus of the VCC is to develop veterans professionally through training and on the job experience within the Maryland Park Service and the Department of Natural Resources.