“It’s a delicate time,” said Marc Gertsman, the acting commissioner for the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, at a press conference on Tuesday. He was referring to the state of the environment as he stood behind a lectern at Five Rivers.

The sun shone bright on the well-tended grounds, an example of good environmental stewardship. The education center, spanning over 450 acres in New Scotland and Bethlehem, was started during the Great Depression as a Civilian Conservation Corps project.

Tuesday’s announcement also had to do with current delicate economic times, after the Great Recession, where many young adults are having trouble finding jobs.

“This will re-dedicate our young people to protect our land,” said Gertsman.

The program launched on Tuesday is called the Excelsior Conservation Corps. “Excelsior,” from the Latin for beyond lofty, is New York’s motto. The AmericCorps program for 18- to 25-year-olds combines environmental education with stewardship, caring for the land.

“We want to encourage our young people to step forward,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul from the lectern.

The corps will enroll 50 members for 10-month periods, striving for diverse members, and seeking veterans. Administered by the Student Conservation Association, the program will start in January.

Hochul called it “a life-changing event.”

The Excelsior Conservation Corps will be funded through $1.9 million in combined state and federal funding. The New York State Environmental Protection Fund, New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, and the State University of New York will provide a total of $1 million for the program, according to a release from the governor’s office.

The New York State Commission on National and Community Service, in partnership with the federal Corporation for National and Community Service, has also committed $850,000 of AmeriCorps funding to the program. Additional funding will be secured by the Student Conservation Association through sponsorships and private donations.

Corps members will help state agencies including the DEC; the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; the Environmental Facilities Corporation; and the State University of New York in open-space management; natural resource stewardship; infrastructure and sustainability; recreation and access mapping; and environmental education and outreach at state campgrounds and nature centers.

This will include water projects, safety improvements on trails and campsites, tidal marsh restoration, invasive species removal, habitat monitoring, and climate change and resiliency measures. In addition to environmental stewardship work, members will undergo disaster and volunteer management training to help communities hurt by extreme weather.

Excelsior Conservation Corps members will be based at Morrisville State College, where they will receive training and certifications in wilderness first aid, trail construction, stone and timber construction, carpentry, risk management and emergency response, education and outreach, and backcountry living.

After completing the program’s basic training, members will begin service work, dividing into smaller teams to tackle projects across the state. While on remote and multi-day or week service hitches, members will stay at satellite sites, often camping or staying in cabins at state parks and campgrounds.

Each member will be paid a stipend.

Applicants must: be United States citizens or residents between the ages of 18 and 25; be a New York State resident or go to school in the state; have a high school diploma or GED; be able to work both independently and as part of team; and be able to perform physical labor. Appropriate accommodations will be made whenever possible for those who are disabled. Special efforts will be made to recruit veterans and minority candidates.

To download an application or for more information on the Environmental Conservation Corps, visit www.ny.gov/ECC.