Reid Austin has devoted his 20s to kneeling on forest floors and creek beds, removing anything that doesn’t belong: invasive plants, trash, even bullet casings.
“It’s not glamorous work, but it’s the kind that has to get done,” said Austin, 28, who has spent the last two years as a supervisor at Concerned Resource & Environmental Workers (The C.R.E.W.), an Ojai-based nonprofit that provides paid environmental work and training for young adults.
That work is part of the Environmental Workforce Collaborative (EWC), a Ventura County Community Foundation-led effort supported by Edison International grants — funded by shareholder dollars from the 2017/2018 Southern California fires regulatory settlement totaling $3 million over three years. The collaborative brings together five local environmental and community nonprofits to restore fire-impacted landscapes and protect wildlife habitat — all while helping young people build skills for conservation and wildfire-related careers.
“When we see young people spending their days restoring trails, protecting habitats and caring for the land, it’s hard not to feel hopeful,” said Aja Clarke, Edison International director of Corporate Relations and Philanthropy. “It’s inspiring to support the organizations in this collaborative as they create career pathways while making a tangible difference in their communities.”
For Austin and The C.R.E.W., some days that means pulling mustard, fennel and thistle by hand, or chain sawing red gum eucalyptus tree branches at the Upper San Antonio Creek watershed. The invasive plants crowd out native species and add fuel during fire season. In the last year, the team cleared more than 300 acres of hazardous brush across multiple projects.
“It's rewarding to see how we've left a place better than we found it,” Austin said. “It's even better to work alongside people who care about improving the environment and get the chance to put it to action.”
The C.R.E.W. is now helping Los Padres ForestWatch clear out decades of debris left behind at old target-shooting sites in the Los Padres National Forest.
“We're pulling lead fragments from the ground by the bucketful,” said Ben Pitterle, ForestWatch director of advocacy and field operations. “It’s a lot of painstaking work, and having The C.R.E.W. out there with us means we can remove more of that contamination from places that matter for wildlife.”
Together, the groups removed 1,700 pounds of lead waste from a watershed that supports important wildlife habitat, including endangered California condors.
Whether teams are removing lead from forest soil or clearing out invasive plants, each project helps build a brighter future for both the land and the people caring for it.
“Our job is to get our teams a better job,” said Derek Poultney, executive director of The C.R.E.W. “If they leave us, we see that as a success.”
Austin has seen that success play out in his time with The C.R.E.W., watching members apply skills to their next jobs like wildland firefighting and other outdoor careers. Now, it’s his turn: He’s accepted a full-time position as a land steward with the Ventura Land Trust.
“I’m taking everything I’ve learned from these projects with me,” said Austin. “The work I’ve done on The C.R.E.W. and through EWC opened that door. I get to keep caring for the places that have taught me so much.”
For more information on Edison International’s commitment to giving back, visit edison.com/community.
