MobilizeGreen

Eight fellows, four from the 2024 Cohort and four from the 2025 Cohort, in MobilizeGreen’s Maintenance & Infrastructure Fellowship Program completed a masonry course where they had the opportunity to update existing infrastructure at the National Conservation Training Center in West Virginia. Led by Architecture Fellow Calla, a member of the 2024 MIFP Cohort, the group of fellows removed and reset stone steps while learning masonry techniques over the course of a week.

The fellows learned how to use a grinding tool, masonry trowels, chisels, and a wet saw to cut stones to the necessary size. This project also required attention to detail, including learning the right slopes and placement of stones. Fellows worked together to place and level the heavy stones with rubber mallets. Calla said, “Our strongest tool ended up being our ability to communicate what the stones needed.”

One challenge with this project was timing and coordinating around the weather, an important factor in masonry. When conditions were not right for the project, the fellows interacted with staff visiting the site for an ongoing USFWS Wage Grade Academy event. Additionally, the fellows were challenged to create the correct consistency of mortar to hold the stones, a process that took some trial and error.

Reflecting on her project, Calla said, “The learning experience that I value the most from this project was when it came to leadership and project management. Over my fellowship, I have seen large-scale infrastructure projects and I have learned that each project always brings ways to improve in the future. Now that I have taken the role in managing the project, there are many things I will change for future similar projects.”

In the end, the fellows took stairs damaged by intermittent freezing and thawing of snow and rainwater and replaced the mortar at an angle where the water would no longer seep into the stones. They worked efficiently as a team across the week to accomplish their goal and learn masonry skills along the way. Azzie, a fellow in the 2025 MIFP cohort, said, “By the end of the project our team became a little family, and I found it hard to say goodbye to the 2025' and 2024' cohort fellows.”

This is conservation in action.
This is the impact of MIFP Fellows.

Allow us to reintroduce ourselves. For 12 years, MobilizeGreen has been building pathways into green careers for students who don't have the network, the credentials, or the clear starting point. 4,000+ students. Backed by the Walton Family Foundation, the NBA, and Kia. This is who we are — and we're just getting started. Head to mobilizegreen.org to find out more

Liz is a Maintenance Fellow serving through MobilizeGreen’s Maintenance & Infrastructure Fellowship Program on the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Throughout January and February, Liz organized and completed an ecological restoration and safety improvement project across a 110-acre parcel of the refuge.

Four additional MobilizeGreen fellows, Abigail, Alex, Andrea, Sophia, and Xaydwiind, arrived on site to assist Liz in executing this project. In order to accomplish their tasks, fellows used post pullers, fencing pliers, wire cutters, digging bars, and battery-powered impact drivers. The fellows with heavy equipment certifications also operated a UTV, skid steers, and attachments such as buckets and grapplers to remove large debris and segments of fencing in an efficient manner.

Reflecting on her experience, Liz shared, “My best learning experience was recognizing how infrastructure decisions directly impact wildlife movement and ecosystem health. Seeing how seemingly small structural barriers fragment habitats reinforced the importance of thoughtful restoration.”

During the project, some challenges arose, like encountering equipment in need of service, but this allowed Liz to practice problem-solving while maintaining the project timeline and safety compliance. She stated that “successfully navigating these setbacks required flexibility, clear communication, and a proactive approach to risk management.” Liz gained leadership experience through directing the project alongside tackling the hands-on fieldwork.

Liz said, “What I liked most about the Oak Creek project was seeing a previously neglected area transform into something functional and environmentally beneficial with a long-term positive ecological impact.”

This is conservation in action. 🌿

This is the impact of MIFP Fellows.