Gichi Onigaming Conservation Crew (GOCC)

GOCC logo

NPS Graphic

GOCC was founded primarily to engage and employ youth, to build skills and knowledge, and to provide mentorship to the next generation of land stewards. The work expands beyond Grand Portage National Monument to the Grand Portage community, and Minong (Isle Royale National Park, designated a Traditional Cultural Property in 2019), and other federal and state lands. Skills gained include trails maintenance, archeological and historic preservation, vegetation management, wildland fire management, and subsistence agriculture. These experiences pave the way for a variety of careers in Public Lands and resource management.

 

Bridging is one of the skills learned.

NPS Photo / N. Pond

Introduction and Goals

Grand Portage National Monument (the “Park”) was established as a 710-acre unit of the U.S. National Park Service by Congress on September 2, 1958. The enabling legislation set a broad mandate to establish a park “for the purpose of preserving an area containing unique historical values” (Public Law 85-910).

Due the enabling legislation and the Tribal Self-Governance Act of 1994, the Park is part of a long-standing co-management partnership with the Grand Portage Band. A primary goal of that partnership is to provide career opportunities in park and land management to the Grand Portage community. Gichi Onigamiing Conservation Crew (GOCC) is one initiative developed by the park to help achieve that goal. The program is designed to provide employment, training, and mentorship for future career opportunities in park and public land management to tribal youth and young adults. Projects primarily involved Park management and reservation community initiatives, this will include trail maintenance, archeological and historic site preservation, fuels reduction, cultural landscape maintenance, viewshed management, tribal Food Sovereignty-related projects as well as some natural resource monitoring and inventory research.

Age Range

17-35 years old. Training provided, based on State and Federal and OSHA Regulations. We follow those guidelines and set age requirements for employment positions and trainings based on age.

 

GOCC learns how to conduct a shovel test for potential artifacts.

NPS Photo / S. Kerfoot

Learn These Skills

• Chainsaw and fire management
• Archeology survey
• Campsite and portage maintenance
• Trail maintenance
  • brushing
  • bridging
  • windfalling

Questions? email us!

Apply for Summer 2026

Apply for GOCC Crew Lead
Coordinates and leads the day-to-day operations of the field crew to complete a diversity of projects for multiple agencies and park partners. Projects may include trail maintenance, hazard tree removal, vegetation view-shed management, maintaining natural resource monitoring equipment. Assists in training crew members in areas including, but not limited to, field and park safety protocols, proper tool use, sawyer certification, wildland fire certifications, and Leave No trace principles. Maintains a safe working environment and enforce the use of appropriate personal protective equipment.

Apply for GOCC Crew Member
Assist park staff in accomplishing resource and park management tasks and projects. Typical duties will include trail maintenance, tree/vegetation removal, wildland fire, landscape maintenance, and other natural/cultural resource tasks or special projects as assigned. Must always follow safety protocols.

 

Boarding the boat.

NPS Photo / N. Pond

Work with Agency Partners

GOCC works with other national parks to learn skills and assist with projects. Minong (Isle Royale National Park) is the traditional culture property of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Here the crew is ferried to to perform trail maintenance and visit the island as part of their summer experience.

 

GOCC cooperates with agency partners including the Superior National Forest.

NPS Photo / S. Kerfoot