The Legacy of the Civilian Conversation Corps

In 1942, Congress discontinued funding for the CCC diverting desperately needed resources to the effort to win World War II. Such monuments and statues dedicated to the CCC and its alumni dot parks across the entire country. The extensive development and expansion of park facilities and services by the CCC made possible the modern state and national park systems that Americans even today enjoy. The CCC became a model for future conservation programs. More than 100 present-day corps programs operate at local, state, and national levels engaging young adults in community service and conservation activities. By the time the CCC program ended at the start of World War II, Roosevelt’s Tree Army had planted more than 3.5 billion trees on land made barren from fires, natural erosion, or lumbering. In fact, the CCC was responsible for over half the reforestation, public and private, done in the nation’s history. CCC companies contributed to an impressive number of state and national park structures that visitors can still enjoy today. More than 700 new state parks were established through the CCC program.