Joey Austin History 2020 November 11, 2011 Benefits of the CCC The Civilian Conservation Corps, also

known as the CCC, was part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelts New Deal Plan. Albert Bender described the CCC as A Young Man's Opportunity for Work Play Study & Health" in a propaganda poster published in 1935 (The National Archives). This quote describes the role of the CCC very well. The CCC was a public work relief program that worked at conserving natural resources in rural areas and provided jobs to unskilled laborers. I knew very little about the CCC, until we watched the film in class. Now, I do not see why there would be such dislike for one of FDRS best New Deal plans. First, the CCC helped train farmers to get the best use out of their land and reforested rural areas. For decades before the CCC, farmers had cultivated the Great Plains without knowledge of land conservation, which helped in creating the great Dust Bowl. Those involved in the CCC tried to teach the stubborn farmers about contour farming, but the farmers would not really pay any attention to their suggestions. Additionally, the CCCs planted over two billion trees trying to restore forest regions that had been lost due to expansion. This initiative helped to prevent erosion and to replenish the forests which had been logged heavily. Second, the CCC also helped our countrys immense problem with unemployment during the Great Depression. At its height, there were more than a quarter million men enlisted. By the end of the Great Depression, it had employed over two and a half million young men. These men

earned $30.00 a month, $25.00 of which had to be sent home to their families. This was probably most families only means of income at such a rough time in American history. Third, the CCC helped build the state parks that so many visitors continue to enjoy each year. They helped to create trails through the mountains and built bridges over watersheds. They also helped to replenish native trees that had been plundered during prior exploration years. Thanks to the CCC, Tennesseans can enjoy 77 parks that were created here in Tennessee. Also, the CCC helped in the construction of several lakes and dams around the United States. In conclusion, the Civilian Conservation Corps was very beneficial both during and after the Great Depression. While some parts of President Roosevelts New Deal Plan may have had limited success, the CCC program succeeded in helping Dust Bowl farmers production, conservation, reforesting, providing employment, creating parks, and so much more. Without the CCC, the United States would not be the country it is today in terms of nature and conservation.