This story was originally shared with us during our Story Contest by ​Gabriella Trippi, who won second place in the contest from Southwest Conservation Corps. The contest has ended, but you can still share your stories with us for possible publication on The Field Guide! Please email  your story (and any accompanying photos) to communications@conservationlegacy.org. 

Yeah, it’s about conservation—
but that’s just scraping the surface.

It’s the dirt under your fingernails that you can never quite scrub out.
The black sap stains inked on your forearms.
The wood chips stuck in your belly button,
in your bra,
your socks,
your hair.

It’s the ache in your lower back from lifting bucked logs.
The mouthwatering taste of a camp dinner after a 10-hour day.
The beauty of a bright red sunrise at 6 a.m. breakfast.
The chill in your bones when you crawl out of your tent to pee in the dark.

It’s the dumb inside jokes,
vocal stims,
spontaneous singing,
and brain rot, the crew can’t go an hour without repeating.
The kind of laughter that heals something you didn’t know was hurting.

It’s the ham and cheese sandwich scarfed down in 30 minutes.
The chill of the river while soaking your sweaty feet.
The watered-down cowboy coffee.
The peanut butter-smeared bagel at breakfast.

It’s the truck radio blaring Rihanna with the windows down
on the mid-hitch drive to the gas station.
The exhilaration of a perfectly executed quarter or boring back cut.
The sleep — deep and earned — on an inflatable pad after a hard day’s work.

It’s the view of distant mountains from your campsite.
The tubs of Gatorade powder you tear through in eight days.
The stupidly hilarious answers to stretch-and-safety’s question of the day.

It’s how you now pause to OHLEC every tree on your walk in the park.
The way your saw gets lighter as your arms grow stronger.
The bar oil and gasoline-soaked pants and boots.
The metal shavings clinging to your hands after sharpening your saw’s teeth.

It’s the tears shed at graduation after eight strangers —
now best friends —
from all corners of the country,
came together to do some unforgettable, badass work.

It’s the way it breaks you down,
and builds you back up—
stronger, more grounded, more whole.
It’s the kind of experience that changes how you see the world.
How you see yourself.

So yeah, it’s about conservation.
And fire mitigation.
And putting in hard, honest work.

But it’s also about becoming.
And belonging.
And finding a version of yourself you couldn’t find anywhere else.

It’s what you discover when you finally get your hands dirty.