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Borderlands Earth Care Youth
The BECY application process is now open. Deadline to apply: January 31, 2026.
Borderlands Earth Care Youth (BECY) is a paid internship offered to youth aged 16-20 in Santa Cruz and Cochise Counties. The internship is one week long, and runs during Fall Break in Douglas every October, and during Spring Break in Nogales and Patagonia every March.
The BECY internship provides young people with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with watershed restoration and native plant propagation while working in beautiful project sites across southeastern Arizona!
Throughout the program, youth gain personal development and leadership skills while connecting with professionals from a range of environment-related careers.
Since its beginning in 2012, over 200 young people from Arizona border towns have graduated from the BECY internship program, with new skills and enthusiasm to contribute to the well-being of their home communities.
BECY leaders are BRN staff who bring to the program strong backgrounds in environment, policy, community development, and outdoor leadership. Our BECY leaders are also Wilderness First Responder-certified, which is the highest level training for outdoor professionals.
Questions? Contact us at education@borderlandsrestoration.org
ABOUT
BECY provides paid internships for youth ages 16-20 to learn practical, marketable skills in watershed restoration, ecosystem restoration, and community restoration. The BECY program is currently offered in Santa Cruz and Cochise Counties. Crews are comprised of 10-12 youth, with two BRN staff as program leads.
Each crew develops experiences and vocabulary in teamwork, leadership, and empathy while following a curriculum of habitat restoration in the following structure: Watershed Restoration, Ecosystem Restoration, and Community Restoration. Those interested in applying should be prepared for physically strenuous but fulfilling activities in some of the most beautiful locations the Arizona/Sonora border has to offer.
BECY IS GENEROUSLY FUNDED THROUGH PRIVATE SUPPORT FROM DONORS, GRANT FUNDING, AND KEY PARTNERSHIPS
Thank you to our current and past funders and partners who make this important program possible!
47 Ranch, Arevalos Farm, Barboot Ranch, City of Douglas, Coronado National Forest, Cuenca Los Ojos, Douglas High School Land Lab, Douglas Public Library, El Coronado Ranch, Harris Heritage Farm, Home Grown Instruments, Huachuca City Community Garden, Madrean Archipelago Plant Propagation Center, Malpai Borderlands Group, Milagros del Desierto, Patagonia, The Patagonia Museum, Patagonia Public Library, Patagonia Regional Community Fund, Patagonia Union High School, Patagonia Youth Enrichment Center, Santa Fe Ranch Foundation, Southwestern Research Station, Sycamore Ranch, T4 Ranch, Town of Patagonia, University of Arizona Southwest Field Studies in Writing, Winkler Ranch, US Geological Survey, Wildlife Corridor LLC, Youth Conservation Corps