Speaking of young people doing good green work, 305 of them "graduated" last week from Maryland's Civic Justice Corps, after five weeks of park restoration work, team building and learning about the natural world.

Five-member crews did trail maintenance, tree planting, beach cleanups and other restoration work at Gunpowder, Patapsco Valley, North Point, Assateague, Seneca Creek and Susquehanna state parks, plus Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary.  It wasn't all chores, as they also got time to hike, camp, canoe and do some artwork.

The program, an offshoot of the Maryland Conservation Corps, provides paid summer work and learning opportunities for at-risk youths from Baltimore city and elsewhere.  Now in its third year, it's nearly tripled in size.  The Sun's outdoors writer, Candus Thomson, highlighted their work recently in a nice feature story. 

(Baltimore Sun photo by Candus Thomson)