This report provides an overview of the full body of empirical evidence on national service as of August 2015, identified through a systematic search and review process.

Key findings of this report include the following:

The Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) Spring 2016 Capstone class worked with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to study the AmeriCorps Disaster Response Teams’ (A-DRTs) experiences under the Incident Command System (ICS) during recent deployments to the December 2015 flood in Missouri.

The researchers analyzed existing research and collected primary data on the Incident Command System (ICS) to better understand strengths and weaknesses of the model in responding to the flood.  

The study found that:

The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a voluntary program that offers financial incentives to farmers to restore riparian habitat and preclude agricultural activities in those buffers during the contract duration (10 or 15 years). The primary purpose of CREP is to restore habitat for salmon and steelhead and improve water quality in those streams.

This report summarizes the results of monitoring contracts signed through the end of 2012 and monitored for effectiveness for the calendar years of 2008-2012.

The study found that:

The Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) is a service program that provides opportunities to young adults to protect and restore the natural environment. WCC projects include enhancement and restoration of wetlands and riparian corridors.

Study Goals:

The goal of this impact evaluation report is to assess the effectiveness of different WCC restoration methods.

Research Question:

What are the relative benefits on plant survival when comparing solid tube protectors vs. deer repellant (Plantskydd®)?