Fortuna Center

Video Tour

Discover what the Fortuna Center has to offer.

Learn About the center

The Fortuna Center sits in the heart of redwood country on California’s wild and scenic North Coast. In operation since 1992, the center houses about 100 residential Corpsmembers who work on natural resource projects throughout Humboldt and Del Norte counties.

Crews Maximum of 6

Corpsmembers Maximum of 85

Work Hours 8 am - 4 pm | 7 am - 5:30 pm

The non-residential center is home to more than 45 Corpsmembers who commute to center each day to perform valuable natural resource work in their communities and respond to emergencies throughout the state. Corpsmembers obtain meaningful employment in the area and across the state after a year’s service at the center. Each Corpsmember who joins the center provides a unique perspective to the diverse culture at the center and on the crews.

Work With us

Fortuna’s Corpsmembers work on a variety of projects – trail construction and maintenance, removal of exotic plants, landscaping and installation of irrigation systems, building structures such as recycling facilities, fisheries restoration, tree planting, and fire fuel reduction. The center partners with a variety of local, state, and federal partners on projects, including the City of Eureka and Humboldt County.

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Wildfire Firefighting

The CCC Fortuna Center operates a wildland firefighting hand crew in partnership with CAL FIRE. Corpsmembers receive training and hands-on experience working with CAL FIRE captains responding to wildfires locally and across the state. The center is collaborating with the CAL FIRE Humboldt Del Norte (HUU) unit to operate the crew. Wildland hand crews help build fire line with hand tools and conduct mop-up work. The crew currently operates seasonally, typically from April to October. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2023-24, the crew will move to year-round operations.

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CCC-NOAA Veterans Corps Fisheries

In partnership with NOAA, this program provides post-9/11 veterans new opportunities to build their skills and work experience by restoring and protecting fisheries resources. Veteran Corpsmembers work side-by-side with experts from state, federal, and non-profit restoration partners. Work involves habitat restoration and monitoring projects identified by NOAA Fisheries. Veterans must possess a DD214 to participate in this program.

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Bureau of Land Management

Many projects take us to the Headwaters Forest Reserve and King Range National Conservation Area. Work at Ma-le’l Dunes Cooperative Management Area and the Lost Coast help to protect critical habitat.

Fish & Wildlife (California & US Federal)

The Coastal Fisheries Restoration Program is a series of success stories spanning more than 25 years. This program began as a partnership between the CCC and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

State Parks

Corpsmembers working in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, and the newly acquired Mill Creek watershed perform trail work, timber stand improvement projects, and fisheries work.

CalTrans

Landscape and stormwater projects provide experience for Corpsmembers who may want to earn entry-level positions with Caltrans. Many former Corpsmembers are employed by this agency.

U.S. Forest Service

The Six Rivers National Forest provides many project opportunities including trail construction, maintenance and repair, campground renovation, protection of native forests from the spread of invasive species, and more.

Learn With us

The Fortuna Center offers a variety of trainings and certifications, many of which are required for Corpsmembers to complete. All Corpsmembers complete Corpsmember Orientation, Motivation, Education, and Training (COMET) and core training courses.

Other specialized trainings and certifications offered at the Fortuna Center include:

CalTrans’ Internship program

CAL FIRE Wildland Firefighter training

OSHA HAZWOPER 40 hour training

OSHA 10 and 30

OSHA Safety Stand-Down

Ladder safety

Tree Climbing Safety

Map and Compass Course

Leave No Trace

ServSafe Food Handler Certification

Plant Identification