LOCAL LABOR MARKETS AND PERCEPTIONS OF FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES PLAY A LARGE ROLE IN DETERMINING HOW YOUNG PEOPLE INVEST IN THEIR PERSONAL HUMAN CAPITAL, WHICH HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SURVIVAL OF COMMUNITIES. OUR PROPOSED INTEGRATED RESEARCH, OUTREACH, AND EDUCATION PROJECT WILL ILLUMINATE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING, COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS, AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S PERCEPTIONS AND LIFE COURSE DECISIONS IN TRADITIONALLY FOREST-DEPENDENT RURAL COMMUNITIES IN MAINE AND OREGON. WE WILL SEEK TO UNDERSTAND YOUTH DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR HUMAN CAPITAL INVESTMENTS, AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT THESE CHOICES MAY HAVE ON RURAL COMMUNITY PERSISTENCE INTO THE FUTURE, IN FORESTED AREAS IN ECONOMIC TRANSITION BETWEEN TRADITIONAL COMMODITY FOCUS AND CONSERVATION- OR AMENITY-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.THE RESEARCH COMPONENT OF THIS PROJECT CONSISTS PRIMARILY OF A SURVEY DISTRIBUTED TO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH. THE SURVEY WILL ASK QUESTIONS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR PERCEPTIONS AS TO THE VIABILITY OF THE FOREST AND AMENITY-BASED INDUSTRIES; DESIRED SKILLS, TRAINING, AND MOTIVATIONS FOR THE FUTURE; AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF PLACE. WE ALSO WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOUTH PERCEIVE THE OPTIMAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGION IN THE FUTURE, BETWEEN A TIMBER OR TOURISM FOCUS, AND WHAT TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS.THE SPECIFIC CONTENT AND APPLICATION OF THE SURVEY WILL BE DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH LOCAL NON-PROFIT PARTNERS AND INPUT FROM STEERING COMMITTEES. STEERING COMMITTEES WILL BRING TOGETHER COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES SUCH AS SCHOOL OFFICIALS (PRINCIPALS OR SUPERINTENDENTS), FOREST INDUSTRY AND CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION REPRESENTATIVES, EXTENSION/4-H FACULTY, LOCAL TOWN OFFICIALS, AND OTHERS INTERESTED IN YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMMING. THE STEERING COMMITTEES WILL ALSO DEVELOP STRATEGIES AND PLANS TO INCORPORATE THE SURVEY RESULTS INTO ACTIONABLE CURRICULUM OR PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUTH IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. IN ADDITION, WE WILL ORGANIZE RURAL YOUTH LISTENING SESSIONS, BRINGING TOGETHER INDIVIDUALS CURRENTLY OR POTENTIALLY INVOLVED IN YOUTH OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING AS WELL AS RURAL YOUTH. OUTPUTS FROM THE LISTENING SESSIONS WILL BE IMPROVED COORDINATION AMONG LOCAL YOUTH EDUCATION AND PROGRAMMING EFFORTS, AND FACT SHEETS ABOUT THE GOALS OF YOUTH, REPRESENTING LOCALLY BASED AND COORDINATED STRATEGIC PLANS FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION. OUR EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT WILL USE SERVICE-BASED LEARNING TO BETTER PREPARE AND ENGAGE GRADUATE STUDENTS FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT WORK IN FOREST-BASED COMMUNITIES.THE RESULTS OF THESE COMBINED EFFORTS WILL SUPPORT RURAL YOUTH IN PURSUING NATURAL RESOURCE BASED CAREERS THAT ENABLE THEM TO STAY OR RETURN TO THEIR COMMUNITIES WITH STABLE JOBS AND A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE. MORE BROADLY, IT WILL ALLOW RURAL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES FACING THEIR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONTINUITY AND WILL PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO HOW TO SHAPE RURAL DEVELOPMENTTRAJECTORIES THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.