The Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC) was one of two federally funded youth conservation corps programs that existed prior to 1981. The other program, the Youth Conservation Corps, was a summer program, whereas the YACC operated on a year-round basis. In operation between 1977 and 1982, the YACC received funds of approximately $232 million each year, and at its peak it maintained roughly 25,000 slots for youths between the ages of 16 and 23. The program was open to youths from all educational and economic backgrounds and was intended primarily to complete backlogs of high-priority work that had been identified by state and federal natural resource departments. Although the YACC was not renewed under the Reagan administration, it left a legacy of experienced youth corps advocates and program operators and a number of state programs patterned after its model. The other three programs profiled in this report--the Wisconsin, Michigan, and Texas youth conservation corps programs--all derive from the YACC model filtered through the experiences of the California Conservation Corps. There are, however, some major differences between the three programs with respect to goals, targeting, administration, funding, private sector participation, nature of sites and enrollment, youth development, and job placements. (MN)