[PCA] JOBS: SCA Botany Internships Fall 07

[Olivia Kwong]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 15:05:56 -0400
From: Wiegand <wiegand at ntelos.net>
Subject: SCA Botany Internships Fall 07

Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, AZ
Botany Invasive Species Team
Dates: 9/17/07-12/21/07
Position ID: 5280

SCA, in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, is taking part in a nationwide effort to eradicate invasive plants on refuge lands. An "invasive species" is defined as a species that is non-native to an ecosystem and whose introduction causes or is likely to harm the human, environmental or economic health. After habitat loss, invasive species are considered the greatest threat to global diversity. "Without having considerable resources going into the matter of controlling alien invasives, the goal of preserving biodiversity cannot be met" - Peter Raven.

SCA is actively seeking people for a team of volunteers to help manage invasive plants at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona and California on the lower Colorado River. The river habitat sustains wildlife in the Sonoran Desert. Bird species number around 288 and include roadrunners, greater sandhill cranes, and vermillion flycatchers. Learn more about Cibola National Wildlife Refuge at: www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/cibola.html.

The team will focus on early detection and rapid response through inventory, mechanical and chemical control methods, and GPS data collection. Interns will work in remote and diverse terrain while managing the targeted invasive species Salt cedar (Tamarisk).

The impact of Salt cedar is dramatic: consuming up to 300 gallons of water in a single day, producing thousands of wind-dispersed seeds, and secreting salt that changes soil health.

The team will consist of four interns and one SCA field staff leader.

Responsibilities include invasive vegetation removal through mechanical and chemical means; GPS data collection of invasive vegetation sites, treatments, and monitoring activities: 90%; community outreach and educational activities: 10%. Interns may use hatchets, loppers, chainsaws, other cutting tools, and chemical sprayers.

The team will be housed in a rental property near the refuge. Members may share bedroom space with a same sex team member. Members will be authorized to use the refuge project truck for the commute to the refuge from home but will not be authorized to use the truck for personal purposes, including personal errands such as grocery shopping.

Training Provided: Wilderness First Aid/CPR; defensive driving; geospatial data collection; environmental education; manual and chemical tools usage and safety; chainsaw usage and safety; any other relevant and necessary training.

Additional Information: Housing provided; transportation for all service activities provided.

Required: Good plant identification skills; willingness to use chemical and non-chemical invasive plant control methods; excellent interpersonal skills; good physical condition; ability to carry up to 40 lbs. over various terrain.

Desired: Experience operating power equipment and 4-wheel drive vehicles, experience with GPS; coursework or field experience in botany or plant taxonomy.

If interested, please contact us as soon as possible: SCA Conservation Corps-Native Plants, SCA Seattle Office, P: 206.324.4649, F: 206.324.4998, bbaker at theSCA.org, www.theSCA.org


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Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, NM
Botany Invasive Species Team
Position ID: 5281
Dates: 9/17/07-12/21/07

SCA is actively seeking people for a team of volunteers to help manage invasive plants at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, just north of Socorro, New Mexico in the Chihuahuan Desert. The refuge is home to big horn sheep, peregrine falcon, and the endangered horned lizard, as well as a program that is attempting to reintroduce the Mexican Gray Wolf. Learn more about Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge at: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/REFUGES/newmex/sevilleta/.

The team will focus on early detection and rapid response through inventory, mechanical and chemical control methods, and GPS data collection. Interns will work in remote and diverse terrain while managing targeted invasive species like Salt cedar (Tamarisk), Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus) and Russian olive.

The impact of Salt cedar is dramatic: consuming up to 300 gallons of water in a single day, producing thousands of wind-dispersed seeds, and secreting salt that changes soil health.

The team will consist of four interns and one SCA field staff leader.

Responsibilities include invasive vegetation removal through mechanical and chemical means; GPS data collection of invasive vegetation sites, treatments, and monitoring activities: 90%; community outreach and educational activities: 10%. Interns may use hatchets, loppers, chainsaws, other cutting tools, and chemical sprayers.

The team will be housed in a rental property near the refuge. Members may share bedroom space with a same sex team member. Members will not be authorized to use the refuge project truck for personal purposes, including personal errands such as grocery shopping.

Training Provided: Wilderness First Aid/CPR; defensive driving; geospatial data collection; environmental education; manual and chemical tools usage and safety; chainsaw usage and safety; any other relevant and necessary training.

Additional Information: Housing provided; transportation for all service activities provided.

Required: Good plant identification skills; willingness to use chemical and non-chemical invasive plant control methods; excellent interpersonal skills; good physical condition; ability to carry up to 40 lbs. over various terrain.

Desired: Experience operating power equipment and 4-wheel drive vehicles, experience with GPS; coursework or field experience in botany or plant taxonomy.

If interested, please contact us as soon as possible: SCA Conservation Corps-Native Plants, SCA Seattle Office, P: 206.324.4649, F: 206.324.4998, bbaker at theSCA.org, www.theSCA.org


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Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, NM
Botany Invasive Species Team
Position ID: 5283
Dates: 9/17/07-12/21/07

SCA is actively seeking people for a team of volunteers to help manage invasive plants at two refuges in New Mexico: San Andres NWR and Bitter Lake NWR. San Andres National Wildlife Refuge is located north of Las Cruces, NM and is closed to the public. It is considered one of the most undisturbed regions of the Chihuahuan Desert and is home to big horn sheep, mountain lions, and migratory songbirds. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located near Roswell, NM and is part of the Pecos River watershed. The refuge's native grasslands, sand dunes, and red-rimmed plateaus are a sharp contrast to the marshlands. Learn more about San Andres at http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/newmex/sanandres/index.html and Bitter Lake at http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/newmex/bitterlake/index.html.

The team will focus on early detection and rapid response through inventory, mechanical and chemical control methods, and GPS data collection. Interns will work in remote and diverse terrain while managing targeted invasive species like Salt cedar (Tamarisk), Russian olive, Russian knapweed, Siberian elm, Johnson grass and Perennial pepperweed.

The impact of Salt cedar is dramatic: consuming up to 300 gallons of water in a single day, producing thousands of wind-dispersed seeds, and secreting salt that changes soil health.

The team will consist of four interns and one SCA field staff leader.

The team will spend 1-2 weeks of project time removing invasive species at nearby San Andres National Wildlife Refuge.

Responsibilities include invasive vegetation removal through mechanical and chemical means; GPS data collection of invasive vegetation sites, treatments, and monitoring activities: 90%; community outreach and educational activities: 10%. Interns may use hatchets, loppers, chainsaws, other cutting tools, and chemical sprayers.

The team will be housed in a rental property near the refuge. Members may share bedroom space with a same sex team member. Members will not be authorized to use the truck for personal purposes, including personal errands such as grocery shopping. The team will stay in refuge housing while at San Andres NWR.

Training Provided: Wilderness First Aid/CPR; defensive driving; geospatial data collection; environmental education; manual and chemical tools usage and safety; chainsaw usage and safety; any other relevant and necessary training.

Additional Information: Housing provided; transportation for all service activities provided.

Required: Good plant identification skills; willingness to use chemical and non-chemical invasive plant control methods; excellent interpersonal skills; good physical condition; ability to carry up to 40 lbs. over various terrain.

Desired: Experience operating power equipment and 4-wheel drive vehicles, experience with GPS; coursework or field experience in botany or plant taxonomy.

If interested, please contact us as soon as possible: SCA Conservation Corps-Native Plants, SCA Seattle Office, P: 206.324.4649, F: 206.324.4998, bbaker at theSCA.org, www.theSCA.org


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Imperial National Wildlife Refuge
Botany Invasive Species Team Position Code : 5279

SCA, in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, is taking part in a nationwide effort to eradicate invasive plants on refuge lands. An "invasive species" is defined as a species that is non-native to an ecosystem and whose introduction causes or is likely to harm the human, environmental or economic health. After habitat loss, invasive species are considered the greatest threat to global diversity. "Without having considerable resources going into the matter of controlling alien invasives, the goal of preserving biodiversity cannot be met" - Peter Raven. SCA is actively seeking people for a team of volunteers to help manage invasive plants at Imperial National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona and California on the lower Colorado River. The river and its backwater lakes and wetlands are a green oasis in the Sonoran desert landscape and are home to migratory birds, desert bighorn sheep, and the whiptail lizard. Learn more about Imperial National Wildlife Refuge at: www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/imperial.html

The team will focus on early detection and rapid response through inventory, mechanical and chemical control methods, and GPS data collection. Interns will work in remote and diverse terrain while managing targeted invasive species like Salt cedar (Tamarisk), Phragmites, Sahara mustard and Bermuda grass. The impact of Salt cedar is dramatic: consuming up to 300 gallons of water in a single day, producing thousands of wind-dispersed seeds, and secreting salt that changes soil health. The team will consist of four interns and one SCA field staff leader. The team will also participate in a couple overnight camping trips to nearby Kofa National Wildlife Refuge to continue removing invasive plant species. Responsibilities include invasive vegetation removal through mechanical and chemical means; GPS data collection of invasive vegetation sites, treatments, and monitoring activities: 90%; community outreach and educational activities: 10%. Interns may use hatchets, loppers, chainsaws, other cutting tools, and chemical sprayers. The team will be housed in trailers on the refuge. Members will share bedroom space with a same sex team member. The trailers include bathrooms, kitchens and air conditioning. Members will not be authorized to use the refuge project truck for personal purposes, including personal errands such as grocery shopping.

Should the intern have a valid driver's license?
Required: Must have a valid driver's license to perform duties or drive site vehicle.
Should the intern be able to drive a manual transmission?
Not Needed
Should the intern have the ability to drive a 4WD vehicle?
Desired: While not required, it is desirable that the intern have some experience or willingness to learn how to drive a 4WD vehicle.
What skills are required for this position?
Good plant identification skills; willingness to use chemical and non-chemical invasive plant control methods; excellent interpersonal skills; good physical condition; ability to carry up to 40 lbs. over various terrain.
What skills are desired for this position?
Experience operating power equipment and 4-wheel drive vehicles, experience with GPS; coursework or field experience in botany or plant taxonomy.
Should the applicant be a US Citizen/permanent resident?
Yes

Training Provided: Wilderness First Aid/CPR; defensive driving; geospatial data collection; environmental education; manual and chemical tools usage and safety; chainsaw usage and safety; any other relevant and necessary training.
How will housing be provided to the intern?
Agency will provide housing: The agency has made some sort of housing arrangement for the intern.
If agency is providing housing, will housing be located onsite or offsite?
Onsite

Additional Information:
Transportation for all service activities provided (and possibly limited personal use); travel grant up to $500; AmeriCorps education award may be available and is dependent on eligibility; all project-related travel during internship term provided; worker's compensation coverage; SCA accident insurance coverage; work uniform provided. Position involves long hours in the field in primitive conditions with short and possibly long distance travel. Start date is not flexible due to travel and training while end date may be flexible. To view all available SCA Corps positions and learn more about these unique programs, visit: http://www.thesca.org/conservation_corps/

If interested, please contact us as soon as possible: SCA Conservation Corps-Native Plants, SCA Seattle Office, P: 206.324.4649, F: 206.324.4998, bbaker at theSCA.org, www.theSCA.org

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