American Conservation Experience: Lake Tahoe Trail Crew Internship
***New dates and more positions have been added!***
Internship Description: American Conservation Experience, a Non-Profit
Conservation Corps based in Santa Cruz, CA, is currently hiring energetic,
ambitious young adults to participate in a 3-month skills training program
preparing them for outdoor careers with the US Forest Service, with ACE,
with other conservation corps, or land management agencies such as the
National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management. Interns will serve
with ACE at various locations around Lake Tahoe learning advanced trail
maintenance skills under the supervision of professional ACE Crew Leaders.
This is a volunteer internship providing a stipend of $110 per week, free
camping near the town of South Lake Tahoe at a developed campground (with
showers) that is just minutes from popular beaches, shops, and cafes.
This is a valuable opportunity to learn and train among professional
mentors.
Start Date: July 24, 2010
End Date: October 16, 2010
A three month commitment is required.
Potential exists to continue serving with other ACE crews or in other ACE
internships beyond October 16.
Internship Major Duties and Expectations:
Trail Interns will support ACE and US Forest Service staff by assisting in
the construction and maintenance of hiking trails. Typical duties include:
• Assisting Park staff with the construction of a variety of
advanced trail structures such as stone staircases, dry stone retaining
walls, rock check dams, waterbars, etc. Interns will also assist ACE
staff in routine trail maintenance duties such as brushing trails,
outsloping tread and clearing drainage structures.
• Completing work tasks as instructed by ACE staff, keeping daily
work log and demonstrate proper work procedures and methods while working
in the field with or near other volunteer groups.
• Following strict guidelines in making safety a priority, including
the responsible use of personal protective gear and insuring that all
tools, equipment, vehicles and other co-workers are working safely in all
conditions.
• Following instructions from all ACE and USFS staff and
understanding and respecting all wilderness regulations and policies.
• Working with a professional demeanor as a part of a team.
• Good public communication skills are a must.
Location: The crystal clear turquoise waters of Lake Tahoe and the
surrounding mountains, forests, and wilderness areas of the Lake Tahoe
Basin draw outdoor enthusiasts from around the world. Known for the
clarity of water and for the dramatic backdrop of a panorama of mountains,
Lake Tahoe is the second deepest Lake in the United States and the 10th
deepest in the world. The Lake Tahoe Basin, divided between California
and Nevada, also represents one of the most fragile ecosystems in North
America, as soil erosion, algae growth, and invasive plants/animals
threaten the unique high elevation alpine lake. Tahoe has long sought a
balance between embracing extensive recreational use and preserving the
Basin’s delicate ecosystem. ACE crews will be reconstructing hiking
trails to encourage recreation in a sustainable manner that does not
contribute to soil erosion and does not represent a threat to lake
clarity. Interns will spend 5 months working and camping in one of the
world’s most scenic locations, with opportunities to explore surrounding
wilderness areas in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, spend time paddling the
lake in one of ACE’s sea kayaks, or delve into the festivities common to
the resort town of South Lake Tahoe.
Working Conditions: Work is labor intensive and strenuous, performed
outdoors in steep terrain and hilly terrain and at elevations as high as
9,000 feet. Interns should anticipate adverse conditions including rain,
wind, and even late summer snows, interspersed among weeks of sunshine.
Crews will hike at least 4 miles uphill each day to reach the high
elevation worksites, so physical fitness is an absolute requirement.
Qualifications: Applicants for ACE’s Professional Development Trail Crew
Internships at Lake Tahoe must be at least 18 years old, have an
established interest in conservation issues, and should take evident joy
in tackling challenging situations with a positive mindset. Applicants
must be willing to undertake arduous physical work in all types of weather
and terrain, and to participate as a team member, dedicated to both ACE’s
and the USFS’s mission. Preference will be given to former and graduating
ACE volunteers, graduated members of other conservation corps, and those
with a history of committed engagement in similar volunteer and outdoors
activities. The internship is meant as a stepping stone to environmental
careers with land management agencies and as a gateway to potential
advancement within ACE, not only as an interesting and rewarding way to
spend 5 months working in a beautiful location. Drug users, including
recreational smokers of marijuana, should not consider applying, as ACE
reserves the right to require drug testing and generally abhors the
presence of drug users in our program.
Desired Knowledge and Skills:
• Familiarity and/or desire to learn how to operate tools to perform
trail work including, but not limited to rock bar, single jack, shovel,
fire rake, axe, brushing sheers, and other trail maintenance tools.
• Ability and/or desire to experience trail maintenance work,
including but not limited to; cribbing walls, turnpikes, drainage dips,
swales, installation of water bars, retaining walls, removal of brush and
vegetation.
• Desire and ability to work outdoors, at times in inclement weather
and terrain.
• Willingness to perform strenuous physical activity such as
frequent bending and lifting and caring heavy weights.
Other Requirements: Interns must have personal medical insurance for the
duration of their participation in ACE.
Benefits:
• Developed camping located within a few minute’s walk from the Lake.
• An allowance of $110 per week food and incidental expenses is
provided by ACE.
• Opportunity to gain a working for knowledge of trail construction
and maintenance.
• Opportunity to pursue training and education opportunities with
ACE.
• Experience working with a Federal agency as well as with a Non-
Profit Organization.
• Opportunity to live in and enjoy the scenery, wildlife and
cultural resources of this spectacular area.
• Opportunities to work with volunteers from diverse backgrounds in
trail maintenance and construction.
• Opportunity to become a steward of America’s public lands and
leader in your community.
• Opportunity to meet other men and women that share a common
interest in preserving and protecting our natural lands.
To Apply:
Please email a resume and cover letter along with 3 professional
references to American Conservation Experience at [email protected]
with “Lake Tahoe Trail Crew Internship - ECOLOG referred” in the subject
heading of your email.
Application Deadline: Positions available immediately and open until
filled. Please apply ASAP.
