*Woody perennial polyculture in the temperate north: ecosystem services and livelihoods*
*Project background:* I'm conducting a field study of woody perennial polyculture farms in the Midwest of the United States this summer as part of my PhD research. The study will look at multiple ecosystem components (soils, insects, vegetation, and birds) on perennial polyculture farms compared to neighbouring annual corn/soy fields and pastures. It also includes a social component based on interviews with farmers about their motivations and worldviews, and a livelihoods component about yields and finances. The project is funded by the Ekhaga Foundation, and is being conducted in collaboration with the Savannah Institute, an organization based in Madison WI that promotes perennial agriculture in the Midwest. We are looking to fill this position immediately. Applications will be reviewed as they're submitted. *Field assistant:* *salary: 6500 CAD, plus food, lodging and a plane ticket to Madison WI* *duration: May 7th to mid- or late August. * *I'm looking for a field assistant to help with all aspects of soil, insect, and vegetation sampling, as well as assist with day to day logistics of fieldwork. Work will begin May 7th and likely last through most of August, with a one week break at the end of July. The farms we are visiting are located in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Minnesota. I want this summer's field season to be peaceful, cooperative, and a lot of fun so I'm looking for someone who'll be great to spend time with, ready to learn and adapt, and a good communicator. * *Duties and **responsibilities**:* *The work will involve following a sampling design, using a soil auger, setting up traps for insects, collecting, and sorting insects, identifying and collecting plants, entering field notes and data, and properly processing and storing all the samples. * *We'll be living out of a van (an unglamorous but charming 1985 Dodge Ram camper), so t*he field assistant will also share in the responsibility for driving from site to site, cooking, and setting up and packing up camp, and generally keeping the vehicle and gear tidy and organized. *Qualifications:* *I'm looking for someone who has some experience handling and identifying insects. Plant identification, soil sampling, or other fieldwork skills would be an asset. * *You should be comfortable with being outside doing physical work all day, frugal living conditions, and sleeping in a tent or in the camper van. * *Benefits:* This position is ideal for an undergraduate or recently graduated student who wants long-term ecological fieldwork experience. - Learning a range of field techniques for soil sampling, vegetation surveys, plant ID and insect collection. - Opportunity for further work on publications for a unique interdisciplinary project - An adventure. Contact Maayan Kreitzman: [email protected] PhD candidate, CHANS lab Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability University of British Columbia 1 604 723 9577
