Overview
Please submit a resume and cover letter with your application to external link. Applications will be accepted through March 15th.
Placement Site: The Buffer Assessment Individual Placements will serve with the Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley. Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that serves Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Page, Warren, and Frederick counties in northwestern Virginia. This position will require approximately 75% field work on private lands and travel to those sites, and 25% office work generating plans and reports related to those site visits. Member will travel throughout the Central Shenandoah Valley using an ACC vehicle, which can be housed at the ACC office in Mount Crawford, VA, or the ASV office in New Market, VA. Member will have the option to work out of either office space as needed for administrative tasks.
Position Summary: The primary purpose of this position is to perform site assessments and develop maintenance plans for riparian forest buffers and other tree planting best management practices as a part of the ACC Watersheds Corps. These members will assess riparian forest buffers on private agricultural lands and create a work plan for a follow up maintenance crew to complete in the fall or spring. Assessments include visual observation of invasive plant species, live dead counts of planted trees, and tree shelter maintenance needs at the sites. Most buffers that the members will assess have been planted within the last 5 years through state and federal conservation programs as well as privately funded grant programs. The position will serve as an AmeriCorps member with ACC but will also be working closely with Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia Department of Forestry, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil and Water Conservation District and other partners within the Shenandoah Valley Conservation Collaborative. ACC and Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley will provide the Individual Placements access to one vehicle, laptop and supplies needed for assessments. This seasonal opportunity is a perfect match for students or individuals wanting to learn about natural resource management, work with private and public landowners, connect with a broad partnership of conservation professionals, and get their hands dirty while improving the landscape for water quality, wildlife habitat, and human communities. This position will receive technical training in plant identification and buffer maintenance and assessment by ACC and partner staff. Projects will cover the Shenandoah River Watershed and will be organized by geography to the greatest extent possible to minimize travel time, however the execution of this role will include a lot of driving. You may be working in extreme weather conditions and traversing difficult terrain.
Housing is NOT provided with this position.
Qualifications:
To qualify, you must be between the ages of 21 and 30, and a US citizen that has received a high school diploma or GED. All offers of employment are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and federal criminal background check. Must be eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award.
- Valid driver’s license and insurable driving record
Preferred Skills:
- Computer skills, particularly in word processing and record-keeping (Microsoft Word and Excel), and familiarity with internet communication and search tools.
- GIS experience is a plus, but not required.
- Background in eastern plant identification
- Familiarity with agricultural landscape and farming practices
- Appreciation for the Shenandoah Valley and our spectacular natural resources
About Appalachian Conservation Corps
Appalachian Conservation Corps (ACC) works to connect young people to critical conservation service work across Appalachia and neighboring communities in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, DC, and Pennsylvania. As a corps program, ACC partners with public land managers to identify, plan, and complete projects that improve public access, habitat quality, and economic development. ACC is a program of Conservation Legacy, a nationwide network of conservation service organizations. Our programs focus on service, place-based learning, life skills development, appreciation of diversity, civic responsibility, and career development. ACC also provides an opportunity for members to learn about the local environment and issues affecting it and introduces individuals to recreation and resource management careers. ACC welcomes national applicants, but also emphasizes the engagement of local individuals who represent the communities in which they serve.
