Overview
Training Dates: 6/12/23 – 6/21/23 (paid mandatory training, taking place in MD)
Program Dates:* 6/26/23 – 10/27/23*
Location (City and State): Madison, SD
*
Conservation Begins Here.*
The Student Conservation Association (SCA), Americas #1 conservation service organization seeks qualified applicants to lead, educate, and inspire students for a fuels reduction team in Madison, SD.
Primary Responsibilities:
The South Dakota (Prairie Pothole) Fuels Reduction Team is a 1 leader, 3-member crew that will engage in hazardous fuels reduction through tree removal projects. Partnered with the Fish and Wildlife Service the team will operate out of Madison, South Dakota.
“Prairie Pothole” is a region covering 313,000 square miles and is filled with wetlands, lakes, and rolling hills. There is also a large concentration of Waterfowl Production Areas. In fact, nearly half of all ducks that hatch in the US come from the Prairie Pothole Region.
The systematic removal of invasive woody vegetation from service lands such as Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA’s) is critical to the improvement of habitat for grassland-dependent birds and decreasing the wildfire risk to neighboring communities. Using chainsaws and hand tools, this crew will mechanically remove invasive woody vegetation (red cedar, Siberian Elm, Russian Olive Trees and Saplings) from WPAs in South Dakota identified as high or very high fire risk for surrounding communities.
Specifically, the Crew Leader will:
Act as a Crew Supervisor, by facilitating teamwork, managing field-based tasks, and guiding crew dynamics
Serve as an Advisor, by training members in technical conservation work skills, mentoring personal and professional development, and teaching environmental stewardship
Act as a Project Manager, by communicating with agency park partners, ensuring successful and timely completion of work projects, and upholding a positive representation of SCA
Perform tasks as a Program Administrator, by organizing logistics, completing documentation, managing a budget, and communicating with SCA staff
Leader Qualifications:
Experience working with young adults ages (18+), teaching or environmental education a plus
Experience with conservation work skills or related skills preferred i.e., chainsaw and habitat restoration
Ability to perform manual, physical labor for up to 8 hours per day, exposed to the elements, and must occasionally lift and/or move 40 pounds or more
Wilderness First Aid (or higher certification)
Must be able to attend Crew Leader training: 6/12/23 – 6/21/23
Must be a minimum of 21 years of age
Must have the ability to legally work in the US
Must have a valid driver’s license for 3+ years and MVR that meets SCA standards
Must be able to meet SCAs criminal background check standards
*Leader Benefits and Compensation:*
$700 – 800 per week (dependent on experience, paid bi-weekly)
Up to $1,000 travel stipend
Housing and field-based meals provided
$45/month cell phone stipend
Uniform items provi
About Student Conservation Association
Today, SCA’s mission is to build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of the environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land. Members participate in a variety of capacities and contexts. Beyond national parks, members work on marine sanctuaries, cultural landmarks, and community green spaces in our nation’s urban centers. Members do land management, habitat restoration, trail building, disaster rehabilitation or prevention work, environmental education, public outreach, and more.
