Overview
Conservation Begins Here.
The Student Conservation Association (SCA), America’s #1 conservation service organization seeks qualified applicants to lead, educate, and inspire students for the programs.
Training Dates: (08/07/23 – 08/25/23) (paid mandatory training)
Program Dates:(08/28/23 – 12/22/23)
Location (City and State): Porter, IN
Primary Responsibilities:
This Leader will be working to guide and inspire a team of 3 young adults (18+) who self-identify as black, indigenous, or person of color in NWI. Candidates who are Black, Alaskan Native, American Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, or other racial minority are highly encouraged to apply
The Student Conservation Association team (SCA) will provide services at three locations within Indiana Dunes National Park: West Beach, Portage Lakefront, and Great Marsh. These areas have been identified in the Parks Resource Stewardship Strategy as priority resource areas for conservation and restoration work. Invasive species control has been identified as a critical management action. Approximately 30 gross acres of invasive plants would be treated within the units. Eradication of invasive species will have a direct positive impact on multiple rare habitats such as Cottonwood Dune Open Woodlands, Pannes, and Great Marsh as well as dozens of rare plant species and the parks only Federally Threaten plant species (Cirsium pitcheri).
The natural resource management team at INDU has been committed to restoring these areas for over two decades.
Invasive shrubs present on 1.5 miles of the Great Marsh trail system will be removed. Removal of the invasive shrubs will greatly improve the Great Marsh viewshed allowing park visitors to observe wetland birds and vegetation. At the West Beach and Portage Lakefront units multiple critical resources are being negatively impacted by increased visitation and off-trail hiking. The SCA team will monitor four miles of trails. Fencing and signage will be installed. SCA members will provide positive interactions with visitors to reduce off-trail use and impacts on protected areas.
Native seed will be collected, and native plants installed. For native seed collection, an emphasis will be focused on pollinator-friendly species such as: Asclepias tuberosa, Monarda punctata, Pycnanthemum virginianum, Monarda fistulosa, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, and Liatris aspera. Native plants will be planted in the Great Marsh. Native seed will be sown in work areas at West Beach and Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk.
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was given a National Park status (Indiana Dunes National Park) on February 15, 2019. Following the designation of a National Park, park visitation has increased by over 21 percent (1.7 million to 3.0 million per year). Project work will be conducted in high visitor-use areas. Improvement of park views and educational opportunities will be provided.
Training provided to the SCA team by NPS staff may in
Qualifications:
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
Required Skills:
Leader Qualifications:
Experience working with youth or young adults, teaching, or environmental education a plus.
Must be a
Experience with conservation work skills or related skills preferred i.e., trail maintenance, trail construction, habitat restoration, chainsaw, carpentry, landscaping, and gardening.
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.
CPR & First AID Certified by Start Date
Must be ab
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.
