Agency: United States Forest Service Location: Big Bear Ranger Station, Big Bear City, CA Start Date: Fall, 2013 Application Closing Date: Friday, October 4, 2013 Internship duration: 5 months To apply, visit: http://www.clminternship.org/applying Position Reference Code: BigBear2013
We are looking for a motivated and energetic botany intern to work on a southern California national forest as part of the Conservation and Land Management (CLM) Internship Program. The intern will be a member of a botany team led by mentors with extensive experience with the Forest Service, land management, and plant conservation. They will enjoy the benefits of living in a small community in the mountains of southern California. This is a great opportunity to gain experience and a flavor of life on a southern California national forest! Description: Fall and winter work will consist mainly of writing and database entry, interspersed with occasional fieldwork as weather and back-road conditions allow. Occasional day trips to the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Herbarium for reference work and coordination are likely. Writing will focus on preparation of Invasive Species Management Plans for National Forest Wilderness areas in southern California, and an invasive species identification booklet. This works includes: gathering and assembling information, writing draft documents, and preparing maps, figures, references and other documentation. Database entry will focus on geospatial element occurrence data for rare plants and weeds. Other duties include: assisting with botanical data entry, data transfer, and quality control in the USFS database. All of this work will be performed in cooperation with Forest Service personnel and partners, and under the supervision of the mentor. Field work will include visiting wilderness areas to evaluate weed risks and vulnerabilities, documenting rare plant and weed occurrences, collecting herbarium specimens, and performing associated mapping. Additional field work elsewhere on the national forest will focus on ecological restoration projects. Field work will be occasional during fall and winter. If the internship continues into spring (either as a result of start date, or through subsequent extension), field work focusing on restoration planning, and documenting rare plants and invasive species, will become more frequent (likely about 50%). Depending on the interns career goals, there may be opportunities to visit an adjacent forest or district and/or participate in activities with local partner groups. Interns may also get a chance to visit a local herbarium, attend a local university seminar, and participate in a local botanical conference or other training. In general, the time spent on the various activities will be as follows: Invasive species 40%, GIS 30%, threatened and endangered species 20%, and Seeds of Success 10%. Knowledge Required by the Position: The applicant must have a BA/BS in botany, plant taxonomy or plant ecology (or a degree with equivalent botany coursework). Strong skills or coursework in botany, GIS, writing and fieldwork, along with enthusiasm and a great ability to work as a member of a team, will be the primary evaluation criteria. Physical Demands: Long strenuous field days including walking long distances across difficult terrain, under a very wide range of weather conditions. The position also will entail driving four-wheel drive vehicles on very rough roads. Applicant must be comfortable sitting in an office setting during winter months. **Please note that you MUST include the Position Reference Code, BigBear2013, when you complete the online application. **CLM applications for the 2014 field season will not be accepted until mid-November. If you are interested in a position for 2014, please wait until November to apply. Questions about the CLM Internship Program? Please visit: http://www.clminternship.org/about
