American Conservation Experience: Invasive Plant Internship Everglades National Park
Summary: American Conservation Experience, a Non-Profit Conservation Corps based in Flagstaff, AZ is seeking an Invasive Plant Intern to dedicate six months to working on a combination of vegetation management projects in Everglades National Park. This opportunity is intended for an enthusiastic young adult with a background in Botany or closely related field and a dedicated interest in advancing their career opportunities through hard work. Start Date: October 9, 2010 End Date: April 8, 2011 A six month commitment is required; with two week unpaid leave during Christmas break. Location: Everglades National Park, Florida Position Description: ACE’s Invasive Plant intern will be working with the Everglades park botanist and long term park volunteers performing duties such as the inventory, monitoring and removal of exotic flora. This position will require independent fieldwork, teamwork, and leading groups of volunteers in the field. Fieldwork will constitute 80% of the intern’s time, and will include removal of invasive species by mechanical and chemical means. The other 20% duties include using GPS, recording data on field sheets, entering data in to database, driving government vehicle in order to reach field sites, and training. Helicopters may be used to get to remote areas within Everglades National Park. Safety training will be provided to prepare for this. Intern will occasionally camp for up to 4 days at a time. If interested, intern will have the opportunity to conduct an independent research project on a related field topic. Training: Herbicide Mixture and Application, Plant Identification, GPS use, CPR, First Aid, and B-3 Helicopter Safety Project Location: The sub-tropical Everglades National Park is home to a diverse range of plant and animal species not found anywhere else on the planet. It is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States and the third largest National Park in the lower 48. It has been designated a World Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance. The unique ecosystem is home to a dynamic mosaic of nine distinct habitat types, thus offering extremely high plant and animal diversity. This along with high visitor loads, invasive species, and encroaching human urban expansion results in unique conditions for resource management. The diverse habitats of Everglades National Park offer a wide array of recreational activities for the ACE intern to enjoy on their off-days including hiking, canoeing and kayaking, biking, fresh and saltwater fishing, and camping. Working Conditions: Fieldwork is laborious and often performed in less than ideal conditions, including high temperatures and humidity. Biting insects such as deer flies, mosquitoes and fire ants are prevalent as well as four native species of venomous snakes and other reptiles such as alligators and crocodiles. Poisonous plants including poison ivy and poisonwood will be encountered on a regular basis. Room and Board: The ACE Invasive Plant Intern will receive a living allowance of $110/week to cover the cost of food and incidental expenses. Shared Park Housing is available. The intern may need to share a room with one other person of the same gender. Qualifications: Applicants for ACE’s Invasive Plant Internship must be aged 21 years or over, have an established interest in conservation issues, be physically fit, and capable of hard work. Preference will be given to applicants with an educational background and/or fieldwork experience in Botany, Resource Management, or a closely related field. Strong organizational and public speaking skills are a must. Experience in plant identification is helpful. ACE’s Invasive Plant Internship is meant as a stepping stone to an environmental career and as a gateway to potential advancement within ACE, with the National Park Service, or other land management agency, not only as an interesting and rewarding way to spend 6 months working in a beautiful location. Drug users, including recreational smokers of marijuana, should not consider applying, as ACE reserves the right to require drug testing and generally abhors the presence of drug users in our program. Other Requirements: • Internship is available to US Citizens and Green Card holders only. • Intern must have personal medical insurance for the duration of their participation with ACE. • Intern must have valid driver’s license and clean driving record. Application Deadline: Open until filled. Please apply ASAP. ***To Apply*** Please email a resume and cover letter along with 3 professional references to Trisha Singh at tsi...@usaconservation.org with “Everglades Invasive Plant Internship - ECOLOG referred” in the subject heading of your email.
