TNC Monitoring and Fire Crew Member

[Jennifer Buck]

POSITION TITLE:  (Short Term) Monitoring and Fire Crew Member
JOB FAMILY:  Conservation Practitioner
JOB NUMBER:  13000
LOCATION:  Northern California – Cosumnes River Preserve, Galt 
(3 positions)
FLSA STATUS:Non-Exempt
TIMELINE:  April through August 2006
DATE PREPARED:  January 2006
PAYRATE:  $11.00 per hour

LOCATION
The Cosumnes River Preserve encompasses a mosaic of riparian forest, 
floodplain, grasslands, and vernal pools in the Sacramento Valley 
ecological region.  Crew members will participate in a long-term 
vegetation monitoring program examining fire and grazing effects on vernal 
pool and grassland communities and will also participate in fire 
management activities in order to measure the success of conservation 
actions.

CALIFORNIA ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
1. Monitoring vegetation at multiple sites to measure the success of 
conservation actions. 
2. Collecting, entering, and analyzing vegetation data to evaluate 
measures of success.
3. Assisting in prescribed fire efforts.
4. Assist in collecting measures of success data related to fire and 
grazing management as well as grassland restoration. 
5. Implement field-mapping projects using a GPS unit.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
1. Current or recent enrollment in college-level studies, especially 
coursework in botany, ecology, or range management. 
2. Ability to successfully complete basic firefighter training course and 
meet minimum physical fitness requirements. 
3. Experience measuring and estimating vegetation parameters (cover, 
frequency, biomass, etc). 
4. Experience with data entry and word processing software. 
5. Proven ability to work productively and efficiently with little 
supervision in remote locations.
6. Current drivers license, clean DMV record, and ability to drive 
standard transmission vehicles.
7. Ability to follow safe work practices and work in areas with the 
potential for snakebites, and Lyme disease. 
8. Current first aid and CPR certification or successful completion of 
courses immediately after hire.
9. Preferred: Knowledge of GIS (ArcView 9.1) and GPS units.
10. Preferred: Good mechanical skills.
11. Preferred: Knowledge of local flora and fauna.
12. Strong commitment to conservation of biological diversity a plus. 

COMPLEXITY/PROBLEM SOLVING:
1. May resolve preserve management problems independently as delegated.
2. Consult with supervisor to develop plans for resolution of unusual or 
complex problems.
3. Monitor the progress of work groups toward achieving preserve 
management goals.

DISCRETION/LATITUDE/DECISION-MAKING:
1. Consults supervisor on unusual or complex issues
2. Make day-to-day decisions as delegated by supervisor.

RESPONSIBILITY/OVERSIGHT – FINANCIAL & SUPERVISORY:
1. Receives detailed instructions to complete required tasks
2. May work under close supervision or infrequent supervision
3. Supervises no staff, but may help plan and direct preserve work groups, 
including other staff or volunteers.

COMMUNICATIONS/INTERPERSONAL CONTACTS:
1. Ability to convey work instructions to other preserve management team 
members, including volunteers.  
2. Ability to interact with preserve visitors and to convey basic preserve 
information, possibly leading preserve field trips.
3. Ability to function productively as a member or leader of a work team.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL EFFORT:
The Conservation Practitioner II may work in variable weather conditions, 
at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under 
physically demanding circumstances.
These conditions:
1. require considerable physical exertion and/or muscular strain
2. present frequent possibility of injury
3. require long hours in isolated settings
4. Physical endurance to work outdoors on rocky terrain, tolerate extreme 
heat over 100 degrees, lift heavy objects, and properly use hand and power 
tools and equipment. 

*Note - This description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all 
duties, knowledge, skill, efforts, or working conditions. 

Interested candidates please send cover letter and resumes to  
[EMAIL PROTECTED]  

Be sure to include JOB CODE 13000 COSUMNES RIVER in email and 
correspondence subject header.

For more information, please visit us at www.nature.org/careers.

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Research Technician at Toolik Field Station, Alaska

[Syndonia Bret-Harte]

We are seeking enthusiastic persons with a baccalaureate or master’s degree
in biology or ecology to serve as science support technician for the Toolik
Field Station (TFS), a 10-100 person remote scientific research field
station located at mile 284.5 Dalton Highway, in the northern foothills of
the Brooks Range, arctic Alaska .  This position
will provide science support for on-site scientists, students, and
professional staff from approximately 50 US and international universities
and agencies.  Toolik Lake is the site of the Arctic LTER program, and has
been a focus of research on terrestrial and aquatic ecology in the Arctic
for over 30 years.  This position will be based at TFS during the field
season, and at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks during the off-season.
  
 If hired, your duties will include initiating and maintaining the
collection of environmental data that is complementary to or extends
measurements of existing environmental observation programs. You will be
responsible for setting up, programming, maintaining, and downloading data
loggers, operating a hydrolab on Toolik Lake during shoulder seasons, and
possibly performing simple environmental chemistry.

 You will organize and statistically summarize environmental data, provide
meta-data and documentation. You will use various software applications,
such as spreadsheets, statistical packages, and graphics packages to
assemble, manipulate and/or format data and/or test reports, and make them
available to the researchers via the world-wide web.

 You will train and assist users in the use of general purpose research
instruments and prepare user guides and tutorials for the use of various
multi-user instruments and experimental facilities.  You will assist in
scheduling the use of multi-user instruments and experimental facilities,
and assist users with the set-up, maintenance, and trouble-shooting of
general-purpose research instruments.

 Finally, you will provide additional science support and assistance with
camp operations as needed.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in biology or ecology.
KNOWLEDGE OF:  Data quality and data assurance, calibration; Data analysis
and statistics; Basic internet functionality; Operation of general-purpose
scientific instruments.
ABILITY TO:  Become proficient at programming dataloggers; Resolve data
input, storage and/or retrieval problems and design solutions and
modifications; Be responsive to TFS management and science community needs
for new environmental data collection and science support; Interact with
scientists in a collegial environment; Prepare high-quality, readable, and
understandable statistical reports and data summaries.
SKILLS:  Good written and oral communication skills; Ability to organize
resources and establish priorities.

WORK HOURS: Field Season, six months, May through September, 3-weeks on/one
week off rotation at the TFS. Off-Season, Monday to Friday, 8 to 5 in
Fairbanks. Off-season option of 3 months full time or 6 months part time. 
Pay rate is $15.51/hr (before taxes).

All applications must be received electronically.  To apply, go to
.  Choose  “search job postings,” and enter posting
number 0050232, “Research Technician”. Applications must include a resume,
cover letter, and the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of 3
professional references.

Summary of responses: watersheds as an ecosystem service

[David Inouye]

A few months ago I posted this query:

>>I'm interested in responses from knowledgeable people about this 
>>contrarian (but possibly correct?) view about the story of New York
>>City's water supply and the Adirondacks.  Note that the article 
>>cites an ESA publication.  See 
>>http://www.perc.org/perc.php?subsection=5&id=547


Several people asked for a summary of responses, which included:

The short answer to your question is that Marc usefully corrects some 
factual errors in the popular recounting of the Catskills story, but 
he completely misrepresents the larger implications of an ecosystem 
services approach.  He assumes an ecosystem services approach to be 
no different than a preservationist, complete hands-off, approach 
rather than managing landscapes to optimize provision of ecosystem 
services.  I thought this was a significant misrepresentation of what 
folks like Gretchen and others have been arguing, so I got into a 
long e-mail correspondence with the editor of the PERC magazine, Jane 
Shaw, who kindly offered me the opportunity to respond to Marc's 
piece.  [see http://www.perc.org/perc.php?id=683]

Professor Jim Salzman
Duke Law School
Nicholas School of Environment and Earth Sciences
***

It's hard to know where to begin with this article.  It begins by taking
a few narrow citations from prestigious sources and then uses those
narrow interpretations to attack the whole notion of multifaceted
watershed management, as though it were simply misguided nature
preservation.  In taking this approach, Mr. Sagoff makes some important
points about, for example, the role of waterfowl in contaminating
reservoirs with coliform bacteria.  On the whole, though, the article
belies a deep ignorance of non-point source pollution and watershed
dynamics.  For example, watersheds don't "purify rainwater", but
watershed management can strongly influence runoff of nutrient and
sediment from the LAND as rainwater MOVES THROUGH the watershed.
Watersheds do not "act like huge cisterns," and watershed management is
far more than simply using natural ecosystems to "disinfect rainwater".
The body of scientific literature supporting the role of riparian areas,
forest management, stream bank stabilization and agricultural best
management practices on reducing nutrient and sediment contamination of
surface water is voluminous.  The New York City watershed management
plan is a comprehensive approach drawing from this vast scientific
understanding.  There may be no scientific consensus on the best
approach.  However, Mr. Sagoff misses the point entirely by focusing
exclusively on wildlife habitat and nature preservation, as those these
were the only, or even the main components of the New York city
watershed protection plan--they are not:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/watershed/home.html.

Mr. Sagoff has drawn a false philosophical dichotomy, which he states
clearly in his closing paragraph by claiming that we benefit from nature
not by preserving it but by "improving" it.  That simplistic formula
finds no support in any credible analysis of the world's environmental
challenges. Humans benefit both by preserving and by improving upon
natural structures and processes.  One need not look far to see examples
where our "improvements" have left us with less than what we had to
begin with, and where preservation has helped us to improve upon our
mistakes.
***

I don't know that I'm in the 'knowledgable' category but:
1. $150M of the $1.75B was earmarked for land acquisition.
2. The link 
http://www.ibo.nyc.ny.us/iboreports/pubwater.html
 
notes the breakdown for water quality improvement ($790M) and safe 
drinking water ($355M).
3. My understanding is that reducing point source pollution and 
reducing risk of increased point and other water pollution sources is 
where a majority of the water benefits came from as well as watershed 
and habitat protection under #1 above.
*


A colleague recently forwarded to me your inquiry regarding the Mark
Sagoff piece on the ?Catskills Parable?.  So far as I have been able 
to tell, Sagoff is correct in stating that the Catskills Parable 
originated in Geoffrey Heal and Graciela Chichilnisky?s short 1998 
paper in Nature.  It's been cited innumerable times since.  As Sagoff 
notes, the Heal and Chichilnisky paper "includes no relevant sources 
or citations".


Other authors, even those who have generally seen the episode as a 
hopeful development, have expressed some skepticism.  Gretchen Daily, 
James Salzman and Barton Thompson in discussing the Catskills example 
in a 2001 Stanford Environmental Law Journal article wrote "Although 
consumers might prize safe drinking water, they also savor low water 
rates, and might not be will

Models for calculating soil moisture

[Jonathan Greenberg]

I was hoping to get some advice on models which can be used to calculate
soil moisture and runoff as a function of space and time at a small scale
(30m or so), given inputs such as precipitation, soil water holding
capacity, and topography, and potentially allow for losses through soil and
plant evaporation (given windspeed, humidity and temperature).

Note that I'm talking about dynamic models, not hydrological indices such as
TCI and flow accumulation that are common in GIS packages.

Any suggestions?  Any review articles?  Thanks!

--j

--

Jonathan A. Greenberg, PhD
NRC Research Associate
NASA Ames Research Center
MS 242-4
Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000
Office: 650-604-5896
Cell: 415-794-5043
AIM: jgrn307
MSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

*Call for Abstracts* Front Range Student Ecology Symposium

[Elizabeth Harp]

Front Range Student Ecology Symposium
Call for Abstracts
Submission Deadline: February 15, 2006

The graduate students in the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology at Colorado
State University would like to invite graduate and undergraduate
students from Front Range colleges and universities to submit abstracts for
oral and poster presentations at the 12th Annual Front Range Student
Ecology Symposium (FRSES) to be held Wednesday, March 8, 2006, in the Lory
Student Center at Colorado State University.

This student-run symposium provides an informal venue for undergraduate and
graduate students interested in ecology to present their research to an
audience of their peers, fostering an environment of collaboration and
communication.

Deadline for submission of abstracts is February 15, 2006.

For more information and to submit an abstract, visit the FRSES website at
http://lamar.colostate.edu/~ecosym

Please forward this announcement to interested students!

-- 
Elizabeth Harp
Department of Biology
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
--
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
970-203-5462
-- 

tracking tunnels

[Craig A Faulhaber]

Hi all. 

I'm a new Ecolog member with a few questions about tracking 
tunnels/track plates:

1)  Does anyone have any suggestions of the best medium (e.g., best ink 
mixture) for obtaining clear tracks? (I'm hoping to ID tracks to genus).
2)  Has anyone had success with unbaited tunnels, or is bait a necessity?

Thanks for your help!

Craig

-- 
Craig A. Faulhaber
Department of Forest, Range, and Wildlife Sciences
Utah State University
5230 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322
(435)797-3892

REQUEST FOR SPERM SAMPLES FROM BIRDS

[Stefan Luepold]

I plan to gather a large number of sperm samples from birds to study 
effects of mating systems and other ecological factors on the evolution of 
sperm shape. The icterids (meadowlarks, grackles, orioles, cowbirds, 
blackbirds, bobolinks, etc.) form an ideal group of birds for this study 
because mating systems vary considerably even between closely related 
species, indicating different selection pressures in different species.

I am now looking for bird banders or researchers who are handling birds 
during this breeding season and are willing to collect samples from 
different icterid species. During the breeding season male birds produce 
sperm almost continuously and some of these sperm pass into the birds’ 
cloaca and are excreted with the feces. Collecting these feces is an easy 
and harmless technique for obtaining sperm from wild and captive birds. If 
you are interested, please contact Stefan Luepold 
([EMAIL PROTECTED]) for more details on the project and 
instructions for the collection of fecal samples. I will be happy to 
provide the material needed to collect and preserve the samples.

Graduate Research Assistantship in Forest Ecology

[John Caspersen]

I am seeking a Master’s or Ph.D. student to help conduct forest canopy 
research.  The objective of the research is to quantify developmental 
changes in the structure of tree canopies (e.g. leaf size and leaf area 
index), and to determine how these changes influence the understory (light 
transmission and regeneration). Studies will be conducted at Haliburton 
Forest and Wildlife Resereve (see www.haliburtonforest.com) in central 
Ontario, making use of a dedicated off-road lift system for canopy access 
by personnel and instrumentation. Interested students should email or call 
John Caspersen:

John Caspersen
Faculty of Forestry
University of Toronto
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
416 946-8506

nature writing online class/writing workshop

[Wendee Holtcamp]

I'm offering another of my nature writing classes if anyone is =
interested...=20
Feb 18-Mar 17 OR Mar 25-Apr 21=20

more info is at http://www.wendeeholtcamp.com/nature.htm=20

Also I'm putting together a writers-artists workshop/retreat that will =
be a fundraiser for a nonprofit San Jacinto Conservation Coalition and =
it will be held sometime in summer (May-June-July) in The Woodlands TX. =
It will include writing workshops, a guided eco-kayaking trip on the San =
Jacinto River, yoga, optional massage and the keynote is Chris Heeter =
from The Wild Institute (www.thewildinstitute.com). I'll be leading =
breakout sessions on publishing in environmental magazines, journaling, =
etc and we will have photography and art breakouts sessions too. If =
you're interested in getting more info let me know!=20

Wendee

~~~
   Wendee Holtcamp, M.S. ~~ Freelance Writer-Photographer=20
  ~~ http://www.wendeeholtcamp.com  ~~
**Just opened 2 new nature writing online classes. Register at
 http://www.wendeeholtcamp.com/nature.htm=20
Bohemian Adventures Blog - http://bohemianadventures.blogspot.com=20
 

Research assistant - grassland songbirds in Vermont

[Noah G. Perlut]

RESEARCH ASSISTANT (1) - Needed early / mid May through late July, for 
study of population viability and mating systems of grassland songbirds 
in the Champlain Valley, Vermont.  Field work will include mist 
netting, color-banding, nest searching/monitoring (Bobolink and 
Savannah Sparrow), and searching for dispersed individuals.  Applicants 
should be self-motivated and have experience in mist netting, nest 
searching, or be experienced in aural identification of grassland 
birds.  Flat terrain, friendly vegetation, few biting insects, early 
mornings, sense of humor, and gallons of Vermont cheese/ ice cream.  
Stipend $350/week 10 weeks.  Housing not provided, though will assist 
in finding affordable housing in Burlington.  Send cover letter, 
resume, and the names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three 
references.  APPLICATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED VIA EMAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Noah Perlut, Vermont Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, 
University of Vermont, 212 Aiken Center, Burlington, VT 05405.

New Honduran Herp Book

[Joseph T . Collins]

NEWS RELEASE
The Center for North American Herpetology
Lawrence, Kansas
http://www.cnah.org
30 January 2006

New Book
AMPHIBIANS & REPTILES OF THE BAY ISLANDS AND CAYOS COCHINOS, HONDURAS

by James R. McCranie, Larry David Wilson, and Gunther Köhler

The Bay Islands and Cayos Cochinos are home to 55 amphibian and reptile 
species, 12 of which are endemic to these islands. Hog Island Boas occur here 
as 
well as five species of iguana (two endemic). McCranie, Wilson and Köhler are 
the 
undisputed authorities on Honduran herpetology. Their combined knowledge is 
pooled here for the first time and complemented with a multitude of 
photographs to highlight the unique herpetofauna of these islands. A scientific 
treatise, as well as a field guide, this book is indispensable for anyone 
interested 
in Central American amphibians and reptiles.

Specifications: 224 pages, 6 x 9 inches, full color throughout
Hardcover (ISBN: 1-932871-05-5)
$29.95
Shipping: $4.00 within the USA; $9.00 non-USA addresses

Order online at:

http://herplit.com/BayIslands/

*

"At first glance, this book seems to be a field guide, and at 6 x 9 in. and 
just 
over 200 pages, full of species accounts, it looks like one, too. — but this is 
more than a field guide . . . Between them, the authors of this book probably 
know more about the amphibians and reptiles of Honduras than anyone, and their 
expertise is evident . . . Even if you can't visit the bay Islands, buy this 
book. 
Through its photographs, you can take a virtual trip. It will be worth it" — 
Arthur 
C. (Sandy) Echternacht review in Iguana. 

The authors of this authoritative book about the herpetofauna of the Honduran 
Bay Islands have produced much more than a simple guide. They not only 
illustrate and describe the 55 species of amphibians and reptiles, they provide 
user-friendly keys and detailed descriptions of the islands and their rapidly 
changing habitats. In addition, they present a thoughtful analysis of the 
forces, 
few of them positive, that affect the conservation status of the islands’ 
unique 
populations of amphibians and reptiles, many of which are endemic.—Robert 
Powell, Avila University and Editor of Iguana published by the International 
Reptile 
Conservation Federation.

*