United States Forest Service Outreach Notice Pike and San Isabel National Forests-Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands

Outreach Notice valid through April 3, 2013

Rangeland Management Specialist GS-0454-9/11

Duty Location: Canon City, Colorado Organizational Unit: Region 2 - Pike and San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands, Supervisor’s Office. The Supervisor's Office oversees management of 8 ranger districts covering 3 million acres of National Forest and Grassland. The Ranger Districts are widely distributed across central and southeastern Colorado and southwestern Kansas. The Mountain Ranger Districts are located in Leadville, Salida, Canon City, Fairplay, Morrison, and Colorado Springs Colorado. The Grasslands Ranger Districts are located in La Junta and Springfield Colorado, and Elkhart Kansas. Opportunity Type: Pre-announcement for an advertisement. Primary Contact: Paul Crespin, District Ranger, at (719) 269-8701, email address is [email protected]. Please indicate if you have career or career-conditional status and the highest series and grade you have ever held, or if non-government.

The Position

This positon serves as a District Staff Officer/Program Manager. This position manages the Range and Invasive Species Programs for the San Carlos, Salida, and Leadville Ranger Districts on the San Isabel National Forest. While this positon provides staff level support to all three ranger districts, the duty station will be in Canon City, Colorado. This positon manages an ecosystem based rangeland management program utilizing resource management goals, objectives, and decisions. This position coordinates and communicates with the three District Rangers and other District Staffs to integrate program goals and objectives and plans and allocates funding accordingly. The position recommends program priorities based on feedback from District Staffs, District Rangers, and Forest Staff. The position consults and coordinates with permittees, interested publics, private interests, and other agencies.

This position also provides Range and Invasive Species Program input for NEPA projects and any planning efforts with potential impacts in these programs. The position provides timely updates to the District Rangers on emerging issues. This position conducts short and long term monitoring and analyzes the rangeland resource in order to determine the effectiveness of current management actions.

OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTS:

Supervision: This is a supervisory position.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Bargaining Unit Status: Eligible - Not Covered.

Duty Station Specifics Pike/San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron/Comanche National Grasslands San Carlos Ranger District located in Canon City, Colorado

SAN CARLOS RANGER DISTRICT INFORMATION: The San Carlos Ranger District encompasses the south portion of the San Isabel National Forest. The District extends over an area about 50 miles wide, by 110 miles long, including about 430,000 acres of National Forest System lands in Fremont, Custer, Huerfano, Pueblo, Las Animas & Costilla Counties, including the Wet Mountains, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and the Spanish Peaks.

WILDERNESS: The Sangre De Cristo (226,000 acres total) and Greenhorn Mountain (23,000 acres) Wilderness Areas were designated in August 1993. The Spanish Peaks (19,000 acres) was added to the National Wilderness Preservation System in November 2000. The Spanish Peaks are also a National Natural Landmark.

SANGRE DE CRISTO RANGE: Best known for their high peaks, high lakes and high use, with 8 peaks over 14,000 feet elevation and 35 peaks over 13,000 feet. Working and assisting all interested groups gathering information on use of trails, lakes, back country campsites, roads, trailheads, and campgrounds to develop a vision & ecosystem management plan. As lead district for the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area, we coordinate with Salida, Saguache & Conejos Peak Ranger Districts, as well as the recently expanded Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve in the management of the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness.

CAMPGROUNDS & PICNIC AREAS: The District manages 11 campgrounds with 210 fee campsites, 3 family picnic areas and 2 group areas. Ten campgrounds are operated by concessionaire. Reconstruction projects included Lake San Isabel roads and campgrounds, Blue and Bear Lakes Road; Purgatory Road, and Cuchara Creek conversion to a day use area.

TRAILS: 350 miles (50% open to motorized use) - 15 miles heavy maintenance & reconstruction and 110 miles of logging out per year. Working with partners to relocate & rehab trails & routes to 14ers and some 13ers. Partners include Rocky Mountain Field Institute, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, Back Country Horsemen, Motorcycle & ATV Clubs, & State Correctional Facilities. Most trails are steep and eroding, requiring reconstruction to stabilize. .

ROADS: 375 miles – 100 miles maintained per year. Coop road maintenance agreements with 3 counties. Scenic Highway of Legends (Highway 12 from Trinidad to Walsenburg) and Frontier Pathways (Highway 96 from Pueblo to Westcliffe and Highway 165 to Lake San Isabel & Rye) are designated as part of the National Scenic Byway System.

WINTER RECREATION: Two snowmobile clubs under special use permits maintain 55 miles of groomed trails and 20 miles of ungroomed routes. Ice fishing, sledding and intertubing, and cross country skiing are all popular activities pursued on the District.

OUTFITTER-GUIDES: 39 permitted operations provide youth camps, environmental education, hiking, backpacking, low impact camping, mountain biking, llama packing, horseback riding, x-country skiing; deer, elk, sheep, lion and bear hunting.

CULTURAL RESOURCES: Mingus Homestead is on the National Register of Historic Places. Picnic shelters and campgrounds along Squirrel Creek Canyon were designed and developed by Arthur Carhart in 1919. An old steam engine marks the early attempts at logging in Newlin Creek. Marble Caves are a unique cultural and geologic feature in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, nationally known by Spelunkers.

SOIL & WATER RESOURCES: 50+ high mountain lakes, 4 reservoirs, over 200 miles of streams, and municipal watersheds for the City of Florence and the City of Trinidad. Projects to stabilize & revegetate 75 ac/yr of old logging & mining roads and other erosion areas, with 80+ miles of tracks needing rehabilitation. Currently developing augmentation plan for 83 acre feet of evaporative loss from San Isabel Lake.

WILDLIFE HABITAT – Wide range of ecosystems from Mountain shrub at 6,000 feet elevation to alpine tundra at 14,345 feet. Tremendous diversity of species: elk, deer, bighorn sheep, antelope, bear, lion, turkeys, Mexican Spotted Owls (threatened species), Peregrine Falcons, Goshawks. Projects include: turkey guzzlers, aspen regeneration, prescribed fire, water development, riparian improvement and road closures. Work with Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife on Habitat Partnership Program & Game Distribution Plans.

FISHERIES HABITAT: All reservoirs, most of the high lakes, and 100 miles of streams support trout year-round, including 6 native populations of endangered Greenback Cutthroat trout. Projects include: efforts to re-introduce Greenbacks into suitable streams to provide a stable population in the Arkansas River Drainage; stream structures to create pools; and dredging shallow ponds.

LANDS: District land adjustment plan completed. Receive 20 inquiries/year on land exchange, 50 info requests from realtors & landowners, & numerous complaints about lack of public access. Future work: 20 R0W’s, 20 trespass cases, 2 Small Tracts Act cases, 40+ miles boundary survey & posting needed.

MINERALS: Approximately 125 mining claims district-wide. 5 oil & gas leases for 2500 acres. Most of the district has low mineral potential. 4 mining trespass cases need resolution.

LANDS SPECIAL USES – Approximately 100 permits for roads, pastures, ditches, power lines, electronic sites, cabins, etc. Future work includes permitting 20 unpermitted roads accessing private land inside the Forest boundary.

RANGE RESOURCES – 16 active allotments with 13,000 animal unit months of cattle grazing on 50,000 acres of primary range (12% of district). Recent Range Betterment projects include fencing, cattle guards, water developments, and prescribed burning for forage improvement. Management of noxious weeds is becoming a district priority. District is working cooperatively with 11 counties, local, state and other federal government agencies in developing comprehensive noxious week management plan. Intensive inventory and mapping efforts initiated in 1999.

TIMBER RESOURCES – 306,000 acres of forested land; 98,000 acres considered suitable for timber harvesting (25% of district). The district currently offers about 500,000 board feet per year to area sawmills; approximately 800 family Christmas Trees; and 1000 cords of fuelwood.

FIRE – Average 15 fires and 30 acres burned/year. The Mason Gulch burned 11,357 acres in 2005; Medano fire burned 3,000 acres in 2009, Duckett fire burned 6,400 in 2011; Sand Gulch fire burned 640 acres in 2011; and Wetmore fire burned 1,100 acres in 2012. Coop agreements with 5 counties. Fire program is fully integrated with BLM following Service First Philosophy. The District Fire Management Officer (FMO) is a BLM employee. The Assistant FMO is a FS employee and they fully funded by the Forest Service. Two BLM and one FS engines share initial attack responsibilities for all public lands on District and BLM Field Office. Between 1000 – 2500 acres of prescribed burns are accomplished annually. A Wildland Fire Use EA, covering the majority of the district, was completed in 2008. The BLM also has Wildland Fire Use discreation.

STAFF & FACILITIES – The District staff includes 18-20 permanent positions assigned to 4 work centers, each 40 to 100 miles apart.

COMMUNITY INFORMATION: Canon City is the county seat of Fremont County in Southern Colorado. The City is located in a mountain bowl along the Arkansas River Valley as it flows east from the Rocky Mountains. The city has a mild climate and is referred to as the “Climate Capital of Colorado” with temperatures generally 10 degrees warmer that other nearby Colorado communities. There are many tourist attractions in the area including the Royal Gorge Bridge and rafting on the Arkansas River. Canon City is the third oldest city in the State of Colorado and residents are proud of its history.

ELEVATION: 5,300 feet POPULATION: 16,000 in the City; 6,000 additional in the county NEAREST LARGER TOWNS: Pueblo, CO 40 miles Denver, CO 120 miles Colorado Springs, CO 45 miles

CLIMATE Average Annual Precipitation: 13.3 inches Average Annual Snowfall: 36 inches Average Summer High Temperature: 90 Average Winter Low Temperature: 27

HOUSING AVAILABILITY AND APPROXIMATE COST: Housing is affordable in Canon City, with the median price between $110,000 and $150,000. Rental units are readily available, as well.

MEDICAL AND HOSPITAL FACILITIES: One full-service medical hospital, as well as nursing care and assisted living centers in Canon City and nearby Pueblo. The Colorado State Veteran’s Nursing Home is located in nearby Florence, CO. There are also numerous doctors, dentists, and other health care professionals and specialists in Canon City. There are also two hospitals in Pueblo, CO, as well as a number of health care professionals.

SCHOOLS AND/OR COLLEGES AVAILABLE: There are many elementary schools, one junior high school and one high school in Canon City, as well as schools in the nearby communities of Florence and Penrose. Pueblo Community College has a campus in Fremont County, as well as the main campus in Pueblo. Colorado State Unviersity-Pueblo is also located in nearby Pueblo.

DAY CARE: Several day care facilities are available in Canon City.

CHURCHES: Numerous with many different denominations represented.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Commercial air service to/from Colorado Springs, CO approximately 1 hour away. Denver International Airport is approximately 2 ½ hours from Canon City.

Additional information can be obtained from the Canon City Chamber at either [email protected] or toll-free at 800-876-7922. 2

OUTREACH NOTICE FORM

Please Respond by: April 3, 2013

Rangeland Management Specialist GS-0454-9/11 Pike/San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron/Comanche National Grasslands (PSICC) SAN CARLOS RANGER DISTRICT, Canon City, CO

If you are interested in this position, please complete this form describing your current status and return it, by one of the following to: Email: [email protected] Mail To: Paul Crespin, District Ranger 3028 E. Main Street. Canon City, CO 81212

Name: ______Email:______Mailing Address:______Telephone number(s):______

Agency Currently Employed With: USFS ___BLM ___ OTHER______Type of Appointment: ____PERMANENT ____TEMPORARY ____TERM ____ VRA ____PWD ____OTHER

Current Region/Forest/District:______Current Series and Grade:______Current Position Title:______

If you are not a current permanent (career or career conditional) employee, are you eligible to be hired under any of the following special authorities: ____Person with disabilities ____Veterans Readjustment ____Disabled Veterans with 30% compensable disability ____Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 ____Former Peace Corps Volunteer ____Student Career Experience Program ____Other ______Submission of this form is voluntary Thank you for your interest in our vacancy