Golden Gate National Parks, Fort Funston and Pacifica

Native Plant Nursery Intern Golden Gate National Parks, Fort Funston and Pacifica Part Time, Spring Semester 2013 (with potential for Summer Extension) Available only to students currently enrolled at SF State and CCSF

Overview The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) is a destination for both locals and international visitors with its sweeping vistas, immense biological diversity, and unique cultural resources. With over 15 million visitors annually and over 80,000 acres of land, the GGNRA is the largest urban national park in the country.

A thriving community-based stewardship program is working to rehabilitate the park’s natural areas. The Native Plant Nursery system is one of the vital components of this program, growing thousands of native plants and educating hundreds of Bay Area students and residents each year.

The Fort Funston and Oceana Nurseries are a part of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, a non-profit partner of the National Parks Service. The Fort Funston Nursery is the oldest nursery in the park and is located behind the ranger station by the south end of Ocean Beach at Fort Funston. The Oceana Native Plant Nursery is a partnership between the National Park Service, The Parks Conservancy, and Oceana High School, and operates within a beautiful school garden, behind the high school in Pacifica, CA.

Position Overview

Are you passionate about plants, working in a nursery setting, building community, and restoring open space?

We are looking for a Fort Funston and Oceana Nurseries Intern that is excited to work in a dynamic, community-based, nursery program in the GGNRA in the San Francisco bay area. This intern will work with a broad range of audiences, especially youth, through a variety of service and learning opportunities.

This internship aims to introduce the intern to all aspects of managing a native plant nursery with an emphasis on seed collection and processing, plant propagation and after care, and facilities maintenance. The intern will gain valuable experience in botany (especially CA native plant identification), environmental education, habitat restoration, and volunteer management.

Position Description of Duties  Assist with plant propagation at both the Fort Funston and Oceana Nursery. This includes, but is not limited to: o Assist with the collection, processing, and storage of plant materials for propagation. o Work to meet the nursery’s propagation goals by performing seed treatments, sowing seeds and transplanting. o Perform routine plant maintenance: weed, fertilize, prune and move plants. o Water and monitor plants daily for general plant health and/or needs. o Perform facilities maintenance as needed: routine upkeep, maintenance, and repairs to greenhouse and shade house irrigation systems, building structures and equipment. o Maintain nursery records and enter data into the nursery database.  Assist with all aspects of managing a volunteer program and coordinating outreach. This includes: o Plan for, and assist with, weekly nursery volunteer workdays on Wednesdays and Saturdays. o Develop outreach materials to promote participation in the nursery program and protection of park resources. o Develop and perform outdoor presentations to engage a variety of audiences, including youth, while promoting conservation and habitat restoration. o Recruit, coordinate, train and retain volunteers. o Record and enter volunteer program records into the database. o Import and organize digital images.  Time provided, assist other team members with habitat restoration activities including removal of invasive plants, planting of natives and other site maintenance activities.

Benefits  Gain leadership, marketable skills, and restoration experience at a highly respected non-profit organization with a model partnership between two Federal agencies.  Opportunities to work with staff and volunteers from diverse backgrounds that share a common interest in preserving and protecting our natural lands while engaging the next generation of park stewards.  Opportunity for personal/professional development days to pursue an interest, including training and education in various departments within the Park Service and Parks Conservancy.  Fifty Dollar ($50.00) per day stipend available, plus academic credit.

Desired Qualifications  Passion, curiosity, and enthusiasm for horticulture and native plants.  A love of nature, outdoor work, and getting your hands dirty.  Interest in ecological restoration and community stewardship.  Energetic, flexible, self-motivated, and a sense of humor.  Desire to work in a team and to work with a diversity of people with different backgrounds, ethnicity, races, genders, sexualities, ages, and viewpoints.  Ability to work independently and take on a leadership role as needed.  Good communication skills; treats others with respect; speaks and writes clearly and effectively.  Basic computer literacy, Microsoft Word and Excel. Experience with database operations or Photoshop/ InDesign a plus.  A valid driver’s license and clean driving record a plus  Bi-lingual skills are a plus.

Physical Requirements and Work Environments  This is a field based position with a few days of office time a week. Must enjoy working outside in various weather conditions while maintaining a sense of humor.  Ability to lift, carry and position objects weighing up to 40 pounds Terms  Desired Start Date: January 2013  2 – 3 days per week, January through May. Summer (full time) extension possible.  Available only to students currently enrolled in SF State and City College of San Francisco

To apply for this position, please send a resume and a thoughtful cover letter to [email protected]. Please indicate the position title in your email subject line. In the letter, please indicate your preference if applying to more than one internship. No phone calls please.

The Parks Conservancy and National Park Service are committed to diversity in the workplace. Minorities and people of color are encouraged to apply.