Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina Job Announcement
Position Title: Conservation Program Intern (part-time) Term: Summer – 10 weeks/240 hours (24 hours/week) Location: 204 Avery Avenue, Morganton, NC Application Deadline: April 16, 2021
Organization Background: Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina is a nationally-accredited, 501(c) 3 land trust that inspires conservation in Western North Carolina by permanently protecting land and water for the benefit of people and all living things. Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina envisions a thriving region to live and visit, with clean water, healthy forests, productive farmland, diverse wildlife, access to outdoor recreation, and communities that value conservation. Foothills Conservancy serves eight counties: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Lincoln, McDowell, and Rutherford, in three major river basins: the Broad, Catawba, and Yadkin.
Foothills Conservancy has permanently conserved more than 61,000 acres since 1995 for this and future generations. Conservation projects include private farm and forest lands protected with conservation easements as well as land and water resources protected for public enjoyment and benefit at South Mountains, Lake James and Chimney Rock State Parks; Johns River and South Mountains Game Lands; Bobs Creek State Natural Area; Mountain Bogs National Wildlife Refuge; Pisgah National Forest; and the Blue Ridge Parkway, as well as local and regional parks and trails, including Wilderness Gateway, Fonta Flora, and Overmountain Victory state trails; Valdese Lakeside Park, and the conservancy-owned Oak Hill Community Park and Forest. FCNC also protects several thousand acres of watershed and significant natural heritage areas in conservancy-owned preserves.
Position Summary: The Conservation Program Intern’s primary duties will be to assist FCNC’s Land Protection Director with land and easement acquisition projects, including conservation resources assessments, GIS mapping, conservation project evaluation-documentation, property acquisition due diligence items, and filing for completed land project transactions. The Intern will assist other Conservation Program staff as needed, including land stewardship, natural resources management, and trail project tasks. Expectations for this position include flexibility to conduct work in both virtual and office settings, a commitment to regular weekday work hours (completing 24 hours of work per week), congenial
communication with conservancy staff and the public, and attention to detail with documentation and record keeping.
Key Responsibilities: ● Assist with field work and data collection for conservation property baseline documentation reports and management plan summaries ● Compile and analyze natural resources data to prepare conservation project evaluation forms and materials ● Prepare GIS maps and use GPS tools (such as Avenza) to collect field data and photographic documentation for conservation acquisition projects ● Assist with property investigation, information gathering, and the ordering of property acquisition items (Environmental audits, biological inventory, surveys, appraisals, etc.) ● Work with Conservation Program staff and volunteer groups on land stewardship and trail projects as needed ● Participate in virtual meetings and field work with a variety of FCNC’s conservation project partners and government agencies ● Maintain a positive work environment and relationships with colleagues, staff and volunteers ● Strong interpersonal and communication skills ● Performance of tasks to meet FCNC organization and Conservation Program policies and procedures ● Positively representing the organization with landowners, supporters, and project partners
Required Skills and Qualifications: ● Significant post-high school education in sciences and/or natural resource management. Relevant training, Associate, or Bachelor degree preferred ● Experience and comfort with outdoor tasks and property visits, including off-trail and in varying weather conditions ● GIS mapping and GPS use/navigation ● Competence and interpretive skills with scientific reports and data, spreadsheets/databases, online mapping tools, and property surveys ● Familiarity with geography, natural resources, land management practices, streams and watersheds, and conservation lands in the western Piedmont, foothills and mountains of North Carolina ● Reliability and ability to complete work tasks independently ● Strong verbal and written communication skills ● Careful attention to detail and skills with record-keeping and document management / storage ● Microsoft Office and Google Suite ● Possession of a valid driver’s license with a safe driving record
Compensation: $15/hour Mileage reimbursement at current federal rate and/or use of Foothills Conservancy vehicles as appropriate
Application Timeline: April 16: Application Deadline April 19 - April 23: Interviews Scheduled April 26 - May 7: Offer Made June 1: Position Start Date August 6: Position End Date
How to Apply: Email a cover letter, resume and three professional references to [email protected] with “FCNC Conservation Program Intern” in the subject line.