Community Outreach and Water Quality Intern – Summer 2021

Community Outreach and Water Quality Intern – Summer 2021

We are hiring an intern for the summer of 2021 who will participate in the 8-week Non Profit Internship Program (NPIP) sponsored by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. To learn more about this program, click here. This position will be split evenly between supporting general community outreach efforts and helping our French Broad Riverkeeper team. For the water quality portion of the position, this intern will help facilitate our summer water quality programs, both aimed at tracking sources of bacteria pollution in the river. Our intent with these programs is twofold— 1). to alert the public of high E. coli levels to ensure safe water for safe recreation, and 2) pinpointing sewer/septic leaks and agricultural runoff problems in order to get them fixed. This position will be coordinating water sampling volunteers, taking water samples, performing lab and field work, managing data, conducting research, and distributing and disseminating results to the public.

When not working with our water quality team, this position will support our Community Engagement Director with outreach events, educational programs and/or advocacy campaigns. This work could include promoting events on social media, helping coordinate volunteer work days, preparing materials for educational displays, managing information in our advocacy database, and other tasks that help us communicate with the public about the environmental threats our region faces and our plans to respond to those threats.

We are looking for someone:

with a positive attitude,
who is comfortable with a changing schedule as needed per weather and other factors.
attention to detail,
eager to learn,
skilled in communications,
ideally with experience writing press releases or other written pieces for the public to read,
ideally some background in water quality monitoring, but not required.

Eligible students must be:

A rising sophomore, junior, or senior enrolled full-time in a four-year North Carolina college or university; OR
A rising sophomore, junior or senior North Carolina resident enrolled full-time in a four-year accredited college outside the state; AND
Pell grant-eligible in the academic year in which they apply for NPIP. As a part of the application process, students will be asked to upload their Student Aid Report verifying their Pell grant eligibility. Students can access this document through their FAFSA login. Click here for further directions. Students ineligible for a Pell grant due to documentation issues or criminal conviction may be eligible and should contact Maya Reynolds at mayar@zsr.org

Students of color are encouraged to apply.

Application Deadline is February 22, 2021. A $3,200 stipend will be provided. Click HERE to submit an application and select MountainTrue from the list of participating non profit organizations. If you have questions about the position, please contact Susan Bean at susan@mountaintrue.org.

Fall Native Tree and Shrub Sale

A key component to a healthy stream or lake and good water quality is native trees and shrubs. Streamside buffers provide a wide variety of functions, including filtering pollution from runoff; trapping excess soil and taking up nutrients; keeping water temperatures cooler; helping prevent erosion and loss of land; and providing food and shelter for wildlife. MountainTrue staff and volunteers spend a good deal of time removing nonnative invasive plants from along streams and the lake shoreline to ensure that the native vegetation stays healthy and functions to protect water quality. Learn more about the functions of riparian buffers here.

Many of the harmful invasive plants that we work so hard to eradicate are unknowingly planted by residents in landscaping – sometimes miles away from the water!

In order to raise awareness about the beautiful, resilient plants that are native to our Southern Appalachian Mountains and to provide a little funding for our ongoing invasive plant eradication efforts, we are again holding a Native Tree and Shrub Sale this fall. Choose from 36 species of native trees and shrubs, ranging from large shade trees, native ornamentals, pollinator species, and those particularly beneficial to wildlife.

All plants are quality local nursery stock.
1-gallon – $12
2-gallon – $15
3-gallon – $20

2020 Tree-Shrub species price list
2020 Tree-Shrub descriptions for sale
2020 Tree Sale Printable Order Form

Orders will be accepted through Wednesday, November 4, while supplies last. You must pay for the order at the time you submit it in order to secure your species and size of choice. Then, pick up your order from the MountainTrue Western Regional Office parking lot in downtown Murphy on Saturday, November 14 between 9:00am – 1:00pm.

Here are two ways to complete your order:

Order online using the form below and pay with any major credit card.
Use our printable paper order form. Mail the order form with a check payment to: MountainTrue, 90 Tennessee St., Suite D, Murphy, NC 28906.

Plants that are found here inspire a “sense of place” and pride in our mountain communities and promote wise stewardship and conservation of natural resources. For questions related to these or other native and invasive plant species, contact program coordinator, Tony Ward at tony@mountaintrue.org.

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News

MountainTrue is the most experienced grassroots organization in the region, working with communities across 23 counties on the issues that matter most to sustaining our natural resources.

Our collaborative work among community groups, government, and private industry often catches the public eye. MountainTrue also works to engage communities voices in the media to speak out for keeping our forests healthy, our air and water clean and our communities vibrant.

Catch up on our news here.

Click here to subscribe to our different news and alert services including our Vistas E-Newsletter, #MTRaleigh Legislative Updates, MountainTrue Action Alerts and Creation Care Alliance News.

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