Western Region Non-Native Invasive Plant (NNIP) Intern (Murphy, NC)
MountainTrue is seeking a dedicated individual to fill a part-time 12-week internship position for its western region in Fall 2021. The Intern will serve a minimum of 180 hours from August 30, 2021 through November 20, 2021.
Western Region NNIP Intern Position Summary:
This internship position includes a combination of on-the-ground stewardship of public and conserved lands, volunteer recruitment and coordination, and public outreach. A primary task of the NNIP Intern is to assist Western Region Program Coordinator, Tony Ward with non-native invasive plant control work. The position will require travel to various locations within a 60-mile radius of Murphy (including north Georgia) and substantial work outdoors. Mr. Ward will provide training, support, and guidance for the position. The NNIP Intern will also benefit from the knowledge and expertise of other Public Lands staff through the teamwork approach practiced by MountainTrue.
Qualifications – Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Must have: Education or experience in – and a passion for – natural resources management, biology, or environmental science. Strong communication skills. Ability to work independently and balance multiple tasks. Stamina to work outdoors and maintain a positive attitude in challenging conditions and inclement weather. Respect for diverse groups and interests.
- Would prefer: Education/knowledge in native and non-native plant identification. Experience working with volunteers.
Eligibility Requirements:
Applicants must:
- Be a U.S. citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident
- Be available and commit to part-time service (15 hours per week) for the entire 12 weeks
- Be at least 16 years of age on August 30, 2021
- Have independent transportation
Responsibilities and Duties:
Non-Native Invasive Plant Control & Riparian Buffer Enhancement: 40%
The primary task of the NNIP Intern is the physical work of manual and chemical treatment of non-native invasive plants on public and conserved private lands sites in the MountainTrue western region which have been prioritized by the Western Region Program Coordinator. This aspect will also likely include assisting with riparian buffer plantings and live-staking at select sites as well.
Volunteer Recruitment & Coordination: 30%
Organize volunteer workdays for treating NNIPs along the River Walk in Murphy, NC and the Little Tennessee River Greenway in Franklin, NC or other locations as prioritized by the Program Coordinator. Assist the Program Coordinator with management of the volunteers, which includes teaching them restoration techniques, informing them of the risks associated with the outdoor work, and supervising them during the workdays. The Intern is expected to keep detailed records of volunteer personnel (including names and contact, liability waivers, hours served, and frequency of participation).
Non-Native Invasive Plant Inventory: 20%
This aspect of the position involves field inventory/data collection of non-native invasive plant species. The intern will conduct walk-throughs of sites that have had NNIP treatment in the past, to document presence or absence of problem plant species. Get location and photo documentation and create reports for prioritization of future workdays.
Conservation Education: 10%
This aspect will primarily consist of educating volunteers and members of the public about native and invasive plants through organized education events and workdays. This could also include participation in or presentations at meetings; designing and producing posters and brochures, or promoting events. The Intern will be expected to assist with the Cherokee Heritage Festival on Saturday, September 18th in Hayesville, NC.
Weekly Schedule:
The Intern’s work schedule can be fairly flexible after training is complete; however, 2-3 longer days (5-7.5 hours/day) per week is preferable to allow for travel to/from work sites. Work will be required on at least three Saturdays, including September 18th (see above). An appropriate number of weekdays/hours will be excused to offset these as determined by the Intern’s supervisor.
Compensation & Benefits
- $1,500 stipend (paid in equal installments, every two weeks on Friday)
- Mileage reimbursement at $0.45 per mile on a monthly basis as per submitted and approved expense reports
- Mentorship, training, and professional development opportunities. These may include a commercial applicator’s pesticide license, CPR/AED training, and more.
HOW TO APPLY
Please send your resume and/or a statement of interest and qualifications to: tony@mountaintrue.org. Open until filled.
MountainTrue Engagement Competition: Are you the MountainTruEST?
We are excited to announce a friendly summertime competition to encourage you, our supporters, to consider new ways of connecting with our work. Are you a regular Swim Guide volunteer? Get into the advocacy game by sending a message to the forest service! Or do you follow our Raleigh Report and all things policy? Take a trip outside with us and discover a new species of wildlife on either a river snorkel or a guided hike! Whatever your go-to activity is with MountainTrue, we invite you to explore a new aspect of our work and try out something different this summer.
We’ll keep track of your event attendance, your action alert responses, and any other way you support our efforts. Then, each month in our e-newsletters from July through September we will recognize the most engaged supporters in each region. To get started today, visit our No Man’s Land Action Center, where you can take action to push for policy-based solutions to environmental degradation. You can also check out our Events Calendar to see what’s coming up in either your area – or a new part of our mountains that you haven’t explored before!
If you have questions about specific opportunities for your region, contact your local staff for details:
High Country: Andy Hill, andy@mountaintrue.org
Southern Region: Gray Jernigan, gray@mountaintrue.org
Western Region: Callie Moore, callie@mountaintrue.org
Central Region: Susan Bean, susan@mountaintrue.org
Asphalt plant victory: You made this happen!
Community members celebrate in front of the Historic Courthouse in Hendersonville yesterday.
Southern Regional Director & Green Riverkeeper Gray Jernigan shared this message with MountainTrue’s Henderson County supporters today, June 2 2021.
We did it! Once again, our community came together to defeat an asphalt plant proposal that would harm community health, clean water and local public lands. Yesterday, just a few hours before the Board of Commissioners meeting where the final decision would be made, the developer withdrew his application because he knew he didn’t have the votes. Your support for this effort marks the second time we’ve defeated this dangerous proposal for East Flat Rock.
I’m writing to say thank you. Defeating this proposal meant showing up to community meetings, writing public comments and sitting through hours of County Commission hearings – all because you believed in the power of community organizing. For some of you this was your first time making a public comment at a hearing. I know it’s not always easy to put yourself out there, and MountainTrue and Friends of East Flat Rock are so grateful that you did.
Beyond that, this was the second time our community put in so much time and energy to challenge this proposal, and during a pandemic that was already so stressful for all of us. I’m encouraged by the resilience of our members to speak up and turn out, even during challenging times.
A special thanks goes out to Michelle Tennant Nicholson and Shannon Nicholson for leading the organizing effort, as well as the core group of community leaders that met weekly to strategize along the way. East Flat Rock is an amazing community and despite the unfortunate circumstances, I hope that this has brought many of you closer together as neighbors than ever before.
In the coming months, Henderson County will begin the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan that will guide development in our area for decades to come. I hope you’ll stay engaged in this effort to help shape the vision for future growth while protecting our communities and natural resources. You’ve seen during this advocacy effort how important the Comprehensive Plan is when our elected and appointed leaders are forced to make tough decisions about land use, and you are important to steering the conversation about the future of our community.
I hope you’re feeling some relief and celebrating today. Thank you for being part of this win.
Sincerely,
Gray Jernigan, Southern Regional Director & Green Riverkeeper
Solarize Asheville-Buncombe Reaches Its Most Affordable Pricing Level!
Solarize Asheville-Buncombe has truly taken off like no Solarize campaign before it, reaching the final pricing tier – tier 8 – in record time. This means we have made solar energy more affordable for hundreds of residents in Buncombe County!
To extend accessibility further, Solarize Asheville-Buncombe also signed our first three income-based solar grants last week. These grants will cover a large part of the cost of a solar installation for a low-income family in Buncombe County – significantly reducing energy costs for many decades, and providing greater financial security while utility costs fluctuate.
At the same time, the workforce development component of Solarize is moving forward, as Green Opportunities has completed multiple weeks of solar installation training for community members with traditional barriers to employment.
We are so grateful to all of our supporters who have signed up or donated to make Solarize such a success. If you haven’t yet, here are some ways you can participate in the campaign:
- You can still sign up! Register for your free home solar evaluation here to see if solar energy will be a good fit for your property.
- Help make solar energy attainable for even more families by donating to our Neighbor-To-Neighbor solar crowdfunding campaign. 100% of funds will help more community members in Buncombe County afford solar energy.
- Want to learn more about the various ways to finance solar energy? Mark your calendar for Solarize Asheville-Buncombe’s financing workshop on May 26 from 6-7 pm, and register here.
Kaiya Pickens Wins Top 2021 Carson Conservation Scholarship Award
Kaiya Pickens, the recipient of this year’s top Carson Conservation Scholarship award.
Murphy High School senior Kaiya Pickens is the top award winner of this year’s Glenn F. Carson, II Memorial Conservation Scholarship. Kaiya is planning a career in ecological restoration and has been volunteering with MountainTrue this semester to remove non-native invasive plants on the River Walk in Murphy, NC.
Originally established by the Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition (now a part of MountainTrue) in 2014, the Carson Conservation Scholarship is a memorial to the late Glenn F. Carson, II. At the time of his death, Glenn was the District Conservationist for Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and was an important leader in the conservation community of Western NC. He was a graduate of Western Carolina University.
The Carson Conservation Scholarship assists young people from Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties who want to pursue higher education in natural resource conservation fields such as agriculture, forestry, environmental science, health or engineering, and wildlife management. To date, $17,500 in scholarship funds have been awarded to eleven students.
In her scholarship application, Kaiya wrote, “Conserving the flora of Southern Appalachia is something that has grown to be very important to me because this biodiverse Eden provides a foundation for not only our ecosystems, but also for our homes and everyday lives.”
Kaiya is heading to the University of North Carolina at Asheville this fall, where she plans to pursue an Environmental Studies major with concentrations in Ecology and Environmental Biology. Her scholarship is $2,000 and is renewable at $1,000 per year for up to three additional years, based on continued eligibility.
Additional $500 scholarships were awarded to Ethan Beavers from Robbinsville High School in Graham County, and Colby Davis from Hiwassee Dam High School in Cherokee County. Ethan is attending Haywood Community College and pursuing a career in forestry. Colby is majoring in Agricultural Technology and Systems Management at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, GA.
To support more students through the Carson Conservation Scholarship fund, make a donation at mountaintrue.org/join and mark your donation as “In Memory of Glenn F. Carson, II.”
AmeriCorps Outings, Education, and Forest Stewardship Coordinator (Asheville)
MountainTrue, through AmeriCorps Project Conserve, is seeking a dedicated individual to fill a full-time position serving critical conservation needs in Western North Carolina. The member will serve 1700 hours from September 1, 2022 through July 31, 2023.
Position Summary:
The Outings, Education and Forest Stewardship Coordinator works closely with topic area experts on the MountainTrue staff to engage the public in environmental protection in Western North Carolina through guided hikes, outreach programs, on-the-ground stewardship on public lands, volunteer coordination, and environmental education. The coordinator will serve as the project lead for the OLLI Ecology of the Southern Appalachians course, our annual BioBlitz volunteer event, and our Guided Adventures series. This service position will require frequent travel and work outdoors to provide an opportunity to become more familiar with the Blue Ridge Mountains. The coordinator will support MountainTrue’s racial equity work by helping to create programming specifically designed to engage communities of color in environmental conservation. The activities undertaken by this position will inform, inspire, and connect a broad public to the natural world and its delicate and often threatened ecosystems, thereby increasing general support for conservation efforts in our region.
Qualifications – Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Excellent planning and organizational skills. Attention to detail is key in this position.
- Education or experience in natural resources management, biology, or environmental science/studies/education/policy.
- Experience working with diverse people (youth, retirees, rural, urban, people of color).
- Strong time management skills.
- Ability to work outdoors and maintain a positive attitude in challenging conditions and inclement weather.
- Ability to manage multiple projects at once and maintain attention to detail.
- Ability to work as part of a team as well as independently.
- Be a quick learner, unafraid to ask questions, and also have the patience to tackle complex problems
- Familiarity with web-based programs and applications and the use of social media.
- Training and/or teaching experience a plus.
- Excellent oral (including public speaking) and written communication skills.
- Spanish language proficiency a plus.
- Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States, and consent to a criminal history check.
Preferred Service Hours / Weekly Schedule:
9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday, with occasional evening and weekend hours as needed
Position Responsibilities and Duties:
Conservation Education: 65%
- Organize numerous hikes, tours, and other activities featuring MountainTrue programs and priorities such as old-growth forests, ecology, water quality, land use planning and development, and others. Coordinate with topic experts on staff who will be primarily responsible for content delivery.
- Educate volunteers and members of the public through organized events and workdays provided throughout our service region of counties across Western North Carolina.
- Manage event page content for website, make regular posts to social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram, build volunteer and ticketed event sign up forms for web, compose email communications to promote events and programs, and communicate with the general public looking to engage with our programs
- Represent MountainTrue in the Everybody’s Environment Coalition and bring valuable learnings back to the organization to improve our diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Serve as the project lead and primary point of contact between participants in our OLLI Ecology of the Southern Appalachians class and the MountainTrue staff instructors.
- Participate in the community as a MountainTrue team member contributing to the success of the organization.
At-Risk Ecosystem Impacts and Trails: 15%
- Field inventory/data collection of non-native invasive plant species;
- Manual and chemical treatment of non-native invasive plants, both along trails (National Forest, AT, state, municipal) and in conservation easements;
- Chemical treatment to save ash trees from emerald ash borer
- Leading volunteers to address maintenance needs on public trails.
- Training volunteers to collect data on sedimentation from forest roads and trails
Volunteer Engagement: 20%
- Assist in the recruitment and management of volunteers, teaching them restoration techniques including manual and chemical treatment of non-native invasive plants, informing them of the risks associated, and supervising them during workdays.
- Coordinate our annual BioBlitz, which includes a 2 week virtual species hunt utilizing the iNaturalist app for identification and coordinating in-person identification events in different parts of WNC to recruit new participants and volunteers.
PLEASE NOTE: In addition to fulfilling host site service responsibilities, all Project Conserve members are required to fully participate in team trainings, service projects, and statewide AmeriCorps events. Project Conserve team events will occur approximately twice per month in locations throughout the service area and may require up to three overnight stays.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
- Be a U.S. citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident
- Be at least 18 years of age at the commencement of service
- Be available and commit to full-time service for the entire service term: members will serve a minimum of 1700 hours over the 11-month term, which is roughly full-time (40 hours per week).
- Consent to a criminal history check and be cleared for service
- Meet minimum education requirements (see individual service descriptions)
- Meet additional qualifications as listed in the service descriptions
- Meet essential functions for each position as listed in the individual service descriptions
Compensation & Benefits
For full-time (1700 hour) positions in the 2022-2023 program year, members will receive:
- $19,880.00 living stipend (paid in equal installments via direct deposit, twice per month, minus taxes)
- Health insurance reimbursement if eligible. Members are eligible for reimbursement for the full cost of a Health Insurance Marketplace bronze or catastrophic plan, OR up to $100 for a higher-level Marketplace plan. Members who maintain health insurance through a parent or spouse’s employer are not eligible for reimbursement.
- Childcare assistance if eligible. See eligibility requirements for full-time members enrolled in AmeriCorps State & National programs on the AmeriCorps Childcare Fact Sheet
- Education award of $6,495.00 upon successful completion of the program. This award can be used to repay qualified student loans and to pay current educational expenses at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs. Learn more about the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award on AmeriCorps.gov/americorps-education-award
- Mentorship, training, and professional development opportunities. Training may include Wilderness First Aid, CPR/AED, Conflict Resolution, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and more
Project Conserve strives to foster a culture that celebrates and supports equity, diversity, and inclusion, learning and continuous improvement, and high-quality community service. AmeriCorps positions provide unique opportunities for members to develop leadership and professional skills to support their future career goals. Members participate in training and service days up to three days per month with the full Project Conserve team and on an ongoing basis as part of their host site service. Training may cover a broad range of topics including conflict resolution, wilderness first aid, and CPR/AED, project planning, non-native invasive species identification, trail construction, volunteer management, and education program development.
HOW TO APPLY
To Apply
Please go to conservingcarolina.org/americorps/projectconserve/ for more information and to apply. Contact Susan Bean with any questions at (828) 258-8737 x218 or susan@mountaintrue.org. MountainTrue is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to individuals with known physical/mental disabilities.
AmeriCorps Forest Keeper Coordinator (Asheville)
MountainTrue, through AmeriCorps Project Conserve, is seeking dedicated individuals to fill 4 full-time positions serving critical conservation needs in western North Carolina. Each full-time member will serve 1700 hours from September 1, 2021 through July 31, 2022. Members serve with host site organizations working to protect the unique natural resources of the southern Blue Ridge Mountain region.
Members connect people with nature and enhance quality of life through conservation education, volunteer recruitment/coordination, and trail creation/improvement. Members also improve environmental conditions in WNC through activities including habitat restoration, water quality monitoring, and public land and river improvements projects.
Project Conserve strives to foster a culture that celebrates and supports equity, diversity, and inclusion, learning and continuous improvement, and high-quality community service. AmeriCorps positions provide unique opportunities for members to develop leadership and professional skills to support their future career goals. Members participate in training and service days up to three days per month with the full Project Conserve team and on an ongoing basis as part of their host site service. Training may cover a broad range of topics including conflict resolution, wilderness first aid and CPR/AED, project planning, non-native invasive species identification, trail construction, volunteer management, and education program development.
Forest Keeper Coordinator Position Summary:
This position includes a combination of volunteer recruitment and coordination, on-the-ground stewardship on public lands, education, and data management. A primary task of the FKC is to build and improve upon a Forest Keeper program to recruit, cultivate, educate and retain dedicated volunteers who monitor and improve our public lands. The position will include opportunities to learn from and network with conservation professionals from a variety of non-profit organizations and government agencies. This service position will require frequent travel and work outdoors to provide an opportunity for the Forest Keeper Coordinator to become more familiar with the Blue Ridge Mountains. This service position will be supervised by the Ecologist & Public Lands Director who will provide training, support, and guidance. The Forest Keeper Coordinator will also benefit from knowledge, expertise, and training by other staff through the teamwork approach practiced among the diverse projects with MountainTrue.
Qualifications – Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Must have: Education or experience in natural resources management, biology, or environmental science/studies/education/policy. Strong organization, communication, and project management skills. Ability to work independently. Gregarious personality. Ability to work outdoors and maintain a positive attitude in challenging conditions and inclement weather. Respect for diverse groups and interests.
- Would prefer: Community organizing/engagement or event planning skills and experience. Education/knowledge in native and non-native plant identification.
- Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States, and consent to a criminal history check.
Preferred Service Hours / Weekly Schedule:
9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. A number of weekend hours of work will, however, be required, so an appropriate number of weekdays/hours will be excused to offset these as determined by the member’s supervisor. (Approximately 2-3 weekend days per month; more in spring and fall, less in winter.)
Position Responsibilities and Duties:
Conservation Education: 25%
- This aspect will primarily consist of educating volunteers and members of the public through organized education events and workdays. This could also include participation in/presentation at conferences; high school and college PowerPoint presentations and workshops; designing and producing posters and brochures educating about, or promoting events relating to, nature education, forest ecology and management, climate change, non-native invasive plants and insects, and other education projects of interest and need.
At-Risk Ecosystems and Trails: 25%
- Field inventory/data collection of non-native invasive plant species;
- Same for the non-native invasive insect, emerald ash borer, which also includes ash tree (several species) ID and measurement training;
- Manual and chemical treatment of non-native invasive plants, both along trails (National Forest, AT, state, municipal) and in conservation easements;
- Participating in tree live-staking in riparian zones.
- Working to address reported issues in the public lands of WNC with ecological sensitivity.
Volunteer Infrastructure Program: 50%
- The Forest Keeper Coordinator will be responsible for assisting in the recruitment of volunteers for the Forest Keeper program as well as other opportunities to improve the public lands of WNC. This will include reaching out to diverse groups, and offering regular training/recruitment events.
- In addition, they are responsible for the management of those volunteers, which includes teaching them restoration techniques, informing them of the risks associated, and supervising them during the workdays.
- The Forest Keeper Coordinator will also help coordinate our annual BioBlitz, which will entail the recruitment and management of up to 50 volunteers.
- As part of this work, the FKC will maintain social media presence (Instagram, Facebook) and help promote events and programs.
- The Forest Keeper Coordinator is expected to keep detailed records of volunteer personnel (including names and contact, liability waivers, hours served, and frequency of participation) in keeping with Project Conserve standards.
PLEASE NOTE: In addition to fulfilling host site service responsibilities, all Project Conserve members are required to fully participate in team trainings, service projects and statewide AmeriCorps events. Project Conserve team events will occur approximately twice per month in locations throughout the service area and may require up to three overnight stays.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
- Be a U.S. citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident
- Be at least 18 years of age at the commencement of service
- Be available and commit to full-time service for the entire service term: members will serve a minimum of 1700 hours over the 11-month term, which is roughly full-time (40 hours per week).
- Consent to a criminal history check and be cleared for service
- Meet minimum education requirements (see individual service descriptions)
- Meet additional qualifications as listed in the service descriptions
- Meet essential functions for each position as listed in the individual service descriptions
Compensation & Benefits
For full-time (1700 hour) positions in the 2021-2022 program year, members will receive:
- $16,350 living stipend (paid in equal installments via direct deposit, twice per month, minus taxes)
- Health insurance reimbursement if eligible. Members are eligible for reimbursement for the full cost of a Health Insurance Marketplace bronze or catastrophic plan, OR up to $100 for a higher-level Marketplace plan. Members who maintain health insurance through a parent or spouse’s employer are not eligible for reimbursement.
- Childcare assistance if eligible. See eligibility requirements for full-time members enrolled in AmeriCorps State & National programs on the AmeriCorps Childcare Fact Sheet
- Education award of $6,345 upon successful completion of the program. This award can be used to repay qualified student loans and to pay current educational expenses at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs. Learn more about the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award on AmeriCorps.gov
- Mentorship, training, and professional development opportunities. Training may include Wilderness First Aid, CPR/AED, Conflict Resolution, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and more
HOW TO APPLY
To Apply
Please go to conservingcarolina.org/americorps/projectconserve/ for more information and to apply. Deadline to Apply is May 31, 2021. Contact Amy Stout with any questions at (828) 697-5777, ext 217 or projectconserve@conservingcarolina.org. Conserving Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to individuals with known physical / mental disabilities.
AmeriCorps Water Quality Administrator (Hendersonville)
MountainTrue, through AmeriCorps Project Conserve, is seeking dedicated individuals to fill 4 full-time positions serving critical conservation needs in western North Carolina. Each full-time member will serve 1700 hours from September 1, 2022 through July 31, 2023. Members serve with host site organizations working to protect the unique natural resources of the southern Blue Ridge Mountain region.
Members connect people with nature and enhance quality of life through conservation education, volunteer recruitment/coordination, and trail creation/improvement. Members also improve environmental conditions in WNC through activities including habitat restoration, water quality monitoring, and public land and river improvements projects.
Project Conserve strives to foster a culture that celebrates and supports equity, diversity, and inclusion, learning and continuous improvement, and high-quality community service. AmeriCorps positions provide unique opportunities for members to develop leadership and professional skills to support their future career goals. Members participate in training and service days up to three days per month with the full Project Conserve team and on an ongoing basis as part of their host site service. Training may cover a broad range of topics including conflict resolution, wilderness first aid and CPR/AED, project planning, non-native invasive species identification, trail construction, volunteer management, and education program development.
Water Quality Administrator Position Summary:
This position encompasses many facets: working with volunteers on many levels (recruiting, training, mentoring, organizing); learning and understanding meaningful ways to connect applied science to community needs at the local level; evaluating, designing, and implementing impactful programming for the betterment of the community and environment; and collaborating with all types of groups, from government agencies to civic organizations, school groups, other nonprofits, and community groups. The member is in charge of communications with the Water Quality Team, administers resources for all WQ-focused programs, and connects with the broader community to solve water quality challenges.
Qualifications – Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Related educational background preferred: environmental sciences/studies, natural resource
management, sustainability/technology, etc.
- Experience working with or managing volunteers of various demographics preferred
- Public Speaking experience a plus
- Member must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Experience with Microsoft Office, Google suite, Facebook, and GIS preferred
- Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States, and consent to a criminal history check.
Preferred Service Hours / Weekly Schedule:
9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday, some evenings and weekends
Position Responsibilities and Duties:
Conservation Education: 20%
- Collaborate with other organizations to organize and execute Kids in the Creek and other water quality youth education events;
- Focus educational efforts around climate change adaptation and mitigation, litter and plastic pollution, and other emerging areas of interest;
- Collaborate with other organizations to conduct public education events across Transylvania, Henderson, Polk, and Rutherford Counties;
- Pursue other opportunities to engage with children through local schools, etc.
At-Risk Ecosystems and Trails: 30%
- Plan and assist with live-staking events in the region;
- Utilize water quality data to prioritize and address water quality issues;
- Conduct stream clean-ups and other work days
Volunteer Infrastructure Program: 50%
- Lead MountainTrue’s Southern Regional Office Clean Water Team;
- Manage the SMIE biomonitoring, VWIN chemical monitoring, Swim Guide bacteria monitoring, and microplastic monitoring programs through effective volunteer recruitment, training, and management;
- Expand the reach of the Adopt-A-Stream program; Coordinate Big Sweep and other volunteer focused stream clean-up events;
- Host a volunteer appreciation event;
- Help guide the organization’s efforts around equity, diversity, and inclusion by targeting volunteer recruitment and service activities to reach underserved people and communities;
- Pursue other opportunities to engage volunteers as they arise
PLEASE NOTE: In addition to fulfilling host site service responsibilities, all Project Conserve members are required to fully participate in team trainings, service projects and statewide AmeriCorps events. Project Conserve team events will occur approximately twice per month in locations throughout the service area and may require up to three overnight stays.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
- Be a U.S. citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident
- Be at least 18 years of age at the commencement of service
- Be available and commit to full-time service for the entire service term: members will serve a minimum of 1700 hours over the 11-month term, which is roughly full-time (40 hours per week).
- Consent to a criminal history check and be cleared for service
- Meet minimum education requirements (see individual service descriptions)
- Meet additional qualifications as listed in the service descriptions
- Meet essential functions for each position as listed in the individual service descriptions
Compensation & Benefits
For full-time (1700 hour) positions in the 2022-2023 program year, members will receive:
- $19,880.00 living stipend (paid in equal installments via direct deposit, twice per month, minus taxes)
- Health insurance reimbursement if eligible. Members are eligible for reimbursement for the full cost of a Health Insurance Marketplace bronze or catastrophic plan, OR up to $100 for a higher-level Marketplace plan. Members who maintain health insurance through a parent or spouse’s employer are not eligible for reimbursement.
- Childcare assistance if eligible. See eligibility requirements for full-time members enrolled in AmeriCorps State & National programs on the AmeriCorps Childcare Fact Sheet
- Education award of $6,495.00 upon successful completion of the program. This award can be used to repay qualified student loans and to pay current educational expenses at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs. Learn more about the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award on AmeriCorps.gov/americorps-education-award
- Mentorship, training, and professional development opportunities. Training may include Wilderness First Aid, CPR/AED, Conflict Resolution, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and more
HOW TO APPLY
To Apply
Please go to conservingcarolina.org/americorps/projectconserve/ for more information and to apply. Contact Susan Bean with any questions at (828) 258-8737 x218 or susan@mountaintrue.org. MountainTrue is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to individuals with known physical/mental disabilities.
Take Action For Funding To Map Landslide Hazard Areas In WNC
Action Expired
Landslides in our mountains are a threat to homes, roads, drinking water, and even lives. But we can make our communities safer if we know where to expect them. Call on the NC Senate to continue funding for the mapping of dangerous landslide hazard areas in Western North Carolina below!
To make sure we know where landslide risks exist in our mountains, the NC Department of Environmental Quality began mapping these areas back in 2005. This program was halted in 2011 and then restarted in 2018 with funding from the NC General Assembly. However, the funding for the highly trained, technical mapping staff – the staff who are the boots on the ground for this work – will run out this June. We need to make sure this important work continues!
As climate change causes more frequent and heavy rainstorms, landslides become more common and dangerous. In fact, every record rainfall our region has experienced in the past decade has come along with a sharp increase in landslides. Over the last few years, these landslides have:
- Destroyed and condemned homes across the region
- Killed people in Watauga, Polk and Macon counties
- Impacted a major gas line in Polk County
- Blocked key roads like I-40 in Haywood County and US 19/74 in Swain County for weeks
- Moved significant excess sediment into Franklin’s drinking water supply
To make our communities more resilient to future landslides, we must first understand where the risks are so we can plan, prepare, and adapt accordingly. Take action below to call on your State Senator to include funding to continue the landslide hazard mapping program in this year’s budget.
To make your message most effective, we highly encourage you to personalize it and explain why this issue matters to you!
MT Raleigh Report: How Legislative Advocacy Helped Us Track Down E. coli Pollution
4/27/2021
At MountainTrue, we spend a lot of time thinking and talking about water – how to keep it clean, where and how it’s being polluted and how to clean it up.
That’s true not only home in Western North Carolina, but also in Raleigh, where clean water initiatives are always at the top of our legislative agenda.
When it comes to water pollution, E. coli is a huge part of the problem. E. coli is a type of bacteria that typically lives in the stomachs of humans and animals, and exposure to it in water can cause intestinal infection, diarrhea and even kidney failure.
Our Water Team conducts regular water quality monitoring of the French Broad, Green, Watauga, Broad, Elk, Hiwassee, New and Nottely Rivers. On the French Broad River in particular, our data showed a sharp increase in E. coli levels several years ago – but while we knew E. coli was spiking, we couldn’t say for certain where it was coming from. We needed funding to do more sensitive eDNA testing and determine the major sources of E. coli in the river.
That’s when our lobbying effort in Raleigh kicked in.
The French Broad River flows through a good portion of Senator Chuck Edwards’ district, which includes Henderson and Transylvania counties and portions of Buncombe County. Senator Edwards also chairs one of the Senate appropriations committees that deals with funding for natural resources. With his help and some effective lobbying, in 2018 the Senate included a $100,000 appropriation for water quality testing in the French Broad River.
This spring, the results of that testing made headlines across WNC: showing that the main source of E. coli in the French Broad River is agricultural runoff from cattle farms, followed by inadequate sewer, septic or wastewater treatment systems. MountainTrue shared this data to kick off a region-wide grassroots advocacy campaign to educate the public about E. coli pollution. And we’re asking our supporters to call on their elected officials to support funding to help farmers, property owners and local governments keep their pollution out of the river.
In Raleigh, we are combining this grassroots support with advocacy inside the legislative building to find more funding for clean water in Western North Carolina. We’re so appreciative of the support you and others provide to make our legislative advocacy possible. Thank you for being part of this important process!
For more information about our water testing efforts and advocacy, visit mountaintrue.org/swimguide.
