Tongass Ecology and Community Sustainability Intern
Background
The Sitka Conservation Society (SCS) works on natural resource and community sustainability issues in Sitka, Alaska, which is surrounded by the Tongass National Forest. The Tongass is the largest remaining temperate rainforest in the world, and home to relatively isolated rural communities struggling to balance survival with resource protection. Following a long history of conflict with federal land managers over industrial logging in the Sitka Ranger District and elsewhere on the Tongass, SCS now works in a collaborative, partnership-oriented capacity with federal agencies, local and regional organizations, and businesses and individuals throughout Sitka.
Direction and Purpose
The Tongass Ecology and Community Sustainability Intern will focus on three project areas designed to support SCS’s work on wilderness stewardship, habitat restoration, and community collaboration in the Sitka Ranger District. Emphasis will be on creating products to directly incorporate into ongoing projects led by current staff. The intern will be given many opportunities to experience the Tongass National Forest and the community of Sitka, and will be expected to interact with a wide range of partners and public stakeholders.
Duties:
•Implement projects focused on balancing Tongass ecosystem needs and functions with opportunities to derive sustainable economic benefit for Sitka and other communities in southeast Alaska.
•Critically engage in balancing competing interests to identify and build support for win-win natural resource opportunities.
•Distill broad sustainability, conservation ecology, and community development concepts into on-the-ground opportunities that demonstrate positive change and benefit the “triple bottom line.”
•Leverage partnerships, research, media, education and outreach to implement and raise awareness about projects that transform existing social, economic, and environmental paradigms for the long-term in Sitka and southeast Alaska.
•Work with the Sitka Collaborative Stewardship Group on opportunities to integrate conservation and community sustainability through USFS projects, outreach and education, workforce development, and more.
•Specific projects will fall under the broad categories of collaborative stewardship, restoration, and wilderness.
Supervision:
•Intern will be supervised by the Conservation Solutions Coordinator for the duration of the internship, but directed by the Wilderness Stewardship and Outreach Coordinator, and the Watershed Program Manager, on wilderness and restoration projects.
Qualifications:
•B.A., M.S. preferred in related field (e.g. planning, environmental science, natural resources management, ecological forestry).
•Background and interest in sustainability, rural community development, community organizing and conservation.
•Ability to travel in wilderness areas.
•Self-motivated and comfortable working with the public.
•Ability to translate complex policy and natural resources concepts for a variety of audiences (public, business, SCS board, etc.).
•Ability to effectively communicate with and engage diverse audiences and stakeholders.
•Ability to transition into full-time employment.
Duration: 12 weeks, approximately June 1-August 31, 2012
Compensation: $4,000 plus travel to/from Sitka (not to exceed $1,000)
For more information and instructions on how to apply, contact Zia Brucaya at zia@sitkawild.org or (907) 747.7509.
Deadline: Sunday, July 1, 2012
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