Your Very Next Step newsletter for April 2014
By Ned Lundquist
www.yourverynextstep.com
“We travel for many reasons: to escape, relax, learn, startle ourselves, sometimes to meet new people, sometimes to get away from familiar ones. But as visitors, we touch only the surface of a place.”
– Carl Hoffman
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
– Lao Tzu
“Your Very Next Step” adventure/outdoors/conservation newsletter, published by Ned Lundquist, is a cooperative community, and everyone is invited, no…encouraged, no…urged to participate. Share your adventures with the network today! Send to lundquist989@cs.com.
*** To subscribe for free:
Send us your comments, questions, and contributions to lundquist989@cs.com.
Contact Ned at lundquist989@cs.com.
*** In this issue:
*** Ned’s upcoming travel
*** 10 Castles You Can Actually Afford to Sleep In
*** 40th Annual Mount Rogers Naturalists Rally
*** Wild Edibles and Plants
*** How to Take a Luxury Vacation Without Breaking the Bank
*** Cheap and Chic: 10 Affordable Hawaii Hotels
*** Traverse City woman gives adventure travel a whole new meaning
*** Adventure travel vs. conservation
*** Primal Travel: Alone in Papua
*** Pennsylvania officials urge anglers to prevent wildfires
*** Live Webcast from GOM Ocean Floor
*** Small Town Travel: Four of America’s Most Iconic Trails Converge in Damascus, Virginia
*** Ecologists track D.C. ospreys’ long journey home — from South America to the Anacostia
*** National Rail-Trail of the month:
April 2014
Minnesota’s Dinkytown Greenway
*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:
1.) Communications Assistance, Virginia Outdoors Foundation, Williamsburg, VA
2.) Spring Volunteer Day April 26, Little Buffalo State Park, Newport, PA
3.) Mounted Assistance Unit (MAU), Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) / Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, Los Angeles, CA
4.) Volunteer Naturalist, Conservation Commission of Missouri, throughout Missouri
5.) Arizona Trail – Maintenance – South of Rogers Trough Trailhead, Arizona National Scenic Trail, Arizona Trail Association, Phoenix, AZ
*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:
1.) Ridgerunner- Appalachian Trail CT/MA, Berkshire Trails Program, Appalachian Mountain Club Southern New England Office, South Egremont, MA
2.) Communications Director, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Cheyenne, Wyo.
3.) Mid-Atlantic Corridor Stewardship Coordinator, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Boiling Springs, PA
4.) Trails Coordinator, Maine Woods Trail Crew, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (MBPL) / Plum Creek / Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), Moosehead Lake Region, Maine
…and much more…and it’s all FREE!!!
*** Do you have a travel adventure, conservation or outdoor update to share?
Send me your stories and I’ll post in the “Your Very Next Step” and on the YVNS website (http://www.yourverynextstep.com/).
*** Ned’s upcoming travel, maybe, perhaps:
May 11-16, Seattle / Bellingham / Vancouver
June 9-10, Abu Dhabi, UAE
June 11-12, Bahrain
August 18-19-22, Tacoma, Wash.
August 22, 23, 24, San Diego, Calif.
October 28-29, Nassau, Bahamas
*** The Vikings Land at British Museum
http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/The-Vikings-Land-at-British-Museum-2014-03-06/
*** 10 Castles You Can Actually Afford to Sleep In
http://www.fodors.com/news/photos/10-castles-you-can-actually-afford-to-sleep-in?ref=news_fd_041214
*** 40th Annual Mount Rogers Naturalists Rally
The 40th Annual Mount Rogers Naturalists Rally will be held in Konnarock, VA on Mother’s Day weekend May 9-10, 2014. The many different and overlapping eco-systems of the Mount Rogers area have fascinated scholars and explorers for decades. The event begins with a gathering Friday evening at the Konnarock Community Center-VA 600–for a fried chicken dinner prepared by the Community Association of Konnarock, and a speaker ( this year on pollinators). Field trips depart from the Community Center on Saturday a.m. and p.m. with a wide variety of topics being investigated by participants and the expert trip-leaders. Join us this year to celebrate 40 years of rallying to explore the Mount Rogers biosphere. Go to the mountrogersnaturalistrally.org site for more specifics on the field trips and to reserve your spot for this year’s dinner. Reservations are absolutely, positively necessary as seating is limited.
http://mountrogersnaturalistrally.org/
*** Wild Edibles and Plants
Knowing how to identify what plants you can and can’t eat is one of those skills that may not be essential to modern man, but it can certainly make camping or hiking a little more interesting.
*** How to Take a Luxury Vacation Without Breaking the Bank
The Savor Blog
http://blog.savor.co/post/80975536922/how-to-take-a-luxury-vacation-without-breaking-the-bank
*** Cheap and Chic: 10 Affordable Hawaii Hotels
http://www.fodors.com/news/photos/cheap-and-chic-10-affordable-hawaii-hotels?obref=obinsite#!1-intro
*** Traverse City woman gives adventure travel a whole new meaning
By Ellen Creager
Detroit Free Press Travel Writer
http://www.freep.com/article/20140330/FEATURES07/303300008/adventure-travel-women-WANT-Pociask
(I agree with this comment: “You can fly to Bora Bora for the same price as flying to Traverse City.”)
http://wantexpeditions.com/
*** Adventure travel vs. conservation
A conversation with outdoor entrepreneur Bill Bryan.
High Country News Apr 16, 2014
by Ray Ring
http://www.hcn.org/issues/46.6/adventure-travel-vs-conservation
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/city-guides/new-guinea-traveler/
*** Primal Travel: Alone in Papua
Posted by Keith Bellows of National Geographic Traveler in Travel with Heart on April 14, 2014
http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2014/04/14/primal-travel-alone-in-papua/
*** Pennsylvania officials urge anglers to prevent wildfires
By Ashley Bennett
http://www.gsnmagazine.com/article/40909/pennsylvania_officials_urge_anglers_prevent_wildfi
*** Live Webcast from GOM Ocean Floor
From April 12-30, members of the public are invited to join NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer as it explores deep-sea habitats in the Gulf of Mexico. Virtual ocean explorers will have the chance to see canyons, deep-sea coral communities, and shipwrecks dating to the early 1800s via live video transmitted from the deep seafloor.
http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/Live-Webcast-from-GOM-Ocean-Floor-2014-04-13/
*** Small Town Travel: Four of America’s Most Iconic Trails Converge in Damascus, Virginia
http://www.jaunted.com/story/2014/4/7/12523/28596/
*** Ecologists track D.C. ospreys’ long journey home — from South America to the Anacostia
By Michael E. Ruane
The Washington Post
*** National Rail-Trail of the month:
Trail of the Month: April 2014
Minnesota’s Dinkytown Greenway
By Laura Stark
“It isn’t the longest bike trail in the city, but it is probably one of the most important,” said Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, clad in shorts and running shoes on a bright August day last summer before an energetic crowd celebrating the opening of the Dinkytown Greenway.
Although only a mile long, the new paved greenway provides a key piece in a biking network that connects the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. First envisioned 20 years ago, the long-awaited project was eagerly embraced by the community.
“I could not believe the size of the turnout,” says Steve Sanders, the University of Minnesota’s alternative transportation manager. “By far, it was the most I’ve ever seen.”
Paul Ogren, project manager and engineer for the City of Minneapolis, had the same impression. “I was expecting 50 people, and 250 showed up.”
So with virtually no opposition, what took so long?
“The Dinkytown Greenway has a long history,” says Sanders. “It was first planned back in 1994, and there’s always been recognition of it as an important piece of infrastructure. But we couldn’t come to an agreement with BNSF Railroad, so the original route had to be changed.”
When negotiations with the railroad fell through, Ogren rolled-up his sleeves. With the loss of the potential use of the BNSF corridor for a rail-trail, the route had to be redrawn. But where?
“We had to try something entirely different,” Ogren states. “All the neighboring property belonged to the University of Minnesota, so we made a series of designs, even going into the field with a can of spray paint to try and figure out how to fit in a trail.”
The University of Minnesota (U of M) was fully supportive of the effort, and the trail now rests entirely on the school’s property. Sanders notes that school administrators were “bound and determined” to make it happen. In particular, he points to the support of Kathleen O’Brien, vice president for university services. “She said, ‘If our stuff is in the way, we’ll move it,’” he affirms.
Buildings, loading docks and parking facilities made finding a suitable pathway tricky. “The Dinkytown Greenway has a railroad corridor on one side, and its paving goes right up to the walls of some of the university buildings on the other side,” says Ogren. “It’s shoehorned pretty good.” But, with such a collaborative and cooperative relationship between the City and the University, the trail eventually got done.
Critical to the project’s development was funding from the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP), a federally funded initiative launched in 2005 that provided $25 million to each of four communities across the country, including Minneapolis, to make biking and walking infrastructure a priority of transportation planning and to measure any resulting changes in transportation behaviors. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is one of three managing partners and was involved in the program’s design and inception.
In Minneapolis, Bike Walk Twin Cities (BWTC) is the local entity for this federal transportation initiative. “The Dinkytown Greenway, long in everyone’s eyes, finally got done thanks to the persistence and funding that came from BWTC,” says Hilary Reeves, communications director for the group. “Funding from the pilot program kicked into reality an incredible expansion of on-street bikeways and trail connections that really make it possible to get anywhere needed on a bike.”
Part of the greenway’s new route runs through an old railroad trench, with the Dinkytown commercial district (for which the trail is named) visible 30 feet overhead. A staircase—the slope was too steep to put in a ramp—will be built this year to connect riders in this “Dinkyditch,” with Dinkytown proper up top. The vibrant community (once home to a young Bob Dylan) offers an eclectic mix of stores, restaurants and coffee shops. Different theories swirl about its unusual name, but the most popular one is that it’s named for the small engines—called “dinkys”—that were once a frequent sight in the area’s railroading past.
The trail begins near TCF Bank Stadium, home of the Golden Gophers college football team, and continues through the U of M campus on the east bank of the Mississippi River. On the east side of the stadium, a connection can be made to U of M’s Transitway, a three-mile bikeway that connects the school’s Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses.
The university has truly embraced bike commuting for its students and employees (the school is one of the top employers in the state). It offers a full-service bike center on campus—just blocks from the Dinkytown Greenway—that has bike parking, bike repair facilities and showers. A dozen bike-sharing Nice Ride stations also dot the campus. According to Sanders, the amenities have made alternative transportation so popular at U of M—bike use has gone up by 40 percent between 2009 and 2013—that the University has actually had to remove car parking to make room for more bike parking.
Sanders also notes that new housing is springing up next to the Transitway. “It’s a vibrant place where a lot of redevelopment is happening. They advertise the bikeableness of the area and the fact that you can hop onto this network and go places.”
The Dinkytown Greenway is a boon for the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood, which abuts the university and has a high percentage of renters, largely students, whom Cordelia Pierson, president of the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association, says are “very interested in biking and walking access throughout the neighborhood and to the Mississippi River.”
She adds, “The trail’s name is kind of funny right now because it doesn’t access Dinkytown and it isn’t green.” But both of those issues are soon to change: In addition to the new staircase to access Dinkytown, the neighborhood association is fundraising to plant native prairie grasses, flowers and trees along the trail to bring a sense of vitality to an otherwise utilitarian corridor. Public art and wayfinding signage are also in the works. “We want to help the greenway thrive, so people aren’t just passing through, but want to visit and stay,” she says.
The trail’s location adjacent to TCF Bank Stadium may also help bring in some new fans. “The [NFL’s] Vikings are moving to the stadium next to the Dinkytown Greenway,” says Pierson. “For the next two years, while their new stadium is being built, they’ll use this one, so we’re thinking of doing a ‘Biking to the Vikings’ promotion. Getting football fans on bikes can’t be that hard.”
Fortuitously, two months before the Purple People Eaters begin playing in August, the METRO light rail system—which welcomes bicyclists with onboard bike racks and station bike lockers—will christen its Green Line that will run through the heart of the U of M campus and include three new stations within a half-mile of the Dinkytown Greenway. This opens up a variety of mixed transit opportunities for residents all over the city, including connections to the famed Mall of America, the Metrodome and the airport on the system’s existing Blue Line.
As the trail heads west, it crosses Bridge 9, once used by the Northern Pacific Railroad, but now open for bicyclists and pedestrians. The bridge—a dusky pink of faded U of M maroon—offers spectacular views. Lush tree tops line the Mississippi in vibrant green strokes, while white paddleboats offer splashes of brightness against the dark river.
It’s an understandably popular place, especially now that it connects to the Dinkytown Greenway. BWTC, which takes annual biking and walking counts at dozens of locations throughout the Twin Cities, noted in their 2013 report that bicycling on the bridge increased by 53 percent from 2012 to 2013, when the greenway opened.
On the river’s west bank, the trail ends at Bluff Street Park, but will be extended under the I-35W Bridge to 13th Avenue South this summer. From there, it’s a short hop to the heavily used bike lanes along 2nd Street that lead to downtown Minneapolis.
“The Dinkytown Greenway’s Phase 2 went out to bid, and we wanted to start construction,” says Ogren. “But the weather hasn’t cooperated. We had eight inches of snow three days ago.”
In Minneapolis, this is par for the course, but the hardy biking culture is a year-round endeavor. “If you’re a cyclist, these paths are open to ride all winter long,” says Reeves. “You can count on that. They have the same priority as roads.”
The cherry on top of the project is that the greenway connects to the Mississippi River Trail, a vast biking route that will one day span the country along America’s most iconic waterway. Minnesota, 1 of 10 states in the network, is in the process of signing its more than 600-mile portion of the route (a mix of on- and off-road segments) from the Iowa border north to the river’s headwaters in Itasca State Park, a project that will be completed by 2015.
http://www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringFeatures/trailMonth/index.html
*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:
1.) Communications Assistance, Virginia Outdoors Foundation, Williamsburg, VA
Assist our communications office with publications and media relations activities, such as writing, photography, and graphic design.
Specific Tasks:
•Write article and copy for newsletters, brochures, Web site, and other publications.
•Take photographs on assignment for use in VOF publications.
•Assist with graphic design and conceptualization of VOF publications.
•Conduct interviews for stories and press releases.
•Assist with permissions and fact-checking activities.
Qualifications:
•Must have proven skills in writing, photography, or graphic design. Applicants will be asked to submit samples of their work.
•Must be able to project an image, in appearance and character, that reflects positively on VOF and its mission.
•Must be able to effectively convey the mission and message of VOF to the target audience.
•Prior knowledge of VOF’s programs and activities is preferred
Training:
•VOF orientation
•On-the-job training
•Experience may substitute for some training
Time Commitment:
This work can be accomplished on an as-needed basis.
2.) Spring Volunteer Day April 26, Little Buffalo State Park, Newport, PA
http://www.apps.dcnr.state.pa.us/Calendar/view_event.asp?CalendarID=34687&Location=List
3.) Mounted Assistance Unit (MAU), Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) / Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, Los Angeles, CA
The MAU patrols Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) managed parks in the Santa Susana Mountains from Moorpark to Santa Clarita. They also patrol Puente Hills Landfill Native Habitat Preservation Authority owned or managed properties in the cities of Whittier, Hacienda Heights and La Habra Heights in addition to Bosque del Rio Hondo. Members of the unit ride their own horses on trails and fire roads providing visitor services under the supervision of MRCA rangers. Each member is asked to patrol a minimum of 60 hours and attend at least two quarterly meetings per year.
http://www.lamountains.com/involved.asp
4.) Volunteer Naturalist, Conservation Commission of Missouri, throughout Missouri
Witnessing the wild-eyed excitement of a kid reeling in her first fish and feeling the satisfaction of teaching others to build butterfly gardens are just some of the fun you can experience as a Conservation Department volunteer naturalist. Volunteer naturalists help assure that each visitor to a conservation facility gets the most out of his or her visit. Our comprehensive training program enables volunteer naturalists to lead a wide variety of conservation activities. The program has limited openings and age requirements. The volunteer naturalist position also requires a higher level of commitment, but those who are up to the task will find it very rewarding. For more information contact the volunteer coordinator for the facility at which you would like to volunteer.
http://mdc.mo.gov/about-us/get-involved/mdc-volunteer-programs/become-conservation-volunteer
5.) Arizona Trail – Maintenance – South of Rogers Trough Trailhead, Arizona National Scenic Trail, Arizona Trail Association, Phoenix, AZ
Join Arizona Trail Association Segment Steward Craig Gregory and other hardy volunteers as we take revenge on the infamous cats claw on AZT Passage 18b. It isn’t too bad yet but a little work now will save a lot of work later. Tasks include pruning and grubbing out the roots of this particularly nasty bush, as well as some light tread work. RSVP to unlimitedduck@gmail.com for additional details, to reserve your lunch and to let us know if you can drive up the mountain.
Contact: Craig Gregory unlimited_duck@yahoo.com.
Offered by: Arizona Trail Association
http://www.outdoorvolunteer.org/viewevent.aspx?eventid=891
*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:
1.) Ridgerunner- Appalachian Trail CT/MA, Berkshire Trails Program, Appalachian Mountain Club Southern New England Office, South Egremont, MA
Job Dates: May 19 – August 22, 2014
Hiring Timeline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, starting in December. Interviews are held in January and February. Final notice is sent out by the end of March.
Position Summary
AMC Ridgerunners on the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut and the southern part of Massachusetts are a vital part of the management of the trail in these states. Ridgerunners live on the trail all summer, in ten-day shifts, hiking 8-12 miles per day and camping out at campsites along the way. Ridgerunners contact over 5,000 trail users annually, informing them of Leave No Trace principles, area regulations and trails, backpacking techniques, AT history, and management practices. Ridgerunners gather important information such as maintenance concerns and use patterns. They are the eyes and ears of the AT and the public face of the AMC.
Ridgerunners work ten days on with four days off, and weekend work is required. Duties include backpacking and camping, accurate collection of information including report writing, light trail maintenance, and participation in volunteer trail work parties, among other duties. The position is from mid-May to late August and is a seasonal, non-exempt, hourly position reporting to the AMC Regional Trails Supervisor.
Responsibilities
•Backpack or day hike (depending on assigned route) up to 12 miles per day and camp in specified, designated camping areas for 10 days/nights in a row.
•Interact with as many backcountry visitors as possible, providing trail information and promoting Leave No Trace ethics.
•Lead Leave No Trace Awareness workshops and Leave No Trace Trainer courses for teens, as needed.
•Assist with light trail maintenance including drainage clearing and participating in weekly trail work parties as needed.
•Foster professional relationships with local officials and AMC volunteers.
•Legibly fill out daily reports about trail conditions and backcountry use.
•Pack out litter from backcountry.
•Monitor and maintain backcountry waste management facilities and assist trail work crews.
Qualifications
•Extensive backpacking experience, required.
•Solo backpacking experience required
•Willingness to work long hours in solitude, frequently in isolated areas, required.
•Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation, required.
•Wilderness First Aid and CPR or Wilderness First Responder certifications, required (training can be provided prior to the start date at no-cost).
•Excellent communication skills.
•Strong desire and ability to work with the public.
•Ability to work unsupervised, to take initiative, and to work as part of a team.
•Ability to make professional decisions under pressure.
•Physically able to travel safely in the backcountry in all weather conditions carrying up to 50 lbs. of gear.
•Background in environmental sciences, natural resources or education, preferred.
•Strong interest in backcountry management, desirable.
•Knowledge of the Appalachian Trail, helpful.
•High School diploma, GED preferred.
Benefits
•AMC Membership
•30% Staff discount on AMC retail products
•4 Free Nights at AMC Huts, Lodges and other facilities while employed
Questions and Additional Information:
Alice P. Webber
Southern New England Trails Supervisor
P.O. Box 131
South Egremont, MA 01258
413.528.8003
To apply, please fill out an online application at http://www.outdoors.org/seasonal or submit a cover letter and resume to awebber@outdoors.org.
AMC has zero tolerance for the abuse of children. Any employee with access to children will have a criminal record check performed and have references checked regarding their past work with children.
The AMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and an Equal Opportunity Service Provider. The AMC values diversity in the workplace.
https://apply.coolworks.com/amc/job-details.asp?JobID=21386
*** From Amber Leberman:
Hello, Ned,
Thanks in advance for your consideration of a job opening at my agency for “Jobs of the Week.” Details below.
Amber
2.) Communications Director, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Cheyenne, Wyo.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Serving as Public Information Officer (PIO) directs and guides public information campaigns and strategies; develops media, marketing and communications plans and strategies to guide overall outreach efforts; works closely with Director’s and Governor’s office, addressing important information and education issues and priorities; serves as a member of Game and Fish Department staff which collectively addresses management issues, polices and overall budget. Working under the Deputy Director of External Operations, supervises the following programs: Conservation Education Services; Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation of hunters and anglers; Publications; Video Production; Graphic Design; Human Dimensions; Volunteer Program; and Customer Outreach Services.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Works closely with Director’s office, other agency administrators and regional personnel coordinating media contact; guides public information campaigns and strategies.
- Develops media, marketing and communications plans and strategies, guiding agency in its overall outreach efforts; works closely with agency Director’s and Governor’s office to address important information and education issues and priorities (PIO functions).
- Directs, supervises and delegates supervision to subordinate personnel.
- Evaluate and report on the effectiveness of communications activities.
- Hire, evaluate and develop staff to support the achievement of the objective and goals related to communications, media relations, and partner cultivation and events.
- Works continuously to gain a deep understanding of stakeholder needs.
- Demonstrates effective oral, written and interpersonal communication skills that keep our clients, partners and colleagues informed and engaged as we operate in a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment.
- Administers Education functions, including Conservation Education Services, Publications and Customer Outreach Services (Publications, Customer Outreach).
- Create continuity and clarity in communication across all departments.
QUALIFICATIONS:
PREFERENCES:
Preference will be given to those with experience or training in communication, marketing, public relations and/ or media relations.
Must have a valid drivers license.
KNOWLEDGE:
- The ability to take knowledge and transform into exciting and useful messages, and disseminate it to the right audiences through the best distribution channels.
- Highly collaborative style; experience developing and implementing communications strategies.
- Excellent writing/editing and verbal communication skills.
- Strong track record as an implementer who thrives on managing a variety of key initiatives concurrently.
- High energy, maturity, and leadership with the ability to serve as a unifying force and to position communications discussions at both the strategic and tactical levels.
- Self-starter, able to work independently, enjoys creating and implementing new initiatives.
- Knowledge of public information and media practices; knowledge of marketing principles, brand creation and integrity, and targeted messaging.
- Knowledge of conservation education programs; knowledge of publication production; knowledge of recruitment and retention principles; knowledge of principles, concepts and current practices of Wyoming State Government, including budget development and management and purchasing.
- Knowledge of personnel management; knowledge of wildlife management and state wildlife agency operations.
- Skill in communicating issues to a wide array of professional and lay persons.
- Skill in oral and written communications; skill in interpersonal relations; skill in fiscal control and budget preparation.
- Skill in decision-making and directing and delegating work activities; skill in prioritizing allocation of finite personnel and financial resources to meet intra- and inter-departmental needs.
- Open to and thoughtfully considers the ideas, input, and perspectives of others.
- Demonstrates flexibility to adapt to changing situations, needs and environments.
SALARY: $6,581.00 – $7,742.00 Monthly
http://wgfd.wyo.gov/gameandfishjobs/frmViewJobListings.aspx
3.) Mid-Atlantic Corridor Stewardship Coordinator, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Boiling Springs, PA
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and manage the Appalachian Trail – ensuring that its vast natural beauty and priceless cultural heritage can be shared and enjoyed today, tomorrow, and for centuries to come.
CORRIDOR STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM MISSION
The mission of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) Corridor Stewardship Program is to support the Trail Clubs and steward the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (ANST) National Park Service corridor lands (fee lands and easements), which protect the Appalachian Trail corridor and the Trail ‘experience’, through effective implementation of the cooperative management system involving ATC, Trail-maintaining Clubs, and public-agency partners. The Corridor Stewardship Program implements the annual task agreement developed with the National Park Service’s Appalachian Trail Park Office (APPA).
POSITION SUMMARY
This position serves as the primary point of contact for all boundary monitoring and maintenance related stewardship actions for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in the assigned region. The Corridor Stewardship Program Coordinator facilitates collaboration and cooperation between Trail-maintaining Clubs and public-agency partners to achieve monitoring and management of tracts and boundaries that protect the Appalachian Trail. This position is responsible for supporting and coordinating regional corridor boundary monitoring and maintenance programs, collecting, organizing and analyzing boundary data, conducting boundary monitoring and maintenance training, conducting and coordinating encroachment mitigation efforts, and supervising seasonal Boundary Technicians. The Coordinator works with other ATC staff, volunteers, the Appalachian Trail Park Office, National Park Service Land Acquisition Office for National Scenic Trails, numerous state agencies, and other entities involved with the Appalachian Trail. The position requires frequent travel and weekend work.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
•In collaboration with program staff and agency partners, establishes a structured, systematic program of boundary monitoring and maintenance that will facilitate perpetual protection of Appalachian National Scenic Trail tracts and boundary lines
•Responsible for planning and managing program budget, implementing annual task agreement, purchasing supplies, and maintaining tools and equipment.
•Aggregates, organizes, maintains, and analyzes boundary data to develop work projects for supporting and coordinating boundary monitoring and maintenance activities
•In collaboration with program staff and agency partners, develops and revises standard operating procedures and protocols that contribute to program operations and standardization of methodology
•Facilitates communication and cooperation with Trail-maintaining Clubs and agency partners
•Coordinates boundary monitoring and maintenance projects with Trail Clubs.
•Maintains computerized data management systems which manage boundary data and information and produce reports in collaboration with program and agency partners.
•Compiles monthly and annual summaries of regional program accomplishments to be presented to ATC senior staff and agency partners
•Reinforces, sustains, and acts as the ATC proponent for regional Trail Club corridor stewardship programs
•Responsible for collaboratively developing and presenting standardized training methodology, materials, and learning opportunities to regional Trail Clubs, volunteers, staff, and agency partners
•Responds to, manages, and mitigates reported threatened or actual corridor and boundary violations/ encroachments in accordance with established standard operating procedures
•May assist Trail Clubs with episodic crew recruitment, training, and management for boundary monitoring and maintenance projects
•Supervises seasonal Boundary Technicians; includes administrative duties related to supervisory responsibilities
•Other duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS
•BA/BS degree. Degree in conservation biology, ecology, forestry, natural resources management, engineering, surveying, or outdoor resource related field preferred.
•Creativity and attention to detail while handling multiple tasks and meeting assigned deadlines
•Ability to solve problems and handle issues of a complicated / complex nature
•Skilled in project management and contract oversight.
•Familiarity with the Appalachian Trail or other trail work experience is desirable
•Strong communication skills, ability to maintain favorable relations, and inspire cooperation with volunteers
•Supervisory and project planning and implementation experience is required
•Ability to develop and present training programs with a variety of media.
•Experience living and working outdoors, including primitive, backcountry camping
•Demonstrated proficiency with map and compass, survey plats, and orienteering
•Ability to interpret and work with maps/plans oriented towards natural resources, land use, development, or engineering/construction
•Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Google applications and GIS
•Must be willing and able to work flexible schedule including weekends
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
•Work environment is in a multi-person office situation with moderate noise
•Regular use of a computer is required; Microsoft Office, ESRI GIS, and Google applications are used
•Frequent travel and weekend work is required
•Requires Wilderness First Responder and CPR Training; can be obtained post-hire minimum WFA at hire
•Requires valid state driver’s license with a safe driving record,
•Incumbent will be exposed to hazardous physical conditions and seasonal exposure to extreme weather conditions, including rain, snow, humidity, intense heat, and sunlight
•Incumbent must be able to handle heavy brush, walk for extended periods, stand for long periods, perform routine moderate lifting, and to carry up to 50 pounds in a backpack over a minimum of three miles, traverse rough uneven terrain, and wet and slippery surfaces.
TO APPLY
The deadline to apply is May 2, 2014. To apply please email a cover letter, resume, and three references to lbresette@appalachiantrail.org. All resumes should be titled as “Last Name_First Name.” Please include the position title and your name in the email subject line. An example subject line will read: “Mid-Atlantic Corridor Stewardship Coordinator: Joan Smith.”
4.) Trails Coordinator, Maine Woods Trail Crew, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (MBPL) / Plum Creek / Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), Moosehead Lake Region, Maine
https://apply.coolworks.com/amc/job-details.asp?JobID=39403
*** Send your job opportunities to share with the YVNS network to lundquist989@cs.com.
*** Your Very Next Step is a service of the Job of the Week Network LLC
© 2014 The Job of the Week Network LLC
Edward Lundquist, ABC –
Editor and Publisher
Your Very Next Step
7813 Richfield Road
Springfield, VA 22153
Home office phone: (703) 455-7661
lundquist989@cs.com
www.nedsjotw.com
To subscribe:
