Wildfire Fuels Reduction Treatment Monitoring Technician

Great Basin Institute (GBI) is an interdisciplinary field studies organization that promotes environmental research, education, and conservation throughout the West. A public 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, the institute advances ecological literacy and habitat restoration through educational outreach and direct service programs. The Nevada Conservation Corps (NCC), a program of GBI, is currently administering its 18th continuous AmeriCorps program year. Over the past 18 years, the NCC has established a track record of providing exceptional service to federal, state, and county natural resource managers and conservation organizations, raising over 40 million dollars for Nevada youth, conservation initiatives, and service-learning education. Our trained monitoring and assessment teams capture critical data on the condition of forest and rangeland health. 

NCC's program activities focus on what is considered one of the most challenging conservation issues in the West—catastrophic wildfire. Interventions include efforts to mitigate fire risk by enhancing and restoring forest and rangeland health. Increases in frequency and scale of catastrophic fire presents formidable challenges for continued multiple use of public lands in our region. According to the Great Basin Coordination Center, 658 wildfires burned in Nevada during the 2017 fire season alone, the worst in 15 years, with over 1.19 million acres lost to flames. Measures that mitigate fire risk and foster forest and rangeland recovery will be addressed through crew-based services that reduce wildland fire threat through fuels reduction and habitat restoration. The primary anticipated short-term outcomes targeted by NCC program activities include reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire. 

 

GBI is recruiting a two person research team to assist our organization with collecting data to inform the impact NCC fuels reduction treatments have on improving fire regime condition class (FRCC) and therefore reducing wildfire risk for Nevada's public lands compared to similar sites where fuels were not treated.  Our experimental design will characterize mean changes in FRCC from pre-treatment to post-treatment for project sites and for untreated comparison sites. A FRCC is a classification of the amount of departure from the natural regime. The three classes are based on low (FRCC 1), moderate (FRCC 2), and high (FRCC 3) departure from the central tendency of the natural (historical) regime. Low departure is considered to be within the natural (historical) range of variability, while moderate and high departures are outside. A higher FRCC indicates greater departure from the natural regime, and higher risk for catastrophic wildfire.

To establish FRCC for each sample site, GBI will characterize fuel load conditions in treatment and comparison sites using multiple sample methods, including the Fuel Load Sample Method, also known as the Brown’s Planar Intercept Method (https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/24059). This method is commonly used in forestry to assess fuel load, which contributes to FRCC and fire risk. Data collection will require visiting treatment sites around the state and will require overnight camping for up to seven nights at a time.  

Contract Timeline:• July 8, 2019 to September 3, 2019 

• Dates can be flexible. Part-Time schedules will be considered to accommodate academic calendars. 

• Please contact Kevin Dose (kdose@thegreatbasininstitute.org) to discuss your options.

Location:Reno, NV

You will be based out of our Reno Field Office on 4- or 8-day "tour" schedules. Camping locations are provided during the workweek. We will not provide housing nor sign leases, but we can assist with identifying housing options.

Compensation and Benefits:This is an AmeriCorps position; candidates will receive a living stipend dependent on their length of service. The living stipend is a fixed amount, not an hourly wage or a salary. The stipend is paid to members in bi-weekly installments throughout their term of service. Upon completion of AmeriCorps service members shall receive an additional education award also dependent on the length of service that can be used for paying off student loans or paying tuition for a Title IV accredited college.

• 3 month (450 hour) AmeriCorps service term: $4,400 living stipend (approximately $650 every two weeks before taxes)

Education Award:

• 3 month (450 hour) AmeriCorps service term: $1,566.14

Per Diem:

$15.00/day spent in the field. This is in addition to your Living Allowance and on average is $120.00 biweekly. Crews typically combine per diem funds and shop/prepare meals as a team.

Trainings:

• First Aid & CPR certification

• Leave No Trace training

• Applicable Sample Methodology and Data Collection Training

Optional Training & Education we will provide include:

• Defensive Driving Certification

• Off-Road Driving Class

• Resume Building Workshop

• Interview Skills Workshop

• Native Plant Identification

• Invasive Plant Identification

• GPS Unit Training

• Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Other Benefits:

Insurance:

Limited Health, Dental and Vision Insurance will be completely paid for at no cost to you by the Great Basin Institute and available starting your first day of service.

Loan Forbearance:

If you are currently paying on any federal student loans you have the option to put those loans into forbearance during your time as an AmeriCorps volunteer, that will allow you to cease payments while serving. 

Interest Accrual Repayment:

As AmeriCorps alum, you are eligible to have the National Service Trust pay all or a portion of the interest that accumulated on your qualified student loan(s) during your term of service. These payments are made in addition to the Education Award, and are not deducted from your Education Award balance. To be eligible to have accrued interest paid: The loan must have been placed in forbearance for the service period, and you must have successfully completed a term of service and received an Education Award.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Eligibility:

AmeriCorps Volunteers qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Nevada Conservation Corps will provide you documentation in proving that you qualify for SNAP.

Educational Affiliation Agreements (College Credit):

The Nevada Conservation Corps will take part in Affiliation Agreements with your university in order to allow you to receive college credit hours for your term of service.

• Bachelor’s degree in Forestry, Botany or other related natural science field preferred, with coursework and experience that demonstrate understanding of the principles of forestry;

• Ability to understand, implement and adhere to established data collection, inventory, assessment, and monitoring protocols;

• Capacity to collect and maintain field data in an organized manner that is easily understood and accessible to other resources staff;

• Ability to communicate effectively, both written and orally, with a diverse audience;

• Experience using ArcGIS to create maps;

• Ability to navigate and collect data using handheld GPS units;

• Experience using a compass and topographic map to navigate;

• Possess a clean, valid, state-issued driver’s license with ability to safely operate and maintain a 4WD vehicle on and off paved roads;

• Ability to live and work in rural and remote field and office setting; 

• Physically fit to work outdoors, carry up to 50 pounds of personal and/or field equipment, and withstand the rigors of a forested and/or high desert environment in all seasons; 

• Willingness and ability to camp in remote, primitive sites for up to seven consecutive nights; and

• Willingness and ability to consistently enact high performance standards and a strong work and team ethic in support of the mission of GBI and the goals and objectives of the USFS.