Forestry or Trail Crew Member (Fall/Winter) - Nevada Conservation Corps

Spend a season or more working and camping outside at some of Nevada’s premier natural areas. Serve alongside volunteers from across the country while making a lasting contribution to Nevada’s natural resources and heritage. Gain valuable field experience while working on habitat improvement, restoration, and recreation projects with the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and many other federal and state agencies. Learn firsthand from federal employees and specialists about natural resource and conservation careers. Projects may include trail construction and maintenance, hazardous fuels reduction, and habitat restoration. 

•Trail maintenance around Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe National Forest

•Forest thinning in Susanville, California with the Bureau of Land Management

•Habitat restoration at Great Basin National Park

•Historic structure restoration in California with HistoriCorps

•Fuels reduction and habitat restoration in Ely, Nevada with the Bureau of Land Management  

•Building and maintaining trails, restoring and improving wildlife habitat, and reducing hazardous fuels in our forests and public lands;

•Camping up to seven nights in wilderness setting without formal restroom facilities or running water;

•Making a commitment of national service to our landscapes and communities;

•Maintaining a positive and professional attitude at all times while providing service;

•Communicating effectively with crew members, crew leaders, NCC staff and agency project staff;

•Complying with both production and quality work standards established by NCC Administration, crew supervisors and project partners;

•Contributing to basic duties at the campsite including cooking, cleaning and organizing crew equipment;

•Showing respect when interacting with other members, leaders, staff, project sponsors and community members;

•Participating in in-field education sessions;

•Percentage of time spent on: labor– 70%, traveling– 20%, hiking– 10%;

•Lifting 25lbs continuously and 50lbs occasionally.

Make sure to check the Nevada Conservation Corps overview page here.

•6 month (900 hr) AmeriCorps term: August 24th, 2020 to February 19th, 2021

• 3 month terms are available here

If this term of service doesn’t fit your availability, contact us anyway! We can discuss your options. Please reach out to Cassandra Hughes at chughes@thegreatbasininstitute.org to discuss your options.

• Reno, Nevada and Las Vegas, NV

• Crew members may be assigned to serve from the Reno Field Station, and will serve and camp in the field on 4-day tours, 8-day tours, or a mixture of the two. Schedules will be dictated by project site and distance from the field station. The locations of service will depend on which regional office you are assigned to for your term of service and may change throughout the season. Camping locations are provided during the workweek. We will not provide housing nor sign leases, but we can assist with identifying housing options.

**NOTE: Members serving a 6 month term will be required to transition to our Las Vegas Field Office by late November as there are no winter projects in Northern Nevada in the winter.

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.

• 6 month (900 hour) AmeriCorps service term: $8,800 living stipend (approximately $680 every two weeks before taxes)

Education Award:

Upon successful completion of your term you will be given access to your Segal Education award which can be used for Title IV university/college tuition or to pay for federal student loans. The education award is only considered taxable income on the day you use the award.

• 6 month (900 hour) AmeriCorps service term: $3,047.50

Per Diem:

For every day you work in the field with us you will receive $7.25. This is in addition to your Living Allowance and on average is $58.00 biweekly. Crews typically combine per diem funds and shop/prepare meals as a team.

Housing Stipend:

max $600 (6 months) total; this is in addition to your Living Allowance and on average is $50.00 biweekly.

Skills & Education:

You will be certified in First Aid and CPR.

You will be certified in Leave No Trace.

If your assigned project requires you may receive:

• USFS S212 Faller A Chainsaw Training

• Trail Construction and Maintenance 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:

• Limited Health, Dental and Vision Insurance will be completely paid for at no cost to you by the Great Basin Institute.

• Loan Forbearance offered through AmeriCorps

• Interest Accrual Repayment offered through AmeriCorps

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Eligibility through AmeriCorps

• Educational Affiliation Agreements (College Credit)

•Must maintain a positive and professional attitude at all times while providing service.

•Be able to communicate effectively with members, crew leaders, NCC staff, and project partners.

•Possess the willingness and ability to work and camp up to seven nights in a row, in a wilderness setting, in all weather conditions, without formal restroom facilities or running water.

•Be able to lift 25lbs continuously and 50lbs occasionally

•Be at least 17 years of age

•Be a US citizen

•Must possess a high school diploma or GED

•Must be eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award (limit of four in a lifetime or the equivalent of two full-time education awards).*

•All position offers are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and federal criminal background check.