Contact Name: Bridget Correa
Company/Organization/Agency: Student Conservation Association
Address: 1310 N Coorthouse Rd, suite 110, Arlington, VA 22201 United States
Email Address: leaders@thesca.org
Contact Phone:
Job Title: Environmental Educator
Job Description: Expected Dates
January 17, 2023 to November 14, 2023
Site
Minnewaska State Park Preserve NYS OPRHP
Position ID
PO-00734589
This position requires that you become enrolled in AmeriCorps. If you are selected for this program please be sure to accept AmeriCorps during the SCA offer process. No travel allowance will be offered for this position even if it is stated on your confirmation of acceptance.
Due to Covid-19, events and trainings are subject to change in response to an increase in the number of cases in the Hudson Valley region. Such changes include, but are not limited to: trainings being held remotely, elimination of large-scale gatherings, and a reduction of education programs.
Conditions of Employment Required to demonstrate full vaccination status for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) with a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized or FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine; OR Receive from SCA a reasonable accommodation granting an exemption from vaccine requirements based on a medical disability or because of a sincerely held religious belief. Additional information and instructions regarding how to request a reasonable accommodation will be provided at the time of selection.
Purpose of the Program:
To provide education about the natural and cultural history of Minnewaska State Park Preserve to patrons of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. The goal of the education program is to foster preservation stewardship of the natural world in all individuals and germinate potential conservation leaders for the future. The member will also assist the Minnewaska staff to implement land management activities to include mitigating visitor use impacts, provide invasive species control, and collect data for ecological monitoring projects.
Community Needs that the Program Serves:
The program provides valuable education and recreation opportunities for members of both the local and distant community. People from all over the world visit Minnewaska, as do locals who adore this Park Preserve. Participation in a Minnewaska education program creates possibilities for patrons to exercise outdoors while learning about the natural world and local history. Exercise enhances good health, while learning about nature in a positive setting and engenders a connection to the landscape that may lead to future stewardship. In an era of fewer in-person social interactions, Minnewaska’s programs create an opportunity for people of diverse life experiences to learn from each other as well.
Striking a balance between recreation and preservation happens best when negative impacts to the Park Preserve are addressed with timely and informed responses. Trail overuse/erosion, introduction and spread of invasive species, deer overbrowse and other recreation and biological impacts have the potential to significantly alter the landscape and threaten the rich bio-diversity found in the Northern Shawangunks. In order to keep this landscape intact, and also offer world class recreation experiences to a growing audience, Minnewaska needs to identify impacts and prioritize mitigation efforts to ensure that the negative impacts do not cause a degradation of the natural experience, available to park patrons. One focus of our education programming is to teach people about this wonderful area and how they can help to protect it.
Values and Standards of the Program:
SCA’s mission is to build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of the environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land.
AmeriCorps Member Duties and Responsibilities:
Come to Minnewaska State Park Preserve, a 24,000-acre gem featuring seven waterfalls, four sky lakes and over 85 miles of carriage roads and trails. Recreation opportunities include hiking, biking, swimming, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, rock climbing, horseback riding, scuba, and paddling. Be part of a dynamic team leading education and recreation programs for the public both on-site and off-site; implement existing environmental education programs and develop new and innovative ones; promote all programming through printed materials, press releases, social media and other means; organize volunteer events; staff, maintain and update the Visitor Center and its displays; participate in conservation stewardship work and manage the Volunteer Trails Stewardship program. The following is an approximate breakdown of job duties:
A) Provide environmental education and recreation programs for the public, including school groups, clubs and the public. This includes researching, developing and delivering education programs about the natural and cultural history of the site as well as creating and distributing promotional materials. The member will seek new audiences for education programs, including but not limited to homeschoolers, local libraries, pre-schoolers and other audiences.
B) Managing the Volunteer Trail Stewardship Program. This includes supervising volunteers and recruitment to increase the pool of volunteers for the program; orientation of volunteers and monitoring of volunteers’ scheduling. The member will also monitor, manage and analyze the data collected by volunteers as well as create packable teaching tools for the stewards. Additionally, the member will act as a trail steward on busy weekdays, educating the public about the principles of Leave No Trace.
F) Trail Assessment and Maintenance.
G) Staff the new Minnewaska Visitor Center, including but not limited to patron assistance and modest cleaning and maintenance of displays. Patron assistance includes answering phones, staffing the information desk and providing education about Leave No Trace and the natural and cultural history of Minnewaska.
How the AmeriCorps Member’s Role Aligns with the Organization:
Through the education programming and trail improvements that the member provides, the following actions, which are key components of the mission of NYSOPRHP, will be accomplished:
provide safe and enjoyable recreational and interpretive opportunities for all New York State residents and visitors
encourage visitors to be responsible stewards of our valuable natural, historic and cultural resources
Performance Goals for the AmeriCorps Member:
Goal 1: Teach Environmental Education
January-March:
1) Cultivate New Audiences: The member will work with the education staff to seek new audiences for education programs at Minnewaska. As it is still uncertain whether school groups will be seeking field trips at the Park during the Spring, the education department will reach out to smaller groups including homeschoolers, clubs, pods of students, private schools, the ARC Mid-Hudson and others.
2) Virtual Education: The member will also work on developing one virtual field trip, for schools or individual families, specific to Minnewaska. A well-researched outline will be developed for review by the education team, to be followed by production and marketing of the program.
3) Leading Public Education Programs: After accompanying and observing education staff in leading public environmental education programs, the member will develop and lead their own programs. The member will assure that these education programs successfully deliver a safe, enjoyable and educational experience for visitors, with a goal of fostering enthusiastic and knowledgeable stewards of our natural world. The member will participate in either leading or co-leading approximately 50 programs, some of which will be observed and critiqued by the SCA member supervisor, who will provide beneficial feedback.
Goal 2: Recruit, Train and Supervise Volunteers for Trail Stewardship Program
January-March: The member will become familiar with the Trail Stewardship program and the trails. All existing materials will be reviewed and updated as needed and all data collected by Trail Stewards in prior years will be entered into a spreadsheet. Any needed updates to the existing orientation and virtual sign-up system will be made and any useful teaching tools will be developed.
March-April: All existing volunteers will be contacted and encouraged to participate again in the Trail Steward program. New volunteers will be recruited via word of mouth, press releases, signs and social media.
May: All new volunteers will be oriented and vetted then shown how to sign up for shifts and collect data. The member will accompany new volunteers on their first shifts to assure that they interact with the public in a positive and meaningful manner. The member will provide any support needed by the NYNJ Trail Conference Trail Stewards during this time too, as they will be new to being trail stewards.
May-October: The member will follow up with volunteers to assess their comfort level and help problem solve any concerns they may have throughout the remainder of the position. This includes managing all teaching and data collection tools, assuring that volunteers consistently have all the tools required to do their job well. Additionally, the member will act as a trail steward, as time allows, on busy weekdays when volunteers may not be available.
Goal 3: Research, Develop and Deliver New Education Programs
The member will research, develop and deliver four afterschool elementary programs,(if schools are allowing in-person programs), eight environmental education programs specifically for Homeschoolers and eight environmental education programs for the summer Junior Naturalists program. All these programs may need to adapt as pandemic conditions dictate. The member will use a mixture of existing past programs for these groups as well as new programs that she/he creates. These programs must be age and topic appropriate and should meet current New York State learning standards when applicable. The member will also develop promotional materials with which to recruit participants, such as flyers, email messages, etc; learn and lead the lesson; gather teaching tools and document all programs.
Goal 4: Learn the Trails of Minnewaska and Assess them for Updates
January-March: The member will become familiar with the most accessible and widely used footpaths and carriage roads at Minnewaska. The member will be given time to hike, cross-country ski or snowshoe (dependent on designated trail use) the most frequently used trails during this time. While on the trails, the member will make notes of any improvements or updates that need to be made and report these to the education team and park management. These may include erosion, flooding, signage needed, re-routes suggested, litter clean-up, brushing in of social trails, etc.
Qualifications:
List any specific qualifications for AmeriCorps member:
BA/BS in biology, environmental science, education or related field preferred
Skills/Knowledge/Training Necessary to be a successful AmeriCorps Member in this position:
Skills:
Communications skills- both written and verbal.
Experience providing informal interpretation and/or environmental education programming
Education program development
Focused, self-motivated individual, able to work both independently and as a team member
Volunteer recruitment and coordination
Skills developed through experience and or training in trail building/repairing and removal of invasive species
Field experience in data collection
Ability to use GPS/GIS to track activities performed
Experience navigating and traveling in remote areas
Able to work easily in close quarters with others, sharing space and tools
Knowledge:
Ability to interpret the natural and cultural history of the area
Ability to identify local flora and fauna
Familiarity with Phenology Monitoring, Project FeederWatch, or other Citizen Science projects
Familiarity with New York State Learning Standards
Familiarity with graphic design
Basic topographic and trail map knowledge
Location Description
Come to Minnewaska State Park Preserve, a 23,000 acre gem featuring seven waterfalls, four sky lakes and over 85 miles of carriage roads and trails. Recreation opportunities include hiking, biking, swimming, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, rock climbing, horseback riding, scuba, and paddling.
Job Start Date: 1/17/2023
Application Deadline: 12/30/2022
Additional Information: Submit Application Here: https://www.thesca.org/serve/position/environmental-educator/po-00734589