Description
Housing: Not provided, Host Site is willing to assist the member in looking for local housing
Days and Hours of Service: 40 hours per week may include evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Additional Training Provided: Wilderness First Aid
Host Site and Position Overview:
Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT) is a nonprofit land trust located on the beautiful coast of Maine. Our mission is to preserve and protect Harpswell’s natural resources, cultural heritage, and access to the outdoors now and forever through conservation, stewardship, and education. We focus on protecting ecologically important land that enhances valuable wildlife habitat and protects clean water, expanding waterfront access for the public and local fishermen, providing trails and other recreational opportunities, and engaging our community through innovative outdoor education opportunities for all ages. We manage 17 beautiful preserves and 10 trail systems. Our education programs for all ages are offered year-round, and our summer Nature Day Camps for children ages 4-12 are so popular we use a lottery system to decide which families get spots.
The Environmental Steward (ES) will get involved in several exciting areas of HHLT’s work. The ES will support HHLT’s popular Nature Day Camp and interesting public programs for all ages, including time spent coordinating events and exploring the shoreline with active and curious children. The ES will also support HHLT’s stewardship and communications activities through trail projects, beach monitoring, writing, graphic design, and other projects.
The purpose of the ES position is to support HHLT’s mission in the areas of education, public programming, stewardship, and communications. The goals of the position are to engage more fully with people from all walks of life and all ages in the community, adequately care for and monitor preserves that are seeing continued increases in use, and communicate effectively with the community to build a culture of stewardship and encourage support for conservation.
The Environmental Steward’s first month or two will be spent orienting themselves to Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, its mission, projects, staff, board, committees, volunteers, and preserved lands. The ES will also begin communication tasks. Starting in March, the ES will begin planning for the busy summer season. The ES will be responsible for setting up, managing registration for, and carrying out a variety of public programs for all ages. During the summer season, the ES will serve as a floating leader for Nature Day Camp and will monitor Stover’s Point Preserve. The fall will be spent doing more programs assessment, managing program data, and planning for future seasons, as well as stewardship tasks, such as easement monitoring and trail work. Throughout their term, the ES will be welcome and invited to join areas of focus aligned with their interests, including being involved in building a new trail system on our newest preserve.
Description of Duties:
• Design new maps for all of HHLT’s trail systems (training provided)
• Assist with other communications tasks
• Organize and support HHLT’s robust public programs and signature events for all ages in collaboration with the Programs Committee, including our Summer Solstice Celebration, Annual Meeting, and a variety of walks and talks
• Serve as a floating leader for Summer Nature Day Camp, supporting camp groups that need extra one-on-one attention
• Supplement the hours of our Stover’s Point Preserve monitor by spending time at the beach, counting cars and people, and educating visitors about our rules for the preserve (this task will involve weekend hours)
• Join the HHLT team and pitch in on projects as they arise, including volunteer workdays
• Organize and oversee HHLT’s Container Gardens for the Community project
• Assist with trail building and maintenance
• Attend staff and committee meetings
Essential Functions:
• Patience, kindness, and enthusiasm when engaging children
• Flexibility and the ability to serve well as part of a team
• Excellent organizational skills
• Technological competence (training in needed software systems can be provided)
• Great communication skills
• Resourcefulness and a can-do attitude
• Comfort being outdoors
• Passion for the mission
• Willingness to learn and ability to take feedback
• Good judgment and an eye for safety
• Ability to traverse uneven terrain
Marginal Functions
• Experience with graphic design
• Experience working with children outdoors
• Knowledge of the natural history of the Maine coast
Service Conditions:
• Service involves daytime travel for meetings and field tasks throughout the service area.
• Field tasks occur in all weather conditions (e.g. hot, cold, wet, buggy) and can be physically demanding. We provide training for land stewardship-based fieldwork and support with trail-building techniques.
• Service requires being available on evenings and weekends.
• Service is 60% office/home office and 40% field in general, however this varies based on the season
• Service includes traversing uneven terrain
• Service includes moving materials and tools
• Service is performed independently and as part of a team
• Service includes interaction with a wide variety of program partners and the public
• Service involves managing time effectively and completing tasks with attention to detail
• Service will require the ability to self-motivate, serve independently and collaboratively
Additional Qualifications:
• Valid Driver’s License and use of a personal vehicle with proof of insurance
• Experience outdoors
• Dependable and resourceful
• Enjoys people, including children
• Ability to use GPS/GIS technologies
• Outreach Skills-comfortable quickly building partnerships and rapport with community members while achieving goals and representing our organizational mission (required)
Housing: Not provided, Host Site is willing to assist the member in looking for local housing
Days and Hours of Service: 40 hours per week may include evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Additional Training Provided: Wilderness First Aid
Host Site and Position Overview:
Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT) is a nonprofit land trust located on the beautiful coast of Maine. Our mission is to preserve and protect Harpswell’s natural resources, cultural heritage, and access to the outdoors now and forever through conservation, stewardship, and education. We focus on protecting ecologically important land that enhances valuable wildlife habitat and protects clean water, expanding waterfront access for the public and local fishermen, providing trails and other recreational opportunities, and engaging our community through innovative outdoor education opportunities for all ages. We manage 17 beautiful preserves and 10 trail systems. Our education programs for all ages are offered year-round, and our summer Nature Day Camps for children ages 4-12 are so popular we use a lottery system to decide which families get spots.
The Environmental Steward (ES) will get involved in several exciting areas of HHLT’s work. The ES will support HHLT’s popular Nature Day Camp and interesting public programs for all ages, including time spent coordinating events and exploring the shoreline with active and curious children. The ES will also support HHLT’s stewardship and communications activities through trail projects, beach monitoring, writing, graphic design, and other projects.
The purpose of the ES position is to support HHLT’s mission in the areas of education, public programming, stewardship, and communications. The goals of the position are to engage more fully with people from all walks of life and all ages in the community, adequately care for and monitor preserves that are seeing continued increases in use, and communicate effectively with the community to build a culture of stewardship and encourage support for conservation.
The Environmental Steward’s first month or two will be spent orienting themselves to Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, its mission, projects, staff, board, committees, volunteers, and preserved lands. The ES will also begin communication tasks. Starting in March, the ES will begin planning for the busy summer season. The ES will be responsible for setting up, managing registration for, and carrying out a variety of public programs for all ages. During the summer season, the ES will serve as a floating leader for Nature Day Camp and will monitor Stover’s Point Preserve. The fall will be spent doing more programs assessment, managing program data, and planning for future seasons, as well as stewardship tasks, such as easement monitoring and trail work. Throughout their term, the ES will be welcome and invited to join areas of focus aligned with their interests, including being involved in building a new trail system on our newest preserve.
Description of Duties:
• Design new maps for all of HHLT’s trail systems (training provided)
• Assist with other communications tasks
• Organize and support HHLT’s robust public programs and signature events for all ages in collaboration with the Programs Committee, including our Summer Solstice Celebration, Annual Meeting, and a variety of walks and talks
• Serve as a floating leader for Summer Nature Day Camp, supporting camp groups that need extra one-on-one attention
• Supplement the hours of our Stover’s Point Preserve monitor by spending time at the beach, counting cars and people, and educating visitors about our rules for the preserve (this task will involve weekend hours)
• Join the HHLT team and pitch in on projects as they arise, including volunteer workdays
• Organize and oversee HHLT’s Container Gardens for the Community project
• Assist with trail building and maintenance
• Attend staff and committee meetings
Essential Functions:
• Patience, kindness, and enthusiasm when engaging children
• Flexibility and the ability to serve well as part of a team
• Excellent organizational skills
• Technological competence (training in needed software systems can be provided)
• Great communication skills
• Resourcefulness and a can-do attitude
• Comfort being outdoors
• Passion for the mission
• Willingness to learn and ability to take feedback
• Good judgment and an eye for safety
• Ability to traverse uneven terrain
Marginal Functions
• Experience with graphic design
• Experience working with children outdoors
• Knowledge of the natural history of the Maine coast
Service Conditions:
• Service involves daytime travel for meetings and field tasks throughout the service area.
• Field tasks occur in all weather conditions (e.g. hot, cold, wet, buggy) and can be physically demanding. We provide training for land stewardship-based fieldwork and support with trail-building techniques.
• Service requires being available on evenings and weekends.
• Service is 60% office/home office and 40% field in general, however this varies based on the season
• Service includes traversing uneven terrain
• Service includes moving materials and tools
• Service is performed independently and as part of a team
• Service includes interaction with a wide variety of program partners and the public
• Service involves managing time effectively and completing tasks with attention to detail
• Service will require the ability to self-motivate, serve independently and collaboratively
Additional Qualifications:
• Valid Driver’s License and use of a personal vehicle with proof of insurance
• Experience outdoors
• Dependable and resourceful
• Enjoys people, including children
• Ability to use GPS/GIS technologies
• Outreach Skills-comfortable quickly building partnerships and rapport with community members while achieving goals and representing our organizational mission (required)
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Living Allowance
$1500
-
$1875 monthly
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Living allowance, Student loan forbearance, Training
Additional Benefits
• Weekly living allowance of $375 (before taxes) for 44 weeks
• AmeriCorps Education Award of $6,495
• Health insurance, if eligible
• Certifications in the National Incident Management System, some members will also receive MCC Chainsaw Safety Certification
• Conferences such as the Maine AmeriCorps Member Conference
• Networking opportunities
• Maine State Park Pass
• Some members may also be eligible for student loan forbearance and childcare reimbursement
Education Benefits
Credential or Certification
Education Requirements
High School Graduate
Desired Certifications or Qualifications
• High School diploma or equivalent
• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must be a US Citizen
• Must agree to a criminal history check
• All positions at State sites require a valid driver’s license with a good 5-year driving record
• Passion for community service and the environment
• Commitment to complete the full term of service
• Skills, experience, and education requirements vary by site
Desired Languages
English
Other Conditions
Car recommended
Uniforms provided and required
Subject to criminal background check
Age Requirement
18 - 99