Wilderness Ranger Internship: Stanislaus National Forest

Are you interested in a career in natural resource management? Do you love to hike, work hard outside, and enjoy the beauty and challenge of the mountains? The Stanislaus National Forest is seeking wilderness ranger interns to protect and preserve three spectacular Wilderness areas in the Sierra Nevada range of California. Come spend the summer working in the Emigrant, Carson-Iceberg, and Mokelumne Wilderness Areas with the Stanislaus Wilderness Crew and experience the most awesome job in the country! Job Flyer

The Place
The Stanislaus National Forest is located in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. The Sierra, Jon Muir's "Range of Light," stretches for over 400 miles across the state and is internationally renowned for its granite peaks, glacial basins, high alpine lakes, mild weather, and amazing beauty. The Stanislaus includes 213,000 acres of federally designated wilderness. The Emigrant Wilderness covers 112,000 acres of high meadows, granite domes, hundreds of lakes, and conifer forest. The Emigrant is bordered on the south by the most remote portion of Yosemite National Park. The Stanislaus NF also includes about half of the 160,000 acre Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, a less-visited area of high meadows, volcanic peaks, and open forests. Finally, the Stanislaus contains part of the Mokelumne Wilderness, including the wild and remote North Fork Mokelumne River canyon.

The wilderness ranger intern:

• Will backpack to remote locations for up to 9 days at a time with a pack of 50 pounds or more, including tools associated with wilderness ranger duties
• Receives training in crosscut saw use, wilderness first aid, non-native invasive plant identification, grazing monitoring, visitor contact methods, Leave No Trace instruction, campsite restoration methods, GPS, two-way radios, outfitter field inspections, and recreation impact monitoring
• Attends the Regional Wilderness Ranger Academy in Lee Vining, CA
• Performs trail clearing and maintenance using traditional tools
• Informs and educates wilderness visitors about minimum impact practices and regulations
• Inspects Outfitter/Guide camps for compliance with operating permits
• Participates in wilderness stewardship projects such as invasive plant removal, range monitoring, and habitat restoration
• Patrols wilderness to ensure that areas are used, and maintained in accordance with wilderness management plans and regulations
• Inventories and restores campsites in wilderness areas
• Installs and repairs trail signs
• Collects evidence and provides documentation for cases of misuse of wilderness areas
•  Manages collected data in digital format, including the input of data into databases
•  May conduct projects for college credit, if applicable
• Will hike far, climb high, and grow strong.

Internship Requirements

• The wilderness ranger intern must be able to backpack for multiple tours of duty, with each tour having the potential to last up to 9 days.
• The ranger should expect to carry a 50+ pound backpack and tools associated with duties, such as a shovel or crosscut saw.
• The ranger must be experienced in backpacking and wilderness travel with a demonstrated ability to work independently in remote locations.
• The wilderness ranger intern must be familiar with the Wilderness Act, wilderness ethics, and Leave No Trace principles.
• The wilderness ranger intern must have good communication skills, as interaction with wilderness visitors will be a primary responsibility.
• The wilderness ranger intern should be familiar with basic computer applications.

Internship Dates
The internship lasts for a minimum of 12 weeks with the potential for up to 16 weeks of work. Interns must start by June 1st and work until at least August 24th. The internship can last until September 30th depending on intern availability and quality of work.

Compensation
The intern will receive a stipend of $40 per day for days worked. Interns should expect to work at least 9 days every two weeks, and therefore earn at least $360 every two weeks. Interns will be reimbursed up to $400 total for travel to and from Pinecrest at the beginning and end of the internship.

Housing
Separate bunkhouses are available for men and women near the Summit Ranger Station in Pinecrest, CA and near the Calaveras Ranger Station in Hathaway Pines, CA. Bunkhouses include shared sleeping quarters, kitchen, bathroom, dining, and laundry facilities. The cost of housing will be paid by the Forest Service.

Transportation
A personal vehicle is strongly recommended but not required. A vehicle will be available for use while working. For interns who do not have a personal vehicle available, transportation can be arranged through the Forest Service for pick-up from the San Francisco area at the beginning of the internship and drop-off at the end of the internship.

Equipment
Interns will be provided with personal protective equipment, hand tools, radios, and standard group backpacking gear such as tents, stoves and water filters. It is recommended that interns have their own backpack, daypack, and sleeping bag. Sturdy hiking boots are also a necessity.

Application

A detailed cover letter explaining why you want this position and a resume including backpacking experience, outdoor skills, and references should be submitted no later than March 1st, 2011 to:

Adam Barnett, Wilderness Manager

adambarnett@fs.fed.us

For general information on the Stanislaus National Forest, please visit our website at

For more information on the Emigrant, Carson-Iceberg and Mokelumne Wilderness Areas, please visit