Field Crew Member- NH Conservation Corps

The SCA’s NH Conservation Corps Program:  
Have you ever wanted to live in a park where you can explore thousands of acres of prime New England Forest? Do you want to make life-long friends who are passionate about the environment and from all over the United States? Does the chance to learn conservation and leadership skills and start your career off with a one-of-a-kind experience sound exciting? If you said yes to any or all these questions, then the New Hampshire Conservation Corps is the place for you!  
  
The SCA NH Corps is a collaboration between the SCA, the New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and AmeriCorps. Since 1994 the SCA NH Corps has provided over one million hours of service to New Hampshire while training young adults to do valuable conservation work. Each year young adult volunteers contribute thousands of service hours, Interpretive Rangers providing environmental education programs to the state’s residents and visitors and Field Crew Members completing conservation service projects to improve and protect the state’s natural, cultural, and recreational resources from the Atlantic Coast to the White Mountains and beyond.

Position Overview: 

Most of the position is dedicated to hands-on, outdoor conservation projects ranging from trail construction and maintenance to habitat restoration and invasive plant management. Leadership development is an important component of the program - each member will serve as a crew leader for at least one 11-day field project. A typical field project or “hitch” will consist of collaborating as part of a five or six-person crew for 11 days at a time, returning to Bear Brook State Park for a three-day break between hitches. A portion of the position is spent earning certifications and attending training. Community based living is a large component of this program. The living conditions are simple, rustic, and community focused. The corps is made up of 27 young adults with diverse backgrounds from around the country. 

Expected Dates: April 1, 2024 – October 31, 2024

Location:
159A Deerfield RD

Allenstown NH

03275

Training Season:  
This season runs from the start of the position in April through mid-June. During the training season you will learn from experienced staff and instructors as you engage in:   

• SCA, AmeriCorps, and NH State Parks policies and protocols
• Leadership development and teamwork discussions and scenarios
• Diversity and Inclusion training
• Conflict Resolution
• Camp skills and Leave No Trace (LNT)
• Trail Design, Maintenance, and Construction
• Carpentry skills
• Chainsaw or trail rigging training
• SCA’s Driver training – large vans and trucks
• Trailer towing
• Painting historic structures
• Wilderness First Responder, and more!

Conservation Season:  
This season runs from mid-June through October. During this time members will serve in the field on “hitch” crews of their peers for periods of 11 days (10 service days with 1 day off). Hitches consist of high priority conservation projects with a focus on public lands access, visitor experience and safety, and recreation site protection such as erosion control and revegetation. NH Corps crews use traditional trail skills, restoration techniques, carpentry, and physical labor to complete an array of projects while camping for the duration of each project period.  Locations for these service projects vary from frontcountry campgrounds throughout the state to backcountry sites in the White Mountain National Forest and Great North Woods.  
  
The 800,000-acre White Mount National Forest (WMNF) includes a variety of landscapes from mountainous hardwood forests to majestic alpine peaks, which includes the tallest mountain in the Northeast – Mount Washington.  Field Crew Members will have the opportunity to serve on WMNF projects and your service will help rehabilitate and preserve the Forest and some of its 1,200 miles of non-motorized trails, which includes the Crawford Path – the oldest continuously maintained hiking path in America. By continuing to maintain and keep this valuable recreational resource safe, for its 6 million annual visitors, you will become part of the WMNF’s storied history.  
  
Beyond the White Mountain National Forest, you will have the opportunity to serve at several of NH’s beautiful state parks.  These parks may include Mount Monadnock in the Southern Region (most hiked mountain in North America!) to the parks of the Great North Woods, White Lake in the Lakes Region, and Franconia and Crawford in the Central White Mountain Region.  You will traverse the state and see it all while serving on 9 hitch teams throughout your term of service!  
  
Some of the specific service tasks may include:   

• Building bridges
• Rock work
• Cruising trails to address maintenance needs.
• Building camping shelters and kiosks
• Constructing new trails
• Installing trail structures to limit erosion.
• Backcountry site assessments
• Invasive species management
• Historic preservation

Through this 7-month commitment you will serve communities throughout New Hampshire while contributing as active members of the SCA NH Conservation Corps program.  

Responsibilities:   

• Attend and participate in all trainings.
• Take on role of Crew Leader for at least one hitch, serving as a professional liaison with park managers, handling project logistics, delegating responsibilities, developing emergency response plans, and completing all necessary paperwork and reporting.
• Be an active and participatory team player.
• Comply with all SCA, DNCR, and AmeriCorps policies and refrain from any prohibited activities.

 What makes SCA NH Conservation Corps unique?  

• NHCC is the SCA’s oldest residential corps program, beginning in 1994.
• Offers the most comprehensive field preparation in SCA with 11 weeks of skill development.
• Based out of 40+ acre summer camp located in the largest developed state park in NH.
• Only SCA corps program to serve with local, state, federal, and non-profit partners.
• Only northeast corps program to serve with the U.S. Forest Service and in federally designated wilderness areas.

Position Benefits:   

• Living Allowance $6,820
• All food is provided – estimated value is $1500
• Housing provided– estimated value of $4,300
• Onsite laundry provided - $200 value
• Upon completion of the term of service, October 31, 2024, and at least 1200 hours of service, AmeriCorps Education Award $4,826.50 for qualifying educational expenses and loans.
• Health Insurance – $453/month paid by program.
• Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and CPR Certification - $700 value
• Chainsaw Certification* - $500 value
• Rigging and Griphoist Use for Trail Work* - $500 value
• Conservation Work Skills – Trail Construction and Maintenance Training - $450 value
• Carpentry Training - $350 value
• Leave No Trace (LNT) Outdoor Ethics Training -$150 value
• NH State Parks Season Pass

* You will receive at least one of these training courses

Bear Brook State Park:  

This position is unique in that service takes place all over the state. However, the program’s home base, which includes rustic cabins, is Spruce Pond Camp within Bear Brook State Park (BBSP). BBSP is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire with over 10,000 acres and 40 miles of trails. Whether you are headed from here to do service or just have fun recreating you will certainly enjoy the trails, ponds, wildlife, and other gems this park and state have to offer.

Professional Development Opportunities:   

NH Conservation Corps members will have an abundance of opportunities to learn many skills, volunteer with environmental and other local nonprofit organizations throughout NH and learn from one another.  
  
Members will learn leadership and teamwork skills while co-leading their hitch teams or being active participants during field projects throughout conservation season.   
  
Program partners work in a variety of fields.  These career fields include land management/stewardship, land conservation, outdoor recreation, environmental education, and forestry.  Serving alongside and learning from these professionals is an invaluable experience that will help jump-start your career. 

SCA strives to cultivate a work environment that encourages fairness, teamwork, and respect among all members, leaders, and staff. The organization and NHCC are firmly committed to maintaining a service atmosphere in which people of diverse backgrounds and lifestyles may grow personally and professionally.

Field Crew Member Qualifications:   

• US Citizen at least 18 years old
• Ability to pass required state and federal background checks.
• High school degree or GED
• Ability and desire to perform manual, physical labor for 8 to 10 hours per day, exposed to the elements, occasionally lifting 50 pounds or more.
• Ability to hike up to 10 miles per day.
• Ability to carry a backpack weighing 60-70 pounds while carrying tools over challenging terrain.
• Ability to be away on overnight trips for 11-days, primarily camping in a tent.
• Must be willing to try new things and learn new skills.
• Must have an ability to serve independently and as part of a team.
• Must be able to live and work in diverse situations and environments.
• Must be willing to learn how to use hand and power tools.
• Available and committed for the entire term of service.

Preferred Field Crew Member Qualifications:   

• Demonstrate strong service ethic and desire to serve communities and environment.
• Desire to work outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Commit to working and living in small crew setting.
• Willing to complete project paperwork including project reports, output logs, and tool inventories.
• Applicants should be in good physical condition.
• Experience working or recreating outdoors is a plus.

Training opportunities:

• Wilderness First Responder and CPR
• Trail Maintenance and Construction
• Camp Skills
• Carpentry
• Trail Rigging or Chainsaw Certification
• Leave No Trace
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Leadership and Teamwork Skills
• Risk Management
• And More!

Professional Development Opportunities: 

NH Conservation Corps members will have an abundance of opportunities to learn many skills, volunteer with environmental and other local nonprofit organizations throughout NH, and learn from one another.

Members will learn leadership and teamwork skills while co-leading their hitch teams or being active participants during field projects throughout conservation season. 

Program partners work in a variety of fields.  These career fields include, but are not limited to, education, youth development, land management/stewardship,  land conservation, outdoor recreation, and forestry to name a few.  Serving alongside and learning from these professionals is an invaluable experience that will help you jump-start your career.