Land Stewardship Specialist

The Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC) is a regional land trust working in 12-counties to conserve and enhance the lands and waters of northcentral Pennsylvania. This work supports the environmental well-being and recreational needs of local communities.

The organization is hiring a second Land Stewardship Specialist. The Land Stewardship Specialist (LSS) ensures all of the conservation easements held by the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy are monitored annually for compliance. The LSS also reviews requests by landowners of eased properties, works with landowners interested in donating a conservation easement, and works with staff on communications.

The two Land Stewardship Specialists will coordinate their work plans and efforts in cooperation with the Executive Director.

The position is full-time, 37.5 hours a week. This may require evening and weekend hours. The person will report to the Executive Director and work out of the office, presently located at 785 Route 87 Hwy, Montoursville, but also travel extensively throughout the region when visiting conservation easements.

Responsibilities Include but are not limited to:

Conservation Easement Monitoring

• Develop and implement a plan for the regular monitoring of all conservation easements held by Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy
• Contact owners of property under easement with the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy to schedule monitoring visit
• Conduct monitoring of conservation easements held by Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy
• Prepare reports and correspondence based on monitoring
• Maintain conservation easement inspection files

Review Requests for Approval of Conservation Easement Permitted Activities

• Coordinate with Executive Director to ensure all requests are processed in a timely manner
• Review the request to determine if it’s allowed by easement
• Evaluate the impact on the conservation values
• Prepare a recommendation for review and discussion with the Executive Director
• Conduct site visits, as needed, to ensure the activity is being implemented as approved, and as appropriate
• Prepare reports and notes documenting the process and follow-up

Conservation Easement Drafting

• Respond to landowner requests for information about conservation easements
• Conduct site visits and undertake basic research on a property’s conservation values
• Prepare draft documents – including, but not limited to conservation easements and baseline documentation reports

Budgeting/Planning

• Prepare a yearly workplan based on the organizational strategic plan as requested
• Assist in preparing budgets for easement monitoring, and other projects as requested
• Assist Executive Director in grant writing and fundraising as requested

Communications

These tasks would be done in coordination with other staff:

• Provide photos from site visits and text to be used on the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy’s social media accounts
• Write approximately one article quarterly for the newsletter and/or blog
• Maintain a photo file for each project

Qualifications:

• A passion for the conservation of open spaces
• Clearly demonstrated experience and skills related to working outdoors.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Attention to detail; ability to work accurately, independently, and efficiently
• Ability to interact and communicate with people in one-on-one situations
• Experience in developing work plans, and successfully executing work plans
• A valid driver’s license and reliable transportation
• Ability to walk a minimum of 4 miles over rough and uneven terrain
• Ability to navigate or way find through unmapped terrain
• Ability to map locations and develop handouts showing the mapped location
• Background in forestry, ecological restoration, wildlife management, or similar field
• Clearly demonstrated experience and skills related to the performance of the above responsibilities, such as past experience with land management including, but not limited to road building, erosion and sedimentation controls, and management plan writing