Summer Stewardship Internship

Introduction:

The Kennebec Land Trust (KLT) is seeking 2 summer interns who are interested in conservation land stewardship with a focus on facilitating safe and equitable public access to conservation lands while ensuring they remain healthy, resilient, and accessible for present and future generations of all kinds. This position is primarily field-based, with occasional office time mixed in throughout the 4-day work week.

About KLT:

KLT has conserved over 8,000 acres of land in fee and easement in the Kennebec County region of Maine and manages ~60 miles of primarily non-motorized trail on 30+ different properties.

KLT is a non-profit land conservation organization that works to protect and steward land permanently, offer access to conserved properties, provide opportunities for people to learn about and enjoy the natural world, and collaborates with partners to support sustainable forestry and farming.

See KLT’s history and mission for more information

The summer internship will focus on:

• Trail construction and maintenance
  • Rigorous tread and drainage work such as bench cutting tread, sculpting drainages, moving gravel, building long-lasting trail structures with large stone, and working in proximity to heavy equipment (e.g. mini excavator).
  • Trail corridor vegetation management using hand saws, loppers, pole saws, and brushsaws (use of a chainsaw may be an option if the applicant has experience and credentials).
  • Construction or rehabilitation of trail structures (e.g. wooden bridges) using hand and power tools.
• Exposure to the processes, tools, and concepts behind sustainable (and enjoyable!) trail layout and design.
• Basic maintenance of other infrastructure such as: latrines, parking areas, kiosks, benches, signage, off-grid cabins, etc.
• Mapping and inventory of KLT property features/assets using GPS technologies.
• Invasive plant inventory and removal projects.
• Property boundary monitoring & maintenance (finding monuments, following bearings, and marking boundaries).
• Assisting with general land trust operations as needed (e.g. document filing, running errands, responding to phone calls, interacting with the public, etc.)

Required Qualifications:

• Motivated and inspired by working outdoors.
• Desire to learn and apply new skills.
• Ability to perform physically demanding work outside for up to 8 hours while tolerating and mitigating risks such as: ticks, black flies, mosquitoes, rain, poison ivy, Browntail Moth caterpillars, etc.
• Ability to work independently in a dynamic environment and as a member of a collaborative team.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to accept and integrate feedback graciously and give effective feedback to team members and supervisors.
• Proficiency in basic computer programs e.g. Microsoft Office, Gmail, Dropbox or similar, and the ability to learn new programs and systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Trail building/maintenance experience, preferably including tread, drainage, and stonework.
• Familiarity with the basic principles of erosion and sedimentation.
• Experience with basic carpentry tools (e.g. circular saw, impact driver, squares & levels), and power equipment (e.g. brushsaw, chainsaw, lawn mower).
• Familiarity with GPS and/or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology.
• Experience navigating alone in the woods and identifying property boundaries.
• Ability to learn identification of local flora and other ecological/geographic features as needed for the work (e.g. identifying invasive plants, identifying seasonal streams).

Supervision and Collaboration:

Interns are supervised by KLT’s Stewardship Director and Stewardship Manager, and work closely with KLT’s three stewardship staff (Stewardship Director, Stewardship Manager, and Stewardship Assistant). Interns will occasionally work with KLT’s office staff on other projects, as well as KLT volunteers and community members. Interns will occasionally work independently with guidance from KLT staff.

Half a day each week will be under the supervision of Vaughn Woods & Historic Homestead’s property manager Dan Mitchell.

Position Details:

Timeframe: 32 hours a week (typically 4 days a week at 8 hours a day). June 15, 2026, to August 7, 2026 (8 weeks, for a total of approximately 256 paid hours).

Location: Interns will work throughout KLT’s service area, which is most of Kennebec County, Maine. The KLT office is located at 331 Main St. in Winthrop.

Housing: Free housing is provided if desired. Interns must provide their own food. Housing includes a private furnished bedroom with communal living space, located in the city of Hallowell.

Compensation: $16/hour. Work-related travel reimbursed at current IRS rate (72.5 cents/mile as of 2026). Paid Maine State Holidays during employment