Vegetation Management Crew Leader

Position Title: Vegetation Management Crew Member

Conservation Legacy Program: CCNC

Site Location: Based out of Bahama, NC but will be lodging and completing service projects throughout North Carolina

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 06/03/2025
• End Date: 08/20/2025
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450

Purpose:

Conservation Corps North Carolina:    

The mission of Conservation Corps North Carolina (CCNC) is an AmeriCorps program that empowers young adults through meaningful outdoor work that benefits North Carolina’s land and water and creates healthy communities. CCNC is a program of Conservation Legacy that partners with public land managers in North Carolina to engage motivated young adults (ages 18-30) to complete challenging and impactful conservation service projects throughout the region. Projects may include trail construction & maintenance, habitat improvement, hazard fuel reduction, and ecological restoration. Crews may also complete technical and/or specialized projects depending on project partner needs, including disaster relief if the opportunity arises. 

Position Summary:  

For this exciting AmeriCorps position, we are recruiting crew members to join us on a Vegetation Management crew –comprised of 1 CCNC staff Crew Leader, 1 AmeriCorps Assistant Crew Leader, and 4 AmeriCorps Members. The crew will be completing service projects with The Nature Conservancy to improve ecosystem health by making timber stand improvements.   The crew will also complete service with the National Park Service on Cape Lookout to remove non-native invasive plant species  This is a great chance to gain experience working with The Nature Conservancy & The National Park Service on a variety of different vegetation management tactics. Crew members may use chainsaws, brush cutters, hand saws, loppers, and a variety of mechanical/non-mechanical and chemical tools to remove plant species. Crew members should expect to work on rugged terrain in inclement weather with technical, advanced cutting operations. The work will be arduous and fast-paced in areas of high exposure. 

Schedule and Crew Life:  

The crew will be composed of 1 CCNC staff Crew Leader, 1 AmeriCorps Assistant Crew Leader, and 4 AmeriCorps Members. The Crew Leader and Assistant Crew Leader will provide project expertise, mentorship, training, and support for the success of all participants. Field Crews will meet at Camp Slocum (located north of Durham, NC), travel in a crew vehicle to their project site and remain in the field for 9 days at a time, followed by 5 days off. While in the field, Crew Members work 8-10 hours a day. Each workday includes two fifteen-minute breaks and a half-hour lunch break.  Food is provided while in the field. Crews work together to plan meals and complete all necessary chores. We can accommodate most dietary restrictions. Camp chores will be completed every evening, with many evenings including group discussions on conservation topics. 

CCNC supports a culture of feedback and growth. Crew Members will set goals at the beginning of the season and review their performance through both self-evaluation and a review with their Crew Leader in the middle and at the end of their season. Evaluations will cover topic areas including Professionalism, Responsibility, Leadership, Communication, Community Engagement, Project Work, Safety, Organization, and Equipment. Crew Members will also be asked to evaluate their Crew Leaders’ performance, the overall program, and their experience at the end of their term. 

Expectations: 
CCNC is an independent, non-residential program. Crew members are responsible for their own housing, food, and transportation when not in the field unless otherwise specified.  Some equipment is available to borrow throughout the season, but Crew Members are asked to supply as much of their own personal gear as possible. A gear list is provided upon acceptance into the program. In addition to providing food while in the field, CCNC will provide group camp equipment, tools, protective gear, and transportation between Camp Slocum and project sites. 
 
Crew Members are asked to work hard, stay positive, and be flexible with changing schedules, weather conditions, and project needs. This is a seasonal position; Crew Members are asked to fully commit to the experience, expectations, and timeline.  

Onboarding: 

Once Crew Members are selected and prior to their start date, they are required to complete an online enrollment process that includes completing e-forms, uploading IDs, enrolling with AmeriCorps, and beginning their background check process. For those with limited access to online platforms, accommodations may be available and can be discussed during the interview process.  

Benefits:  

• $600 per week ($480/week living stipend & $120 additional benefit) paid bi-weekly
• AmeriCorps Segal Education Award of $1,956.35 upon successful completion of service term (can be used for paying off federal student loans or paying tuition for a Title IV accredited college)
• Wilderness First Aid Certification
• Members may be eligible for student loan forbearance
• Member Assistance Program– 3 free sessions of support with a counseling or work-life balance specialist
• Uniform shirts, helmet, work gloves, eye protection, and other necessary safety equipment is provided

On-the-job Training 

• US Forest Service Developing Thinking Sawyers Chainsaw Training
• Assistance may be available for getting Crew Members the outdoor gear needed to participate
• Depending upon the academic institution and program, Crew Member positions may fulfill internship requirements.
• Professional development opportunities (mentorship, resume support, alumni listserv, etc.)
• Exposure to natural resource career paths and opportunities

General Qualifications:  

• Be between the ages of 18 and 30 (exception for Veterans up to age 35)
• Have US Citizenship or Legal Permanent Residency status.
• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Pass background checks: all offers of positions are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and Federal and/or State criminal background check
• Must be eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award (individuals are eligible if they have not already completed 2 full years of AmeriCorps service, or 4 AmeriCorps service terms, whichever comes first – please contact us if you are unsure of your eligibility)

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Previous corps or crew experience
• Chainsaw experience
• Experience with camping/backpacking
• Wilderness First Aid certification or higher
• Adaptability
• Professionalism
• Community-Building ethic

Participant Essential Eligibility Requirements   

Essential eligibility requirements for the program must be met. If you are unable to meet certain requirements, we may be able to assist you with some modification unless it alters the fundamental nature of the program, compromises the health and safety of participants or staff, or places an undue financial or administrative burden on the organization. These requirements are written the same for all positions and therefore may not apply directly to your position.   

Participation and Expedition Behavior   

• Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept differences
• Contribute to a safe learning environment, no harassment of others for any reason.
• Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training and national service.  Members must commit to participating in all crew/team activities, including service days in local communities where applicable.
• Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues, and organization staff.
• Have the cognitive ability to learn necessary skills and apply them to effectively carry out the service work requirements.
• Appropriately always represent the Program and AmeriCorps to the public and project partners.

Safety and Judgment   

• Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance. You must be able to do so at up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high winds.
• Effectively perceive, understand, and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute appropriate and perhaps unfamiliar techniques to manage hazards. These directions may be given before the hazard is encountered or may need to be given during exposure to the hazard.
• Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions.
• Perceive and comprehend significant and apparent hazards, including those hazards previously identified by 
  Respond appropriately to stress or crises.
• If taking prescription medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self-medicating without assistance from others.

Environmental Ethics   

Learn and practice ‘Leave No Trace’ techniques  

Outdoor Skills and Fitness  

• Learn and safely perform fundamental outdoor living/travel and work skills as appropriate to the project.
• Additionally, remain adequately hydrated, fed, and properly dressed to remain generally healthy and safe, avoiding environmental injuries.
• Live in a physically demanding, possibly remote environment for an uninterrupted period of up to several days. Conditions of this environment may vary significantly and may include severe and/or trying weather.
• The remoteness is such that it may require at a minimum one hour, but perhaps more than 12 hours, to reach the nearest advanced medical care.