Summer opportunities

There is an internship and 2 Americorps positions this coming summer with the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District. We would love to have NIU students fill these positions. We currently have 2 NIU alum on staff, Damon Lubkeman and Cole Heyden, who were summer interns for us and are now full time employees. Feel free to share the attached job description and have any interested students e-mail me. We will be setting up interviews for April.

 

The Americorps positions are coordinated by Ann at Severson Dells. At this point the positions haven't been posted but students in that program receive a stipend and student loan waivers for 500 hours of work starting in May and going into August. We have also arranged for our Americorps volunteers to be housed at New Hall if needed. Housing would be a benefit the Forest Preserve would pay for. The duties for this position are essentially the same as the internship. 

2023 Student Intern Opportunities in Restoration Ecology 

DeKalb County Forest Preserve District 

The DeKalb County Forest Preserve District carries out a broad range of ecological restoration activities related to our core mission:  “preserve, protect and restore the flora, fauna and natural beauties of our lands, as near as may be, in their natural state and condition, for the education and recreation of our citizens”.  This position will be from approx. mid-May to mid-August.  Wage rate is $14.00/hour. 

Primary duties and activities: 

1. Invasive species control, including spraying (back-pack or vehicle mounted) or wicking herbicides, weed-eater operation, mowing, and hand-pulling.   

2. Native plant community restoration and reconstruction, including propagation, planting, seeding, watering, weeding, barrier construction and predation control. 

3. Seed collection, and assisting volunteers during seed collection activities. 

4. Inventory and assessment activities including plant and animal identification, data collection, mapping and report preparation. 

5. Assist with monitoring and inventory of rare or endangered species.  This may include the use of telemetry and GIS equipment, and frequent wading in steams, marshes or ponds. 

6. Maintain a daily log, including activities and, as directed by the supervisor, species lists.  The log will be reviewed periodically by the Natural Resources Manager. 

7. Other tasks.  Occasionally, interns will assist staff with other related tasks.   

Requirements: 

1.  College student or recent graduate with education or background in biological sciences, forestry, ecology, botany, horticulture, environmental sciences or similar disciplines. 

2. Ability to carry out physically demanding tasks on a routine basis, while tolerating exposure to heat, humidity, insects, poison plants, and allergens.  In other words, working outdoors in native plant communities in Northern Illinois during the summer, all day long.  

3. Obtain an Illinois Pesticide Operator’s License through the Illinois Dept. of Agriculture.  This must be obtained as soon as possible after work begins, preferably before.  

4. Valid Driver’s license. 

Applicants should submit a resume and contact information for two references by May 5th, 2022 to: 

DeKalb County Forest Preserve District 

200 N. Main Street 

Sycamore IL 6017                     thannan@dekalbcounty.org                  (815) 895-7191 

                                            https://dekalbcounty.org/departments/forest-preserve/ 

 

NSF REU Site Crop Diversity and Rural Livelihoods in Vermont and Uganda

Call for Applications: NSF REU Site at the University of Vermont

We are now accepting applications for a Summer 2023 NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program based at the University of Vermont. This REU will provide eight American undergraduate students from diverse academic backgrounds an opportunity to conduct interdisciplinary research on the ecological, economic and cultural roles of on-farm crop diversity in rural Vermont and rural Uganda.

Under the eight-week summer REU program students will receive training at the University of Vermont (UVM) in rural development theory, social survey research methods, spatial analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and written and oral communication. Working with partners in Uganda students will collect and analyze original farm, household and spatial data from smallholder farms and surrounding communities, and work closely with faculty mentors to prepare presentations and manuscripts on links between crop diversity and livelihood outcomes.

Completed applications including 2 letters of recommendation can be submitted online via (https://www.uvm.edu/cals/cdae/reu-in-uganda) and review of applications will begin on February 28th and continue until filled. The 2023 Summer REU Site program will run from approximately June 13th – August 8th, with some flexibility depending on Covid-19 travel restrictions, safety precautions, and quarantine needs. All travel costs will be covered by NSF and the summer program includes a generous stipend. All participants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled at a U.S. college or university at the time of the program (seniors graduating in Spring 2023 are not eligible).

Details about the project and application instructions can be found at: https://www.uvm.edu/cals/cdae/reu-in-uganda

 

Primate Behavior and Conservation Field Course in Uganda

The Semliki Chimpanzee Project is now accepting applications for its Primate Behavior and Conservation field course in Uganda. The course dates are June 12-26, 2023. Students can participate on a credit or non-credit basis.

Students will gain an in-depth understanding of Uganda culture, geography and wildlife. They will attend lectures on Ugandan conservation and wildlife by a guest lecturer from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (the national parks oversight organization); they will learn about the Ugandan independence and Kampala city history; they will visit the Entebbe Zoo where they will see a wide variety of Ugandan wildlife; they will live in tents in Semliki surrounded by wildlife including warthogs, kob, bushbuck, baboons, chimpanzees, redtail monkeys and forest elephants; at dusk they will be serenaded by black and white colobus (among the loudest animals on the planet) and during the night they will hear bushbabies and owls; they may see a nocturnal potto in the tamarind tree near the toilets; they will visit the famed Queen Elizabeth National Park where they will see wildlife such as millions of Uganda kob as well as elephants, hippos, crocodiles, banded mongoose, vervets, baboons and possibly lions; they will visit local markets in Ntoroko, Karagutu and Fort Portal; at Lake Albert they will see the famous and rare shoebill stork; they will look out over the famed Rift Valley, a mile below them, from the top of the rift escarpment; they will visit a tea plantation and see the harvesting and drying of the famous Ugandan tea (and receive a free sample); they will visit a smallholder family farm to see how self-sustaining families manage to produce their own vegetables, protein and natural products on a family-owned plot of land; they will trek gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. They will be immersed in Ugandan culture, nature and animals and guided by Ugandans and instructors with decades of experience in Uganda and all of Africa.

For more information and to apply, visit The Semliki Chimpanzee Project Field School (wordpress.com).

If you have any questions, please contact us at kdingess@semlikichimpanzee.org. 

Natural Areas Seasonal Positions are Up!

This year's seasonal positions with the Chicago Park District Natural Areas Crew have been posted!

 

The Natural Areas Crew is hiring for the Seasonal Worker position and the Seasonal Technicianposition.

 

The crew is responsible for ecological restoration and management of prairies, woodlands, and wetlands across the city. Duties include:

 

• Using conservation and restoration methods to improve the overall quality of natural areas, including mowing, herbicide application, hand pulling, and planting.

• Identifying and learning both native and non-native flora relevant to the region.

• Trail maintenance, fence repairs, garbage removal, and general park upkeep.

• Engaging communities and working with volunteer groups to connect people to nature and  promote environmental education.

 

The positions are 35-40 hrs/week for 6 months

The Seasonal Worker position pays $20.54/hr

The Seasonal Technician position pays $31.94/hr

The posting for the position closes February 16th. Please share this posting with anyone who may be interested in your networks!

 

Hiring: Nachusa summer crew

The Nature Conservancy’s Nachusa Grasslands is now hiring for 2023 summer restoration technicians! These are full-time, temporary positions paying $14/hr with the option of free on-site housing. This is an entry level position and great starting place to explore careers in conservation. Restoration technicians will primarily work outdoors managing invasive weeds, harvesting native seeds, and assisting with additional conservation duties. Applicants need a high school diploma and ability to work and live in a team environment. Find full details and apply online: nature.org/careers (scroll down and click “"Current Job Opportunities" button & then enter the #job id: 52928).