Black Swamp Conservancy seeks four seasonal Stewardship Interns to carry out the Conservancy’s stewardship vision at our Nature Preserves. The selected interns will be highly motivated and organized students or recent grads, eager to work outdoors on habitat restoration.
Work Hours
These positions are Field Work only. If weather prohibits field work, work hours are not guaranteed.
- Up to 40 hours a week – May 9 to August 18
- Schedule is 4 days a week (typically Tuesday – Friday with one Saturday/month), 10 hours a day (including travel time to each work site)
Projects the Interns will assist with include:
- Invasive Plant Management, using mechanical methods (cut, pull, etc.) and herbicides
- Native habitat restoration – planting trees, plants or seeds, and caring for trees and shrubs
- Basic Preserve maintenance – trash and litter, parking lot and trail maintenance, install signs
- Preserve Monitoring – invasive and native plant species scouting and mapping, water quality monitoring, wildlife surveys
- Other duties as assigned
Interns will work as part of the Conservancy’s Stewardship Crew, under the direction of the Land Steward and Stewardship Crew Leader. Each day, the crew will travel from our headquarters in Pemberville to our Preserves, many of which are over an hour each way. Applicants must be willing to work in challenging conditions including rain, heat, humidity, and muddy fields.
Interns will gain skills in Land Management, native plant community identification and monitoring, invasive plant identification and Best Management Practices, Integrated Pest Management, small engine and tractor use and maintenance, and more.
Preferred Experience
- Invasive species identification and management
- Working with hand tools
- Collecting water samples and taking water quality measurements
- Using GPS units to mark field locations
Required Qualifications
- Curiosity and a love of the outdoors
- Ability to work as a team to accomplish tasks
- Availability to work flexible hours, including the occasional Saturday
- Valid Driver’s License with an acceptable driving record
Physical Requirements
- Tolerate extreme temperatures (especially heat) for 6-10 hours per day
- Comply with requirements for protective clothing
- Work in an outdoor environment, including tolerance for exposure to insects and thorns
- Repetitively lift and carry items up to 30 lbs
- Stand, sit, bend, kneel, stretch and squat for long periods of time while using best practices to maintain strong, long-term personal health
Compensation
- $14 an hour, as contract positions (no employee benefits or withholding)
To Apply
Email your resume and cover letter to Melanie Coulter at [email protected]. Applications are due by March 17th.
About Black Swamp Conservancy
Black Swamp Conservancy is a non-profit land trust dedicated to preserving and enhancing natural habitats and family farms in northwest Ohio for the benefit of current and future generations. We do this to preserve the heritage, habitats, and waters that all Ohioans depend on. The Conservancy owns eleven Nature Preserves in seven counties and protects over 20,000 acres of privately owned land.
The Nature Preserves the Stewardship Interns will work at most often include:
Forrest Woods Nature Preserve
The Conservancy has restored streams, wetlands and floodplains on this 400-acre preserve that protects the Marie DeLarme watershed and a remnant of the Great Black Swamp in Paulding County.
Bell Woods and Pat & Clint Mauk’s Prairie
Bell Woods is an 80-acre remnant of the Great Black Swamp in Wood County, at the Conservancy’s headquarters. Our office also sits by 25-acre Mauk’s Prairie, with a 1-mile hiking trail.
Water’s Edge Nature Preserve
This 60-acre preserve along the Sandusky Scenic River contains streamside woods, newly planted woodland and a 6-acre prairie.
St. Joseph River Confluence Preserve
This 140-acre preserve features an extensive complex of high-quality forested and emergent wetlands, providing habitat for the federally threatened Copperbelly Water Snake. We restored two former farm fields to wetlands in 2021.
