Individual Placement - Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Program Participant

Student Conservation Association•Grand Marais, MN

11d•Onsite

About The Position

This summer program will take place in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), located within the Superior National Forest. The BWCAW is one of the most heavily visited wilderness areas in the National Wilderness Preservation System. Within the 1.1 million acres of Federally Designated Wilderness lies a network of largely canoe-based travel routes containing nearly 2,000 campsites and hundreds of miles of trails and portages. The participants will assist USDA Forest Service Wilderness Ranger crews to perform routine trail and campsite maintenance, trail and campsite rehabilitation projects, and visitor education. In addition to maintenance duties, these intern positions would assist with monitoring biophysical and social resource conditions within the BWCAW. This is an arduous position that involves lifting and portaging 50+ pound tool packs, overnight gear, and canoes. Participants will be required to camp overnight for up to 8 days/7 nights. The main mode of travel is with canoes, but motorboats may occasionally be used as well. Major duties include backcountry maintenance using traditional (non-mechanized) tools including crosscut saws, shovels, pulaskis, and axes, as part of the standard toolkit. Participants will learn how to use these traditional tools on designated wilderness campsites, and wilderness portage and hiking trails. The incumbents will also conduct monitoring and inventory work to support Superior National Forest Plan objectives.

Requirements

Driver’s License.
Ability to work independently or as part of a team for multiple days in the backcountry.
Communication skills.
Ability to operate a pickup truck or other 4WD vehicle on unpaved roads.
Ability to prepare your own meals in a remote setting
All participants must be between the ages of 16 and 30, inclusive, or veterans age 35 or younger. Participants must also be a citizen or national of the United States or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States.

Nice To Haves

Customer service experience including interacting with Forest visitors
Experience using hand tools to complete outdoor grounds maintenance.
Canoeing or other paddle based-watercraft experience

Responsibilities

Overnight camping trips in the BWCA Wilderness for up to 8 days in length.
Assisting with visitor education and leave-no-trace.
Monitoring using established protocols.
Using traditional tools (non-motorized) to perform campsite and portage maintenance projects
Administrative support at Ranger District Offices including answering phones, interacting with forest visitors, and providing visitor education at Ranger District Offices.
Completing recreation site and trail maintenance tasks under the direction of Forest Service Staff.