Hudson Valley Corps - Outdoor Educator

Student Conservation Association•Town of Esopus, NY

8h•Onsite

About The Position

The role of the candidate is to provide education about the natural and cultural history of Minnewaska State Park Preserve to patrons of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. The goal of the education program is to foster preservation stewardship of the natural world in all individuals and germinate potential conservation leaders for the future. The member will also assist the Minnewaska staff to implement land management activities to include mitigating visitor use impacts, provide invasive species control, and collect data for ecological monitoring projects. The program provides valuable education and recreation opportunities for members of both the local and distant community. People from all over the world visit Minnewaska, as do locals who adore this Park Preserve. Participation in a Minnewaska education program creates possibilities for patrons to exercise outdoors while learning about the natural world and local history. Exercise enhances good health, while learning about nature in a positive setting fosters a connection with the landscape that may lead to future stewardship. In an era of fewer in-person social interactions, Minnewaska’s programs create an opportunity for people of diverse life experiences to learn from each other as well. Striking a balance between recreation and preservation happens best when negative impacts to the Park Preserve are addressed with timely and informed responses. Trail overuse/erosion, introduction and spread of invasive species, deer overbrowse and other recreation and biological impacts have the potential to significantly alter the landscape and threaten the rich bio-diversity found in the Northern Shawangunks. In order to keep this landscape intact, and also to offer world-class recreation experiences to a growing audience, Minnewaska needs to identify impacts and prioritize mitigation efforts to ensure that the negative impacts do not cause a degradation of the natural experience available to park patrons. One focus of our education programming is to teach people about this wonderful area and how they can help to protect it.

Requirements

BA/BS in biology, environmental science, education or related field
Communications skills- both written and verbal
Comfortable speaking to groups of up to 25
Experience providing informal interpretation and/or educational programming
Education program development
Focused, self-motivated individual, able to work both independently and as a team member
Volunteer recruitment and coordination
Skills developed through experience and or training in trail building/repairing and removal of invasive species
Field experience in data collection
Ability to use GPS/GIS to track activities performed
Experience navigating and traveling in remote areas
Friendly and patient demeanor
Able to work easily in close quarters with others, sharing space and tools
A genuine desire to teach people, particularly children, about nature, cultural history and more
Ability to interpret the natural and cultural history of the area
Ability to identify local flora and fauna
Familiarity with Phenology Monitoring, Project FeederWatch, or other Citizen Science projects
Familiarity with New York State Learning Standards Familiarity with graphic design
Basic topographic and trail map knowledge
Basic knowledge/understanding of children
Personal Vehicle Required

Nice To Haves

Experience delivering education programs preferred
Experience in field data collection preferred
Experience in trail maintenance and restoration preferred
Experience organizing and supervising volunteers preferred
Leave No Trace training would be a great asset

Responsibilities

Lead education and recreation programs for the public both on-site and off-site
Implement existing education programs and develop new and innovative ones
Promote all programming through printed materials, press releases, social media and other means
Organize volunteer events
Staff, maintain and update the Visitor Center and its displays
Participate in conservation stewardship work, trail stewardship and trail assessment and updating
Provide education and recreation programs for the public, including school groups, clubs and the public. This includes researching, developing and delivering education programs about the natural and cultural history of the site as well as creating and distributing promotional materials
Seek new audiences for education programs, including but not limited to local libraries, preschoolers, veterans, mobility and cognitively impaired individuals and other audiences
Assess all education programs and make any necessary updates to the programs
Lead public recreation programs, such as hikes, year-round
Work with park staff and volunteers to assess footpaths in the Park and make improvements to them as needed, including structural repairs such as clearing water bars and building turnpikes
Assist with educational improvements, such as hanging signs or speaking to patrons about trail use, including acting as a trail steward on busy days
Assist in supervision of the work of the NYNJ Trail Conference Trail Stewards
Participate in all SCA Corps-wide trainings and service projects, as well as project evaluation and reporting
Assist with various biological surveys, as time permits, including broom crowberry, tiger beetles, invasive species and more
Monitor social media and other digital platforms in order to correct inaccurate information about Minnewaska’s trails and their use

Benefits

AmeriCorps and SCA Training
SCA Risk Management
Sexual Harassment/Drug Abuse in the Workplace
Mental Health First Aid Training
Wilderness First Aid & CPR
Project WILD/Aquatic Curriculum
Environmental Leadership Institute
New York State Outdoor Educator Association Conferences/Events
Hudson River Ecology
Leave No Trace Level I Certification
Professional Development & Job Readiness
AmeriCorps: Eligible/Required
$1,000 housing allowance provided monthly
Amount of the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award being offered for successful completion of the member’s term of service: $5,176.50
Living Allowance member will receive: $440/week