Urban Green - 2026 RCC Urban Forestry Fellowship

Student Conservation Association • Reading, PA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Reading Conservation Corps (RCC) is a seasonal workforce development and environmental stewardship program based in Reading, Pennsylvania. The RCC Urban Forestry Fellowship is a key component of the RCC programming for 2026-2027. The Urban Forestry Fellow will collaborate with the City of Reading Public Works Department and Berks Nature to research, catalogue, and inventory existing trees, assess and collect data on invasive and native tree species, and develop site-specific stewardship and planting plans. These plans will inform the City's strategies for a tree nursery and future plantings. The Fellow will also update existing land management plans and begin implementing them in the Spring. Desired skills include data collection, tree and plant identification, plan writing, communication, independent work, and initiative. This internship provides a long-term, one-on-one job mentoring experience with the City of Reading and Berks Nature, offering advanced, hands-on experience, additional credentials, and direct pathways into municipal and conservation careers.

Requirements

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Ecology, Data/Statistics, Environmental Science/Studies, Horticulture, Arboriculture, Landscape Architecture or a related field OR equivalent work experience in the field of botany, ecology, biology, arboriculture, horticulture, environmental science, data & statistics, or landscaping
• Professional and/or academic experience in data collection and organization, using spreadsheets, GIS, or similar software.
• Driver’s license.
• Comfort in and openness to operating hand and power tools.
• Fluent in common software, including Microsoft (Word, Excel) and Google (Docs, Sheets) and organizing data in databases.
• Familiarity with plant identification, either through existing knowledge or through comfort using field guides or identification apps such as iNaturalist and Seek.
• Personal Vehicle Required

Nice To Haves

• Technical conservation skills, including in managing invasive species, planting and stewarding trees, identifying plants, and stewarding urban gardens
• Preference for local candidates, living in or near Reading, PA
• Proficiency or fluency in Spanish

Responsibilities

• Inventory and catalogue existing trees in the Department of Conservation Natural Resources database, TreeKeeper.
• Conduct biological plant surveys for the City of Reading and Berks Nature on various sites, with a focus on native and invasive tree species.
• Conduct garden assessments for the City of Reading and Berks Nature.
• Write location-specific stewardship plans for the City of Reading and Berks Nature for various sites that describe in detail for each area which invasive species need removal, and which native species would thrive.
• Update existing land management plans for the City of Reading and Berks Nature.
• Support the planting, mulching, watering, post-establishment care, and maintenance of trees.
• Support the implementation of the City of Reading’s tree nursery, informed by tree data collected during the position.
• Manage invasive species with hand and/or power tools (without using herbicides or pesticides).
• Work with Berks Nature and City of Reading staff on field work projects.
• Work with the Reading Conservation Corps on tree plantings, invasive species management, and urban gardening.
• Support staff at the City of Reading and/or Berks Nature with large public and community engagement events.

Benefits

• $20/hour, 35 hours/week
• $50/week commuting allowance (paid bi-weekly)
• $1,000 in reimbursable professional development training/travel expenses
• First Aid/CPR Training
• SCA may be able to provide a laptop for the duration of the position that would need to be returned at position end.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: Associate degree