Position: Fall Conservation Crew Member (Short Term) 

Start/ End dates: 08/19/2024 – 11/08/2024 (Salida) OR 08/26/2024 -- 11/15/2024 (Durango) 

Status: Seasonal, Full-time, Camping Program  

Location: Salida, CO or Durango, CO  

Stipend: $600/week ($400/week living stipend + $200/week housing stipend)  

Ages: 18 – 30  

Benefits: $1,459.26, 300-hour AmeriCorps Education Award (value may change depending on term of service), Food provided while in the field, uniform shirts, personal protective equipment. Wilderness First Aid & CPR/AED certification.   

  

About the Position  

As an AmeriCorps program participant with the Southwest Conservation Corps, your office is the great outdoors! Each crew consists of 6 members and 2 leaders. Crews serve and camp for 8 days at a time in either front country (access to your crew vehicle and trailer), in town (collaborating with the county or municipality), or backcountry (hiking all your supplies in with backpacks) locations. You will serve effectively as a member of the crew; perform strenuous physical tasks related to environmental conservation and restoration projects; serve outdoors in all types of weather and successfully adapt to various climates; effectively learn and apply new environmental conservation and restoration skills; actively participate in environmental education activities if they are provided; practice appropriate safety procedures in all tasks assigned; use, maintain and repair hand and power tools as necessary.    

   

Projects may include trail construction & maintenance, habitat improvement, hazardous fuels reduction, re-vegetation, weeding, herbicide treatment, fencing, facility maintenance, and local environmental service projects. Crews may also complete technical and/or specialized projects depending on project partner needs, including disaster relief if the opportunity arises.   

  

Schedules consist of 10-hour days that are typically 8-days on and 6 off. There is a possibility you could serve 4 days on and 3 days off, or a variation of schedules requiring all AmeriCorps crew members to show flexibility in scheduling.  

  

All crews will go through a 5-day volunteer (unpaid) orientation (Salida: August 19-23, 2024 OR Durango: August 26-30). This will include Wilderness First Aid training. Food and a space to camp is provided for this training.  

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We will be running the following crews during the 2024 Fall season. We will speak to the service projects that each of these crews completes during the interview and will discuss your preferences at that time.  

Conservation/Trail Crew (Durango + Salida) – A crew for young adults that serves in both backcountry and front country settings, focusing on trails and a variety of conservation service projects.  

Chainsaw Crew (Durango + Salida) – A crew for young adults that serve primarily in front country settings, focusing on sustainable forestry, fuels reduction, or invasive species removal (with the potential to use herbicide). Crew members will go through USFS Chainsaw Training and will earn their United States Forest Service A-faller chainsaw certification upon completion.  

Backcountry Chainsaw Crew (Durango) -- A crew for young adults that serve primarily in back country settings, focusing on sustainable forestry, fuels reduction, or invasive species removal (with the potential to use herbicide). Crew members will go through USFS Chainsaw Training and will earn their United States Forest Service A-faller chainsaw certification upon completion.  

Affinity Crews - The goal of our affinity crews is to have a place where those with identities that have historically and systemically been underrepresented in the conservation field, and their allies can come together and build an equitable community. The Women’s+, Queer, Leaders of Color Affinity Crews seek to create a safe, non-judgmental, and inclusive space for all regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual identity or expression. We value respect for names, pronouns, orientation, gender, race, ethnicity, philosophies, confidentiality, boundaries, and culture.  

Women’s+ Chainsaw Crew (Salida) – An affinity crew for Women (both trans + cis) as well as non-binary individuals with service projects focusing on sustainable forestry, fuels reduction, or invasive species removal (with the potential to use herbicide). Crew members will go through USFS Chainsaw Training and will earn their United States Forest Service A-faller chainsaw certification upon completion. 

Leaders of Color Chainsaw Crew (Salida) – An affinity crew for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color) community members with service projects focusing on sustainable forestry, fuels reduction, or invasive species removal (with the potential to use herbicide). Crew members will go through USFS Chainsaw Training and will earn their United States Forest Service A-faller chainsaw certification upon completion. 

Women’s+ Conservation Crew (Durango) -- An affinity crew for Women (both trans + cis) as well as non-binary individuals. This crew serves on various projects, in front country and backcountry settings. This will allow crew members to gain experience in and understanding of several aspects of conservation. 

Queer Conservation Crew (Durango) – An affinity crew for LGBTQAI2S+ individuals. This crew serves on various projects, in front country and backcountry settings. This will allow crew members to gain experience in and understanding of several aspects of conservation.