Ecosystem Monitoring Program Summer Intern

ECOSYSTEM MONITORING PROGRAM SUMMER INTERNSHIP 2013 Are you an undergraduate or high-school student interested in spending the summer working and studying outdoors in Hawaiian montane forest? Forest Solutions, in collaboration with Kamehameha Schools, is offering four paid, full time intern positions in vegetation monitoring and forest restoration, based in South Kona (5 weeks) and the Volcano area (4 weeks), on Hawaii Island. The internship begins 31 st May 2013, ends 2 nd August 2013. Project description Interns will work in teams led by Forest Solutions’ foresters familiar with native Hawaiian ecosystems and species; activities will include vegetation sampling, species identification, planting and monitoring forest restoration plots, data entry, and preparation of routine progress reports. The internship experience is enriched by participation of outside consultants, including botanists familiar with the flora, and Hawaiian cultural practitioners. In addition to vegetation monitoring, interns will participate in experimental restoration of montane areas damaged by wildfire. Periodic office work will include data entry of vegetation sampling data, and key-assisted identification of unknown field-collected specimens. Office work will occur at Forest Solutions offices in Waimea (Kamuela) or Kona. Field duties will include identification of native and non-native species, GPS-assisted land navigation, plant height, diameter, and groundcover data collection, and seedling outplanting. In the office, interns will be responsible for data organization, computer data entry, filing, and reporting. All data collection and recording equipment will be provided. Interns will be expected to report to the Forest Solutions site in Kailua-Kona for the first five weeks and to the Forest Solutions site in Volcano during the final three weeks of the program. Transportation will be provided within the job site and to/from site to central location in on each side of the island. Applicant will be expected to arrange transportation to/from the Forest Solutions office and central locations; car pooling is encouraged and is usually available. Project locations Honaunau Forest, located above Captain Cook, Hawaii at elevations spanning 2,500 – 7,000 ft, is owned by Kamehameha Schools and is currently managed primarily for conservation and forestry. Keauhou Ranch, located near the town of Volcano, is managed for both conservation and forestry. At both locations, interns will encounter diverse environmental conditions, including warm, sunny, and dry through cold, wet, and muddy. Typical conditions are wet and chilly (55-65° F); Field work proceeds irrespective of normal weather conditions. Expected project outcomes Interns are expected to collect data from permanent sample plots, enter these data into an existing database, and generate reports. Students will develop an understanding of basic sampling principles and improve their knowledge of Hawaiian ecosystems and culture. Forest Solutions’ and Kamehameha Schools’ mutual goal is to expand students’ awareness of challenges facing Hawaiian ecosystems and to cultivate a constructive environmental ethic with a strong cultural component. Preferred experience Above all else, applicants must be comfortable working outdoors, able to work full 8- or 10-hour days in remote forest sites at considerable distance from modern amenities, and be able to walk over rough terrain in all weather conditions for extended periods. Interns should also have a strong ethical commitment to conservation in the special context of Hawaiian ecosystems. Previous experience in the following areas is desirable, yet will also be taught during the program.  Native and non-native species identification  Vegetation sampling  Reading topographical maps, basic orienteering skills  Familiarity with Global Positioning Systems (GPS)  Basic computing skills, general knowledge of Microsoft Office  Basic knowledge of and respect for Hawaiian culture and cultural places  Ability to work in montane, high-altitude environment independently of weather conditions Compensation Interns will receive hourly compensation between $11.00 and $12.50 (commensurate with experience) and will work 40 hours weekly. The remote location of the Kona work site requires camping during the week, for which a $50.00 per night stipend is supplied for each intern. Additional details The internship begins with an orientation, Friday 31st May 2013, at the Forest Solutions office in Waimea, Hawaii Island. The following week, starting Monday, 3 rd June 2013, interns will report to our office in Kona, from which they depart to South Kona for the first week of the program. Due to the remoteness of the field locations, interns will be expected to camp each night during the work week. Work will continue through Friday, 5 th July 2013. For the final four weeks of the program (8th July through 2nd August 2013), interns will report daily to Keauhou Ranch, in Volcano. To apply for this internship, please send to Forest Solutions (1) a letter of interest, (2) a CV or résumé, and (3) contact information for three references. Application deadline March 31st 2013.