The Grand Traverse Conservation District is a local unit of state government serving the people of Grand Traverse County. The District has a wide range of natural resource programs including: river restoration, parkland management, groundwater stewardship, gypsy moth suppression, forestry assistance and general outreach. The Environmental Education Intern will assist primarily with the District's Environmental Education and Nature Day Camp programs.

1. Requirements - College juniors or seniors majoring in a natural resource-related field. Recent college graduates seeking more experience will also be considered. Must have own transportation and housing. Preference will be given to those individuals whose curriculum requires they have an internship for graduation. The Education Intern typically begins working in mid-May and finishes in mid-August. Hours will be Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Some evenings and weekend work may be required.

2. Responsibilities - The Intern will assist the Education Specialist in developing, coordinating, and guiding Environmental Education Programs, including Nature Day Camp. Some of those responsibilities include the following tasks:

• Obtaining guides for custom hikes and programs, including calling Volunteers
• Preparing for hikes and programs, including buying supplies for the hike and programs and for hands-on activities. Taking pictures for our publications is also desirable.
• Guiding hikes. A working knowledge of native plants is recommended, as well as experience working with children ages 5-12.
• Record keeping, including registering attendees, keeping a running tally of hikers, expenditures and income, and data entry work. A working knowledge of Word and Excel is recommended.
• Assisting with set-up for workshops and other District events.
• Field work that includes trail maintenance, such as pruning vines and pulling weeds, trash pick-up, spreading wood chips on the trails, spraying poison ivy, and keeping steps clear of leaves and debris.
• Brochure and Trail Maps distribution.
• Writing articles and posting them to our website.
• Promoting hikes and programs through PSA’s, flyers and at events, such as Friday Night Live.
  Depending on the Intern's capabilities and interests, he/she may also be assigned special projects such as the District's seedling sale, native plant sale, and similar projects.

3. Compensation - The Sponsors generally provide a stipend of about $10.00 per hour for up to 480 hours of employment over the summer.

4. Application Process: Download the form from our website at www.gtcd.org or call the office at 231-941-0960 for a form. Send application, cover letter and resume (optional) to:

Grand Traverse Conservation District
1450 Cass Road
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone: 231-941-0960
e-mail: info@gtcd.org

5. Deadlines: Applications will be accepted any time during the year, but applications for this year's field season must be received by 4:30 PM EDT on 17 April, 2009. Employment offer will be made within two weeks.

If you would like to apply for this position, please print and fill out our employment application. The application is in PDF format and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader® which may be downloaded free of charge from the Adobe Web Site.If you would like to apply for this position, please print and fill out our employment application. The application is in PDF format and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader® which may be downloaded free of charge from the Adobe Web Site.

Click for GTCD Employment Application

Completed Applications should be mailed to:
Grand Traverse Conservation District
1450 Cass Road
Traverse City, MI 49684

The Grand Traverse Conservation District is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate in employment, promotions, or compensation on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, handicap, or veteran status.