Volunteer Position Announcement

Friends of Nevada Wilderness
Volunteer Position Announcement

Position Title: Volunteer Wilderness Ranger
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Application Deadline: On going
Supervised By: Southern Nevada Program Director, Friends of Nevada Wilderness

Position Summary: Friends of Nevada Wilderness in cooperation with the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area (SMNRA), is recruiting 10 volunteer wilderness rangers. The wilderness volunteer ranger will be an integral member of the wilderness team. This position will be expected to take on most of the duties of a wilderness ranger. The rangers will primarily be working in teams, but may be required to work alone or with volunteer groups from time to time. While no salary is provided for this position, per diem and work related mileage is available to those who qualify. Volunteers are asked to volunteer at least 20 hours a month

Responsibilities:
• Makes visitor contacts at trailheads and within wilderness (when appropriate) to inform visitors about proper behavior to minimize impacts to the resource (Leave No Trace ethics).
• Uses education as the primary method of disseminating wilderness rules and regulations to the public.
• Collects data on visitor use, invasive weeds, and campsites located within wilderness areas. Enters data into specified database and/or spreadsheet.
• Performs maintenance at dispersed recreation sites including site naturalization and/or cleanup with direction from the Forest Service.
• Ensures that all trails and access points into the wilderness areas are signed and boundaries delineated to encourage appropriate wilderness behavior.
• Coordinates with Southern Nevada Program Director to help implement volunteer stewardship trips; monitor past restoration work to evaluate outcomes.
• Normal patrols will require day hiking with a small backpack. The Volunteer Wilderness Ranger may be required to backpack 1-2 nights carrying tools and equipment associated with the required work.
Qualifications:
• The wilderness volunteer ranger must be physically able to hike in an altitude ranging from 6000 ft to 12000ft, covering distances of up to 16 miles over rough and uneven terrain. The ranger must be experienced in backpacking and wilderness travel.
• Knowledge of the Wilderness Act, wilderness ethics, and Leave No Trace principles is desirable.
• Must have good communication skills, as positive interaction with wilderness visitors will be a primary responsibility.
• Knowledge of basic computer applications is desirable.
• Should be available to volunteer from April 2010 through at least mid-September 2010. Flexibility with starting and ending dates is possible, including flexibility to work around school schedules.
• 18 years of age older.

Length of volunteer opportunity: April 2010 to end of September 2010.

To Apply: Please contact Kurt Kuznicki at 775.745.3119 or kurt@nevadawilderness.org
For more information on Friends of Nevada Wilderness, please visit the website at http://www.nevadawilderness.org/