Title: Fossil Creek Recreation Technician ( 2 openings)

Start/End Date : March 10, 2024 – September 5, 2024 (anticipated)

Living Stipend: $400 per week living stipend + $200 housing stipend +Education Award.

Term : 26 weeks, Full-Time (40 hours per week)

Reports To : Rebecca Miller (Fossil Creek/Wild & Scenic Rivers Coordinator, Coconino National Forest)

Location: 300 East Highway 260, Camp Verde, AZ 86322

Status: 900-hour AmeriCorps Service Term, full-time, temporary

Benefits: AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,247.50; Public Lands Corps Certificate*; both with successful completion of the service term. The Corps Network health insurance provided by Cigna, AmeriCorps childcare assistance.

*To be eligible for a Public Lands Corps certificate, members must be between the ages of 18-30, inclusive, at the time the member begins their term of service.

Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC):

Arizona Conservation Corps, a program of Conservation Legacy, aims to continue the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930's. AZCC is focused on connecting youth, young adults, and recent era military veterans with conservation service work projects on public lands. AZCC operates programs across Arizona that engage individuals and strengthen communities through service and conservation. AZCC has program offices in Flagstaff and Tucson.

Coconino National Forest:

One of six National Forests in Arizona, the Coconino National Forest comprises 1.856-million acres in northern Arizona, with elevations ranging from 2,600 feet to the highest point in Arizona at 12,633 feet (Humphrey's Peak). Coconino National Forest contains diverse landscapes, including deserts, ponderosa pine forests, flatlands, mesas, alpine tundra, and ancient volcanic peaks. The forest surrounds the towns of Sedona and Flagstaff and contains all or parts of 10 designated wilderness areas.

Fossil Creek:

Fossil Creek, one of two "Wild and Scenic" rivers in Arizona, seems to appear out of nowhere, gushing 20,000 gallons a minute out of a series of springs, known as Fossil Springs, at the bottom of a 1,600 foot deep canyon. Over the years these calcium laden waters have laid down huge deposits of a type of limestone called travertine. That rock-like substance encases whatever happens to fall into the streambed, forming the fossils for which the area is named. Most people come to Fossil Creek to swim, wade, hike and birdwatch. The lushness of the riparian area strikes a sharp contrast to the brittle desert that surrounds it. In 2005, Arizona Public Service (APS) decommissioned the Fossil Creek Dam and Flume, restoring full flows to Fossil Creek. Fossil Creek is a rare riparian area within an otherwise arid landscape. Many plants and wildlife depend on Fossil Creek for habitat, including otters, beavers, leopard frogs, and common black hawks. Fossil Creek has a number of Dilzhé’é (Western Apache) cultural sites. The Dilzhé’é lived along Fossil Creek for generations and several families consider this to be their homeland.

Position Summary:

Arizona Conservation Corps is partnering with the Coconino National Forest to offer two individual placement opportunities in the Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River recreation area near Camp Verde, Arizona, working with the Forest’s Recreation Program. These positions will focus on maintaining and improving the quality of recreational opportunities on the Forest and will serve the local community and visiting public by ensuring visitors have safe, clean, and positive recreational opportunities and experiences. To achieve this goal these positions will ensure recreation sites are maintained and improved while interacting positively with visitors to provide education on important Forest information, rules, and regulations.

The interns will be tasked with performing a variety of projects and activities in support of the Fossil Creek permit reservation system, as listed below. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in gaining meaningful work experience with a land management agency. The selected interns will be based out of the Verde Ranger District office in Camp Verde but will report to the Assistant Recreation Staff Officer at the Red Rocks Ranger District in Sedona.

Essential Responsibilities and Functions:

• Act as a representative of the Forest Service.
• Staff entry sites and support permit reservation system (training will be provided).
• Participate in occasional overnight backpacking trips to Fossil Springs.
• Help support Forest restoration projects.
• Drive assigned patrol routes to recreation sites and high use dispersed recreation areas.
• Contact visitors to provide information about recreation regulations, opportunities, and current restrictions. Provide information about resource management practices in the area.
• Conduct routine maintenance of Recreation Sites including Day Use Areas, Campgrounds and Cabins; make sure recreation sites and trails are maintained in accordance with standards.
• Perform construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation tasks in recreation sites and on trails.
• Conduct cleaning of recreation facilities including toilets.
• Install and maintain information boards, travel signs, regulatory signs, and other signs associated with recreation sites, trails, travel management, and safety.
• Engage in project documentation including taking of before and after photos.

Required Skills

Minimum Qualifications:

• A self-starter that demonstrates professionalism, both in demeanor and appearance.
• Applicants must pass a criminal history background check and possess a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.
• Must be over 21, OR, if under 21, must have had driver’s license for 3 years.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Customer service skills such as working, engaging, and interacting with the public.
• Public speaking experience.
• Basic construction and power tool experience.
• Hiking experience.
• Backpacking experience and comfortability with spending nights outdoors (ideally should possess own gear).

Physical Requirements:

• To successfully perform essential functions, the individual is required to sit, stand, walk, speak, hear, etc. May be required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl for significant periods of time and be able to safely lift 50 pounds on a routine basis.
• Ability to hike and work in extreme weather/heat, uneven terrain, and poorly maintained roads and trails.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Participant Essential Eligibility Requirements:

Participation and Expedition Behavior:

• Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept differences.
• Contribute to a safe learning environment, no harassment of others for any reason.
• Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training, and national service. Members must commit to participating in all agency/team activities, including service days in local communities where applicable.
• Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues, and organization staff.
• Appropriately represent Arizona Conservation Corps, the United States Forest Service, and AmeriCorps to the public and partners at all times.
• Learn and practice ‘Leave no Trace’ outdoor living techniques.

Safety and Judgment:

• Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance. Must be able to do so at a distance of up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high winds.
• Effectively perceive, understand, and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute techniques to manage hazards.
• Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions.
• Respond appropriately to stress or crises.
• If taking prescriptions medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self-medicating without assistance from others.

Substance Free:

• In accordance with a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.

Interns will have access to government facilities and systems, and will be supplied with access to gov’t vehicles, equipment, and materials needed to work on the projects and activities as outlined above. Interns must adhere to all government regulations and policies for operating equipment, vehicles, security awareness, and safety.

To Apply: Please submit a resume and cover letter along with filling out the online application, by clicking the APPLY button below. If you have questions, contact AZCC’s Individual Placement Coordinator Preston Sands at psands@conservationlegacy.org.

For more information about Arizona Conservation Corps, please visit https://azcorps.org/ . Arizona Conservation Corps is a program of Conservation Legacy.

Required Experience

Minimum Qualifications:

• A self-starter that demonstrates professionalism, both in demeanor and appearance.
• Applicants must pass a criminal history background check and possess a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.
• Must be over 21, OR, if under 21, must have had driver’s license for 3 years.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Customer service skills such as working, engaging, and interacting with the public.
• Public speaking experience.
• Basic construction and power tool experience.
• Hiking experience.
• Backpacking experience and comfortability with spending nights outdoors (ideally should possess own gear).

Physical Requirements:

• To successfully perform essential functions, the individual is required to sit, stand, walk, speak, hear, etc. May be required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl for significant periods of time and be able to safely lift 50 pounds on a routine basis.
• Ability to hike and work in extreme weather/heat, uneven terrain, and poorly maintained roads and trails.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Participant Essential Eligibility Requirements:

Participation and Expedition Behavior:

• Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept differences.
• Contribute to a safe learning environment, no harassment of others for any reason.
• Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training, and national service. Members must commit to participating in all agency/team activities, including service days in local communities where applicable.
• Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues, and organization staff.
• Appropriately represent Arizona Conservation Corps, the United States Forest Service, and AmeriCorps to the public and partners at all times.
• Learn and practice ‘Leave no Trace’ outdoor living techniques.

Safety and Judgment:

• Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance. Must be able to do so at a distance of up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high winds.
• Effectively perceive, understand, and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute techniques to manage hazards.
• Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions.
• Respond appropriately to stress or crises.
• If taking prescriptions medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self-medicating without assistance from others.

Substance Free:

• In accordance with a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.

Interns will have access to government facilities and systems, and will be supplied with access to gov’t vehicles, equipment, and materials needed to work on the projects and activities as outlined above. Interns must adhere to all government regulations and policies for operating equipment, vehicles, security awareness, and safety.

To Apply: Please submit a resume and cover letter along with filling out the online application, by clicking the APPLY button below. If you have questions, contact AZCC’s Individual Placement Coordinator Preston Sands at psands@conservationlegacy.org.

For more information about Arizona Conservation Corps, please visit https://azcorps.org/ . Arizona Conservation Corps is a program of Conservation Legacy.