Each year, the Sierra Nevada Alliance places 25 AmeriCorps members with partner conservation organizations throughout the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. During their terms of service, members restore and monitor impaired Sierra watersheds, educate local residents and visitors on environmental issues, and recruit and manage volunteers for various programs. SNAP members gain skills and technical training, are mentored by outstanding environmental leaders, and provide a meaningful contribution to the communities of the Sierra Nevada.

Organizational Background: The Tuolumne River Trust is located in the Sierra Nevada, and has a core mission of protecting and restoring the Tuolumne River and its watershed for future and present generations. Not only does the Tuolumne River provide ample recreational opportunities such as whitewater rafting, but it also supplies the drinking water for 2.6 million people in the San Francisco Bay Area, hydroelectric power for much of Northern California, and irrigation for 200,000 acres of Central Valley farmland. This watershed was severely impacted by the 257,000-acre Rim Fire in 2013, and a widespread tree mortality epidemic. The Tuolumne River Trust has more than $20 million in funding from agencies such as the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, the USFS, and CalFire to help restore watersheds and increase resiliency within the Sierra Nevada. Our work is currently focused in the Stanislaus National Forest, in the footprint of the 257,000 Rim Fire of 2013 and in a newer 117,000 acre large landscape plan that expands our work into the Stanislaus River Watershed. We work closely with volunteer groups, schools, and community members to help ensure an engaged and collaborative approach to landscape restoration is undertaken. 

Position Description: The Tuolumne River Trust is seeking two SNAP members to support its restoration work within the central region of the Sierra Nevada. This SNAP position will primarily focus on the planning, design, implementation, and monitoring of restoration projects, across 11 meadows in Stanislaus National Forest. Additionally, SNAP members will take a lead role in trail maintenance and river restoration projects within the Wild and Scenic Tuolumne River corridor. SNAP members will play a key role in volunteer recruitment and event coordination/implementation, supporting community engagement and education in watershed restoration through trail and meadow restoration work as well as reforestation events in the Spring.

SNAPs will be involved in monitoring and tracking progress for a Chinook salmon/steelhead habitat restoration project on the lower Tuolumne River during the summer construction season. SNAP members will also support our outreach and education in schools and at community events to share TRT’s mission and work with a broader audience. A smaller portion of the service will involve assisting TRT with thousands of acres of ongoing forest health and restoration implementation under a Master Stewardship Agreement held between Tuolumne County and the Stanislaus National Forest and will represent the Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions forest collaborative in forest restoration monitoring, with an emphasis on reforestation site assessment, botany survey quality assurance, and fuel reduction monitoring.

While our work occurs within the Tuolumne River Watershed and the Stanislaus River Watershed, its impact extends down through the Central Valley and out to San Francisco, as the headwaters of the Tuolumne and Stanislaus rivers provide critical drinking water, irrigation, and wildlife habitat for millions of people and tens of thousands of acres of California. 

Qualications:

• Must be 18+ years of age and high school graduates or GED recipients (or minimum of 17 and working toward a high school diploma or GED); members must agree to obtain either a diploma or GED before using an education award; meeting full list of member eligibility requirements in 45 CFR §2522.200(a)
• Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or lawful permanent resident
• Must participate in a national criminal history background check pursuant to 45 CFR §2540.200-206
• Organized, responsible, motivated, professional
• Demonstrates initiative, follow-through, and reliability
• Strong communication, collaboration, and public speaking skills
• Interest or education in marketing or communications a plus

Benefits:

• Monthly stipend of $2,500 per month
• Standard health insurance
• Up to 240 hours of technical, ecological, and skills-development training
• Professional experience and networking- $500 Individual Training Budget
• AmeriCorps members that successfully complete a 1200-hour service term will earn a $4,826 Segal Educational Award for use on existing qualied student loans or future higher education expenses.
• Student loan forbearance during service term if Member qualifies

Site-Specific Training Provided: The Tuolumne River Trust will provide GIS trainings, restoration and monitoring training, safety training, and leadership training, and will allow for SNAPs to attend Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions (YSS) forest collaborative meetings, as well as educational trainings and webinars that further the SNAPs interests and the organization’s purpose.

Things to Note: Tuolumne County is a rural Sierra Nevada county. The terrain we work on is rugged and remote. The ability to hike through steep terrain is required. The ability to learn land navigation and GPS skills is a must. Poison oak is common in many of our field sites! Tuolumne County does not have a robust public transportation system—SNAPs should expect to have a reliable personal vehicle to get to grocery stores, the Tuolumne River Trust Office, etc.. Spring and summer fieldwork can be intense! Some projects require early mornings, long drives, and hot days. Previous SNAPs have used pulses of work to accrue hours, allowing them to take three or four day weekends for backpacking trips or to head to the California coast. Outside of our fieldwork service, there are many opportunities to recreate and relax! The Stanislaus National Forest is filled with amazing swimming holes and hiking trails, and Yosemite National Park abuts the Stanislaus National Forest. For activities such as whitewater rafting, rock climbing, backpacking, and more, Tuolumne County is hard to beat. Access to sequoia groves and unparalleled mountain ranges does come at a cost though—hour long drives to a good swimming hole are normal!