Regional Preserves Manager
River Hills & Southern End Conservation Areas (Lancaster County)
Who We Are and What We Do
The Lancaster Conservancy has been preserving land in Lancaster & York Counties, Pennsylvania for 53 years. The Conservancy’s Stewardship Program works to ensure, restore, and enhance the ecological function and visitor experience of all Lancaster Conservancy’s 50 nature preserves (encompassing 8,000 acres) and 71 conservation easements (encompassing an additional 880 acres) through landscape planning, design, project development and implementation, and routine maintenance, while continually developing the Program with professional staff and volunteers.
Job Description
The Lancaster Conservancy is seeking an outgoing individual experienced in equipment operation and transport, use of power-tools, and use of hand-tools for independent maintenance of day use areas and nature preserves. The Regional Preserves Manager is assigned as the Conservancy’s Stewardship Program point-person for a grouping of nature preserves within close proximity to one another. The Regional Preserves Manager works under the direct supervision of the Senior Preserves Manager (primary) and Forester (secondary) and is responsible for routine maintenance (primarily), project implementation assistance (secondarily), and volunteer work-day lead and/or assistance (thirdly). Although responsible for the preserves within a specific region, the Regional Preserves Manager will also work on all Conservancy nature preserves on a frequent basis for both routine maintenance and project assistance. Although most work will be performed in the field, shop and office duties are also common.
Primary responsibilities include:
- Preserve care and routine maintenance
- Mowing, trimming, pruning, and weeding
- Equipment and tools operation and maintenance
- Trash clean-up
- Trail maintenance
- Invasive plant species removal
- Restoration site and tree grove care
- Blowdown and hazard tree removal
- Trail brushing and wayfinding
- Erosion control
- Assist with project implementation under direction of Senior Preserves Manager and Forester
- Assigned regional specific duties
- Responsible for all routine maintenance
- Serve as on-call response
- Perform annual monitoring visits
- Maintain positive neighbor, municipal, and partner relationships
- Oversee small projects and volunteer work
- Maintain boundary markings, access point postings, and visitor hubs
- All other assigned tasks
Qualifications:
- Must have at least 5 years of experience in natural landscaping or similar trade including (but not limited to) tree care, landscaping, small gas engine repair, dry-stone masonry, carpentry, and metal work; experience or educational background in conservation, land trusts, natural resource management, parks and recreation, etc. is a plus
- Comfort and proficiency in using and maintaining hand tools, gas-powered tools, rigging and heavy equipment
- Experience and comfort operating and maintaining a chainsaw (chainsaw operator certification preferred)
- Experience and comfort in the operation and maintenance of tractors, skid steers, and other heavy construction/agricultural/excavating equipment
- Experience and comfort in driving large, non-CDL trucks as well as properly and safely hauling trailers up to 22’ in length while laden with materials and equipment
- Experience in trail building/maintenance
- Experience in forestry, invasive species removal, tree care
- Possession of PA Pesticide and Herbicide Applicator License or a willingness to obtain a Pesticide Applicator License within 9 months of employment state date with Conservancy assistance
- Ability to identify plants and ecosystems
- Experience with orienteering using a map and compass as well as GPS as well as collecting field data
- Excellent communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills; must have the ability to work successfully with people at all organizational levels and from all backgrounds
- Comfort, knowledge, and ability to work outdoors for long periods of time, even in adverse conditions
- Must be able to perform physically laborious tasks while carrying materials or equipment and navigating uneven terrain in all weather conditions
- Ability to take direction, problem solve, and report back to direct supervisor
- Goal oriented, self-directed, and attentive to details, with excellent organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple tasks and priorities
- Experience providing for risk management
- Experience working with volunteers
- Strong conservation ethics
- Must be able to manage time and prioritize tasks
- Must be flexible with schedule and willing to work evenings and weekends as needed and to accommodate weather conditions, seasonal changes, and needs of special projects; this position does require some evening and weekend hours to support special events.
- Must possess a valid driver’s license and be willing and able to travel to various locations and, possibly at times, in your own vehicle
- Must provide proof of compliance with PA child abuse background checks (LC willing to assist)
This is a full-time, hourly, non-exempt position with competitive pay and benefits. Main office is located in Lancaster, PA with satellite Stewardship hubs in Martic, Twp (Lancaster County) and Hellam Twp (York County); daily field work is distributed across Lancaster and York Counties. A company vehicle is provided for travel to and from work sites. The Regional Preserves Manager reports to the Senior Preserves Manager.
How To Apply
Interested qualified applicants may send a cover letter and resume to Steve Mohr, Senior Preserves Manager, at conserve@lancasterconservancy.org by no later than Sunday, January 30, 2021 at 11:59pm. Please list your last name and LCRegionalPreservesManager as the email’s subject line (i.e. LastnameLCRegionalPreservesManager).
Lancaster Conservancy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
Environmental Educator (Seasonal)
Who we are and what we do:
The Lancaster Conservancy is a 501(c)3 private, non-profit land trust accredited by the Land Trust Alliance. The Conservancy has been successfully preserving and stewarding natural lands in Lancaster & York Counties for over 50 years, culminating in a portfolio of 8,000+ acres across 50+ nature preserves. Recently, the Conservancy has significantly increased its pace in preserving the remnants of interior forest and other natural landscapes within the Susquehanna Riverlands and Pennsylvania Highlands bioregions of Lancaster and York Counties. The Conservancy’s greatest success is its proven ability to connect individually preserved parcels into broad conservation areas; it has done so through strategic land acquisitions, stewarding existing forest, and restoring degraded ecosystems.
Position Description:
The Lancaster Conservancy is seeking an outgoing individual who is self-motivated, enjoys interacting with the public, has a passion for the outdoors and teaching, and enjoys working outside to fill the role of Environmental Educator. The Environmental Educator will serve as a seasonal (40 hours per week) employee that provides interpretive programs and leads volunteer workdays through the summer. This includes working weekends and holidays.
The Environmental Educator will develop and lead environmental education and interpretive programs for youth groups (including scouts and school groups) and adult learners. The environmental educator will also lead adult and youth volunteer workdays which will involve invasive shrub and vine removal using hand tools. The Environmental Educator will assist with tabling at events and will assist Outreach Volunteers tabling at high visibility preserves.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Develop and deliver environmental education and natural history interpretation programs at Lancaster Conservancy preserves for all age learners.
- Lead youth and adult volunteer workdays to assist with preserve management through invasive plant removals using hand tools.
- Educating visitors about Leave No Trace and engaging with visitors doing less than Leave No Trace in a positive non-threatening way using Authority of the Resource Communication technique, and documenting incidents and issues.
- Representing the Conservancy while tabling at a variety of events.
- Assisting Outreach Volunteers.
- Litter cleanup.
- Other duties as assigned.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Report potential hazards and issues (e.g. fallen trees, illegal dumping…) to the Community Engagement Coordinator
- Collect field and visitor data using Lancaster Conservancy provided field technology.
- Communicate with police and first responders when necessary.
Qualifications:
- Candidates must have a valid PA driver’s license, reliable vehicle, and cell phone. A uniform will be provided.
- Must have excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills; experience working directly with the public is strongly preferred.
- Possess strong conservation ethics and passion for the Lancaster Conservancy’s mission.
- Experience educating a variety of age groups, ideally in a non – formal setting.
- Intimate knowledge of the region’s natural history.
- Must be available to work 40 hours per week, June, July, and August, including weekends.
- Must be able to work the full schedule and complete the season (requested days or weekends off may be negotiated).
- Familiarity with Lancaster Conservancy Preserves is preferred.
- Comfort, knowledge, and ability to work outdoors for long periods of time, even in adverse conditions.
- Ability to perform tasks according to instructions and to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Experience reading and interpreting maps.
- Familiarity with land trusts, parks and recreation, or public lands management.
- Must provide proof of compliance with PA child abuse background checks and criminal background checks. (The Conservancy may assist in obtaining these).
- Must be able to move up to 40 pounds, traverse uneven ground up to 3 miles, and work outdoors in exposed conditions.
- CPR and First Aid Certifications are strongly desired.
This is a seasonal, hourly, non-exempt position with competitive pay. The Environmental Educator will be expected to work around 40 hours per week from June through August 2022 with the possibility of additional part time work in the spring and fall. The Lancaster Conservancy headquartered in Lancaster City, PA but job responsibilities are primarily concentrated in Martic, Conestoga, and Drumore Townships. The Environmental Educator reports directly to the Community Outreach Coordinator.
How To Apply
Interested, qualified applications should send a cover letter and resume to Keith Williams, Community Outreach Coordinator at kwilliams@lancasterconservancy.org by Friday, February 18, 2022 at 5:00pm. Please list your last name and Environmental Educator as the email’s subject line (i.e. Lastname – Environmental Educator).
Lancaster Conservancy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Interpretive Ranger I and II (Part-Time/Seasonal)
Who we are and what we do:
The Lancaster Conservancy is a 501(c)3 private, non-profit land trust accredited by the Land Trust Alliance. The Conservancy has been successfully preserving and stewarding natural lands in Lancaster & York Counties for over 50 years, culminating in a portfolio of 8,000+ acres across 50+ nature preserves. Recently, the Conservancy has significantly increased its pace in preserving the remnants of interior forest and other natural landscapes within the Susquehanna Riverlands and Pennsylvania Highlands bioregions of Lancaster and York Counties. The Conservancy’s greatest success is its proven ability to connect individually preserved parcels into broad conservation areas; it has done so through strategic land acquisitions, stewarding existing forest, and restoring degraded ecosystems.
Position Description:
The Lancaster Conservancy is seeking outgoing individuals who are self-motivated, enjoy interacting with visitors, have a passion for the outdoors, and enjoy working outside to fill the role of Interpretive Ranger I and II. The Interpretive Rangers serve as seasonal, part-time employees that provide coverage during our peak visitation season for our most popular nature preserves within the River Hills of southern Lancaster County over weekends, including holidays (with holiday pay). The Interpretive Rangers work directly under the supervision of the Community Engagement Coordinator.
Interpretive Rangers are primarily responsible for patrolling popular nature preserves, proactively engaging visitors by offering helpful information (e.g. providing maps, brochures…etc), cleaning up litter, and reducing misuse of the preserves by reminding visitors of Leave No Trace Principles and the Conservancy’s rules and regulations. Interpretive Rangers may also lead volunteer work projects and interpretive programs.
The Interpretive Rangers will make themselves available to the public primarily at parking areas, trailheads and along trails, which will require occasional hiking through varied terrain. The Interpretive Ranger position will be based in southern Lancaster County and will cover the following nature preserves: Ferncliff, Fishing Creek South, Holtwood, Kellys Run, Tucquan Glen & Pyfer, Clark, and Shenks Ferry. Additional preserves may be added throughout the season as needed.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Providing a Lancaster Conservancy presence at highly visited preserves while wearing assigned uniforms and driving a company vehicle when on duty.
- Being present in nature preserve parking areas, trailheads and hiking trails while engaging with visitors and neighbors.
- Educating visitors about Leave No Trace and engaging with visitors doing less than Leave No Trace in a positive, non-threatening way using Authority of the Resource communication technique, and documenting incidents and issues.
- Stocking, Interpreting, and distributing visitor maps and related materials.
- Leading volunteer work projects and interpretive programs.
- Litter cleanup.
- Completing daily patrol logs.
- Other duties as assigned.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Report potential hazards and other issues (e.g. fallen trees, illegal dumping…) to the Community Engagement Coordinator.
- Collect field and visitor data using Lancaster Conservancy provided field technology.
- Communicate with police and first responders when necessary.
Qualifications:
- Candidates must have a valid PA driver’s license, reliable vehicle, and cell phone. A company vehicle will be provided. A uniform will be provided.
- Must have excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills; experience working directly with the public is strongly preferred.
- Possess strong conservation ethics and passion for the Lancaster Conservancy’s mission.
- Must be available to work 8 hour shifts on Saturdays and Sundays, including holidays (additional holiday pay will be provided for Lancaster Conservancy holidays).
- Must be able to work the full schedule and complete the season (requested days or weekends off may be negotiated).
- Familiarity with the above-referenced nature preserves is preferred.
- Knowledge of Susquehanna Riverlands natural history.
- Comfort, knowledge, and ability to work outdoors for long periods of time, even in adverse conditions.
- Ability to perform tasks according to instructions and to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Experience reading and interpreting maps.
- Familiarity with land trusts, parks and recreation, or public lands management.
- Must provide proof of compliance with PA child abuse background checks and criminal background checks. (The Conservancy may assist in obtaining these).
- Must be able to occasionally move up to 40 pounds, traverse uneven ground up to 3 miles, and work outdoors in exposed conditions.
- CPR and First Aid Certifications are strongly desired.
This is a seasonal, hourly, non-exempt position with competitive pay. The position is schedule is structured so that one of the two Interpretive Rangers is on duty every other weekend over a period of 28 weeks. Each Interpretive Ranger will work an average of 16 hours every other week from mid-April through mid-October for a total of around 226 hours. The Lancaster Conservancy is headquartered in Lancaster City, PA but job responsibilities are primarily concentrated in Martic, Conestoga, and Drumore Townships. The Interpretive Rangers will report directly to the Community Engagement Coordinator.
How To Apply
Interested, qualified applications should send a cover letter and resume to Keith Williams, Community Engagement Coordinator, at kwilliams@lancasterconservancy.org by Friday, February 18, 2022 at 5:00 pm. Please list your last name and Interpretive Rangers as the email’s subject line (i.e. Lastname -Interpretive Ranger).
Lancaster Conservancy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.