Environmental and Community Steward Volunteer

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IMPORTANT: Before submitting an application, please recognize this volunteer position is on the island of St. Croix. Lodging and transportation are NOT provided by the National Parks of St. Croix.

Environmental and Community Stewards (ECS) Volunteers donate their time and talents to safeguard and enhance the historical, cultural, and ecological resources of The National Parks of St. Croix by assisting park staff in achieving the NPS mission through both singular and/or recurring service projects. They are marked by a range of responsibilities across our three diverse park units, where they complete tasks that benefit themselves, the park, and the island.

This position includes conservation efforts with local wildlife, natural wonders, and plant species, but may also include educational and outreach events, school and ranger programs, and other specialized requests. Some duties and events may work in tandem with other divisions such as Resource Management, Facility Maintenance, and Administration. The main goal of ECS Volunteers is to improve the wellbeing of natural habitats and their community by providing a public service that is productive, meaningful, and relevant to all parties while encouraging future volunteer stewardship within their National Parks.

General Expectations:

• Greet visitors and groups visiting various park areas.
• Care for imperiled plant species and safeguard park resources.
• Light clean-up, pollution control and debris removal operations around trails and beaches.
• Assist in ecological restoration efforts such as invasive plant removal and planting native flora.

Special Event Days:

• Provide assistance to NPS staff during various events at NPS locations, including but not limited to set up and take down of specialized equipment such as mobile exhibits, projectors, speakers, chairs, tables, tents, etc.
• Occasionally provide simple interpretative information of site resources to visitors and school groups.
• Assist with and provide educational environmental programs at various sites.

Commitment:

There is no designated length of commitment. The agreement may be allocated for 3, 6, 9, or 12 month terms and may be terminated by either part, at any time, for any reason.

Qualifications

• Volunteers must be able to stand or sit for extended periods, frequently outdoors in hot, humid and sometimes rainy conditions in the summer and breezy conditions in winter.
• Volunteers may be asked to lift loads up to 30lbs. Health impediments must be addressed so duties can be properly allocated.
• Volunteers will be asked to effectively communicate as a team, receive direction, and use sound judgement.
• Volunteers will occasionally hike over steep, uneven, rocky, and sometimes slippery terrain.
• Volunteers should be reliable and punctual.

Start Date - 2024-08-19

End Date - 2024-09-30