Spring & Summer Timber Crew Member

Conservation Legacy; Mount Crawford (VA); On-site; USD 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Education Award

Field gear provided

Job summary

Conservation Legacy seeks a Spring & Summer Timber Crew Member to work on silvicultural projects in Virginia with AmeriCorps. Crews travel from Augusta County to project sites, working in the field for 9 days at a time followed by 5 days off.

Starting late February 2027, the role involves marking trees, layout of cutting areas, and coordinating with foresters under supervision. A strong outdoors orientation and willingness to learn are essential.

Qualifications

• Be between ages 18 and 30 (up to 35 for veterans).
• US citizenship or legal permanent residency status.
• High school diploma or GED.
• Agree to background check and eligibility verification.
• Comfortable working independently in remote locations and adverse weather.
• Preference for timber cruising, marking, forest ecology, silviculture, or timber inventory.

Responsibilities

• Select and mark trees to be harvested or left uncut.
• Lay out boundaries of cutting areas per environmental plans and prescriptions.
• Mark trees using established marking rules considering species, quality, and age.
• Mark unit boundaries and occasionally use GPS to record locations.
• Assist in non-commercial silvicultural activities to promote tree health.

Skills

Outdoor work

Teamwork

Physical stamina

GPS use

Tree marking

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

GPS device

Field equipment

Job description

• Location 147 Dinkel Avenue,Mount Crawford, VA, 22841,United States
• Job Category Conservation Crew, AmeriCorps
• Employee Type AmeriCorps

Contact information

• Phone [phone]
• Email [e-mail]

Description

Position Title: Spring & Summer Timber Crew Member

Location: Based out of Swoope , VA

Compensation: $ 600 per week ($ 500 living stipend + $ 100 additional benefit)

Terms of Service

Start Date: February 22 nd , 202 7

End Date: August 17 th , 202 7

AmeriCorps Education Award : $ 3 , 69 7. 50 upon successful completion of a 900-hour service term .

Purpose

Appalachian Conservation Corps works to connectyoung peopleto critical conservation service work across Appalachia and neighboring communities in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio,Maryland, DC,and Pennsylvania.As a n AmeriC orps program, we partner with public land managers to identify , plan, and complete projects that improve public access, habitat quality, and economic development.

Project Description

This project provides practical, field-based experience in implementing silvicultural prescriptions in the complex forest types of the Southern Appalachians. Members assist with timber sale contract preparation in the field and prepare or inspect non-commercial silvicultural activity contracts. Under supervision of a professional forester, and using pre-established marking rules, crew members are expected to:

• Select and mark trees to be harvested or left uncut .
• Lay out boundaries of cutting areas as outlined in the environmental planning documents and silvicultural prescriptions, considering variables such as accessibility, steep slopes, stream protection, nesting tree protection, wildlife impacts, fuels management and regeneration requirements.
• Mark or otherwise identify trees using marking rules in locations with additional consideration of species composition, tree timber defect, site quality, age, form class, etc.
• Mark unit boundaries and occasionally utilize GPS to record boundary locations.
• Assist in other aspects of natural resource management, such as performing non-commercial silvicultural activities to promote the growth and vitality of desired tree species.

C rews will meet at the A ppalachian C onservation C orps office in Augusta County on Monday mornings , travel in a crew vehicle to their project site, and remain in the field for 9 days at a time, followed by 5 days off. Over the course of six months, p rojects take place across the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Virginia .

During their time in the field, crews perform manual labor on environmental conservation and timber projects in all types of weather conditions for 10 hours each day. Most projects require hiking out to remote sites for the day with tools, equipment, and day pack. When tree-marking paint is utilized , crew members will also be expected to begin hiking with up to 2 gallons of paint added to their packs.

Crews consist of four crew members and two crew leaders who provide project expertise , mentorship, training, and support for the success of all participants. While prior experience with the outdoors or outdoor work can be helpful, it is not a necessity for this position. We ask that crew members embrace learning opportunities, face challenges, and build community with their crew.

Schedule and Crew Life

Appalachian Conservation Corps is an independent, non-residential program. Crews are responsible for their own housing , food, and transportation when they are not in the field. While participants are asked to supply as much of their personal equipment as possible, loaner gear will be available if needed. A gear list is provided upon acceptance into the program.

Food is provided while in the field. Crews work together to plan meals and complete necessary chores (cooking, washing dishes, etc.). Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated if known ahead of time. W e also provide group camp ing equipment, tools, protective gear, uniform shirts, and transportation between Appalachian Conservation Corps offices and project sites.

Members may be required to participate in service projects or events as part of their service terms. Prior to their start date,selected participants are required to complete an enrollment process that includes completing e-forms, uploading IDs, orientation on AmeriCorps prohibited activities, a nd beginning their background check process.

Appalachian Conservation Corps supports a culture of feedback and growth. Participants will set goals at the beginning of the season and review their performance in the middle and at the end of their season. Participants will also be asked to evaluate the program and their experience. Overall performance will be measured by assignment completion, hours served, and other criteria set at the start of the service term.

Qualifications

• Be between the ages of18 and 30 (exception for veterans up to age 35).
• Have U S citizen ship or legal p ermanent residen cy status .
• Ha ve a high school diploma or GED .
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Be c omfortable working independently in remote locations and adverse weather conditions.
• Preference for applicants with experience with timber cruising and marking, forest ecology and silviculture, and/or timber stand inventory.

Our Commitment

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non-traditional work hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools, and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to Vanessa Morrison at [e-mail].

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.