Natural Resources Job Board

Organizational Background:

The Feather River Land Trust conserves the lands and waters of the Feather River region and stewards their ecological, cultural, and educational values for current and future generations.

FRLT and our conservation partners worked from 2003 to 2019 to protect 2,575 acres to create the Sierra Valley Preserve for wetland habitat, diverse wildlife, and public access to outdoor recreation. Sierra Valley is the largest mountain valley in California and a biodiversity hotspot located at the headwaters of the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork Feather River. We’re now working together to create a hub for ecological learning and recreation at the Preserve, with new trails, and interpretive signage and our new Nature Center and stewardship headquarters at the Preserve, which is set to open June 30th 2024!

The Nature Center will provide high-quality interpretive experiences and programming for everyone. Our team has been working collaboratively to develop the permanent exhibits that will introduce visitors to the hydrology, geology, and biodiversity of Sierra Valley. The exhibits will also feature stories from the Washoe and Maidu people who have lived in and cared for these landscapes since time immemorial.

Click here for more information on the new Nature Center.

Number of Member Positions at this Site: 1

Site Supervisor’s Name(s) and Title(s): Jenna Holland, Public Programs Manager

Position Description:

The position would include supporting a variety of activities and is a great opportunity to be part of building strong and inspiring public programming for a brand-new Nature Center in a beautiful remote watershed in the Sierra Valley. This unique and fun role will assist the Public Programs Manager to:

Staff the Nature Center: help with general operations/function of Center, help open/close the facility, greet guests, share information and answer questions, guide the public as they interact with the exhibits, inform folks about upcoming events and sign them up for emails, membership or event registration. As a small team, we all pitch in to keep things tidy and running smoothly, from tidying restrooms to cleaning up after events.

Support environmental education/interpretive events: assist in hosting unique and educational public events, such as speaker events, naturalist hikes and workshops. Event themes include botany, birding, art & music, mindfulness, agriculture, indigenous knowledge, astronomy, natural history, general history, conservation and children’s events. Assist with the Grand Opening and Dedication events on June 29th and June 30th, 2024.

Coordinate volunteer program: help to schedule volunteers, facilitate communications with volunteers, help develop and implement volunteer systems, training and appreciation events.

Implement K-12 outdoor education program curriculum: assist in educator and school outreach, develop outreach materials and co-lead field trips for K-12 schools that visit the Preserve.

Develop communications and provide public outreach: Help to develop marketing and outreach materials for Preserve and Nature Center Programming. Facilitate outreach to local business, organizations and media. If interested, assist with storytelling on our social media and website.

Other opportunities to learn about land stewardship activities, Land Trusts, conservation, conservation easements, monitoring, water management, watersheds, agriculture, natural history and birding will be abundant!

Site-Specific Training Provided:

Training will be provided on all aspects of this service position including: event management, communications, marketing, public outreach, strategic plan implementation, volunteer management, K-12 outdoor education, Nature Center interpretation, public speaking and general operations.

Things to Note:

Flexibility is a must! This job requires the ability to think critically, problem solve and make independent decisions. We are building the systems, programs, and processes for the brand-new Nature Center and while much planning has been completed already, now is the time to implement and refine our plans and programs when the Nature Center opens. We will be opening our doors for the first time, hosting events for the very first time and training brand new volunteers how to interpret and welcome visitors at our new exhibit spaces. Everything will be a first! If you enjoy problem solving, new challenges and trying new approaches to situations, this role is for you!

You will need excellent communication skills, as you’ll be serving people of widely varying backgrounds, nationalities and interests. We’d love it if you have a keen interest or desire to learn the geography, ecology, and history of the Sierra Valley and Feather River Watershed.

Knowledge of Indigenous history and ongoing connection to land is a plus as well. Birders or birding knowledge helpful, but not required!

Some days you’ll be answering questions about the exhibits while you are staffing the Nature Center. The next day you may help take a group of 5th graders for a hike on the Preserve.

That evening, you may go to a local Rotary meeting to give a quick talk about all the Preserve and Nature Center has to offer. And the next week, you might help set up office furniture or develop a flyer for our next workshop. This job will be fun, creative and in the most beautiful landscape you’ve ever stepped in. You will gain skills and experience in so many areas!

The Northern Sierra is a beautiful place, with abundant outdoor adventures. With this beauty comes challenge- snow, flooding, wildfires, wild animals, extreme heat and cold. We have systems in place to keep you safe, but know that this is a sometimes harsh, remote and rural environment.

The region presents endless opportunities to explore the Sierra and enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, mountain biking, and more. The Preserve is located in the rural community of Beckwourth and 5 miles from the town of Portola, where there are grocery stores and restaurants. The bustling mountain city of Truckee is an hour away and Reno just 45 minutes away.

As for physical requirements, most of our public programming requires set up and clean up, which will require heavy lifting over 25 pounds. Closed-toed shoes are a must, as well as functional, but professional clothing (you will be working public events in a rural landscape).

All members qualify for: