Here are some great opportunities – some for summer only, some for summer & fall. -Anna
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Intern Program
Interns are an integral part of the staff and participate in all aspects of the center’s operation and have an opportunity to work with all ages, and with a variety of groups, including schools and the general public. They assist Teacher/Naturalists in school and after-school programs for grades K to 8, as well as assist or lead various day, evening, and weekend programs at the Tin Mountain Nature Learning Center. Interns are involved in general Nature Center operations including some live animal care and handling, volunteer training and supervision, weekend festivals and events, curriculum and program development, and writing articles for the newsletter. Tin Mountain’s best interns have a strong desire to teach and share their knowledge and enthusiasm for the natural world. A background in education or the natural sciences is helpful but not necessary.
We are currently seeking interns for summer 2016 for the following projects: avian ecology, resident bird study, and brook trout habitat restoration & forestry.
The Avian Ecology Project focuses on two main areas of research: monitoring breeding birds and forest habitat changes associated with forest management. Tin Mountain is offering a 3-month internship for this project. The long-term breeding bird survey was initiated in 2007 to inventory all species using the 140-acre sanctuary during April-July while also training young professionals in habitat protection. Weekly visits to 37 permanent study plots generate information about population trends that only long-term studies can provide. In addition, nest searching and a banding station will be established to track movement/behavior of returning migrants. The intern will work with volunteers and staff to collect/analyze data and report results. The ecological monitoring of timberlands is part of Tin Mountain’s sustainability principles for managing its 1,200 acres of timberlands in Conway. The intern will sample and compare a three-year cut, five-year cut, six-year cut, and control (uncut) stands of to determine whether important forest structures (both qualitatively and quantitatively) are retained to adequately provide for resident wildlife. Other forest management activities also will include forest inventory, mapping, boundary line maintenance, and marking timber.
The Resident Bird Study focuses on examining the annual cycle for black-capped chickadees, red-breasted nuthatches, white-breasted nuthatches, and tufted titmice, the study involves banding birds/nestlings, re-sighting birds, point counts, nest box grid survey, and nest searching. Prior bird handling and experience with GIS/GPS and some statistics would be helpful. The project takes place on Tin Mountain’s 140-acre Rockwell Sanctuary. This internship will run for 6 months.
The Brook Trout Habitat Restoration Project involves research on the influence of adding woody material to small streams to enhance size and abundance of brook trout populations. Tin Mountain will be hiring two interns for this project. The interns will be involved in permitting projects, collecting baseline information on all streams, electro-fishing, making wood additions, and re-assessing streams treated in the past few years. The project involves strenuous work as well as extensive data collections on physical and biological attributes of streams, water chemistry, and fish populations. The interns will work with volunteers and staff to collect/analyze data and report results.
In addition, the interns will conduct routine timberland maintenance including blazing property boundaries, repairing trails, marking timber, and timber stand improvement. He/she also will work with the organization’s forester to develop a harvest plan for a 30-40 acre timber harvesting that will be conducted in the winter.Candidates should have basic knowledge of forestry and tree identification skills. Experience with GPS and GIS (ArcMap) are preferred.
The brook trout and avian ecology internships will begin late spring/summer 2016 and run for 3 months, depending on availability. The resident bird internship is a 6-month position.
Interested applicants should email a resume and cover letter, including dates of availability, to Nora Dufilho (nbeem@tinmountain.org).