2016-17 Position Openings with MassLIFT-AmeriCorps
The Massachusetts Land Initiative for Tomorrow (MassLIFT) was established in 2010 under the leadership of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust of Athol, Massachusetts. This AmeriCorps program is a collaborative effort of regional conservation organizations (including urban conservation and gardening efforts) seeking to increase their capacity to engage with more people and do more community conservation projects across Massachusetts.
This year 30 MassLIFT-AmeriCorps members will serve in one of the four positions listed below. All members carry out capacity building projects; educate or train individuals in environmental stewardship; recruit, train, manage, and support community volunteers engaged in land conservation activities; and identify new individuals and groups to participate in education, recreation, or service opportunities that address land conservation needs. Specific activities vary by host site.
1. Land Stewardship Coordinators build the long-term capacity of their host sites to meet core land stewardship responsibilities and collaborate externally with municipal boards, local volunteer land trusts, and other community groups to develop sustainable volunteer stewardship programs.
2. Community Engagement Coordinators build the long-term capacity of their host sites to expand community engagement efforts, traditionally focused on conservation¬ minded groups and populations, to include more diverse demographics and civic interests for the purpose of increasing public support for land conservation (including urban conservation and gardening efforts).
3. Regional Conservation Coordinators build the long-term capacity of their host sites to assess and coordinate opportunities for collaborative land conservation and community planning across all social sectors working in the region.
4. Youth Education Coordinators build the long-term capacity of their host to develop and deliver youth-focused service learning projects, science field trips, and outdoor experiential education.
These are full-time AmeriCorps positions requiring a minimum of 1,700 hours of service over 11 months. The 2016-17 MassLIFT program will run from August 29, 2016 – July 28, 2017.
Eighteen organizations, located across the state, will host MassLIFT AmeriCorps members this year: Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, Backyard Growers, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Buzzards Bay Coalition and Wareham Land Trust, East Quabbin Land Trust, Essex County Greenbelt / Town of Ipswich, Groundwork Lawrence, Groundwork Somerville, Hilltown Land Trust / Grow Food Northampton, Kestrel Land Trust, MassConn Regional Conservation Partnership (a project of Opacum Land Trust), Mill City Grows, North County Land Trust, the North Quabbin Regional Landscape Partnership (with Mount Grace), and Sudbury Valley Trustees.
Member application specifics, position descriptions, and information about MassLIFT-AmeriCorps and the organizations hosting members can be found on the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust website: www.masslift.org. (Choose Join MassLIFT)
We aim to fill all positions by July 29th. Interviews begin mid-May. Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled.
AmeriCorps programs provide equal service opportunities. MassLIFT will recruit and select persons in all positions to ensure a diverse and inclusive climate without regard to class, race, religion, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, disability, veteran status, color, political affiliation, creed, national origin, marital status, or any other status as protected by federal, state, and local laws. We encourage applications from individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations for interviews and service upon request.
MassLIFT-AmeriCorps is a grant program contingent on federal funding through the Corporation of National and Community Service.
The Town of Ipswich Open Space Program and Essex County Greenbelt Association will co-host a Land Stewardship Coordinator for the 2016-17 service year in a shared position, who will split their time 40/60 respectively during the service year. They have proposed the following potential projects for their Land Stewardship Coordinator:
a.) The MassLIFT-Americorp Land Stewardship Coordinator member will work within the Land Stewardship Department of Greenbelt (3 days per week), increasing staff capacity to maintain the safety and accessibility of owned properties, enhance or improve the public’s recreational experience through the installation of trails, observation platforms, Osprey nesting platforms, etc; and engage community groups such as hikers, mountain-bikers, and trail-runners and others in projects such as trail clearing and improvements like boardwalks. The member will also significantly increase Greenbelt’s ability to monitor and document private CR holdings and organize our growing Osprey Program.
b.) The MassLIFT-Americorps Land Stewardship Coordinator will work within the Town of Ipswich Open Space Program (2 days per week), working on capacity building activities to improve efficiency and effectiveness of land protection by the Town for the benefit of the environment and the people who use them. Potential projects could include: developing an invasive plant removal and native edible replanting project with students and local volunteers on Town land; improvements and expansion of recreational trails on Town properties and/or adjacent conservation properties in partnership with land trusts and local trail groups; improvements to the Town’s record keeping system for the twenty plus Town held conservation restrictions by organizing, collating, updating, and digitally storing important records; producing virtual video tours of Town conservation properties for public outreach on the benefits of land protection; assisting the Town with data organization and edits of its GIS open space database .
Development of these and other projects will occur during the first two months of service and consider the member’s interests and skills.
How to Apply
Hosting organizations, service positions, and application procedures are described at the MassLIFT-AmeriCorps website: www.masslift.org
Member applications will be available for viewing by all of our host sites. Do not send applications directly to a host site.
For questions about MassLIFT-AmeriCorps, contact Sean Pollock, Program Director, at Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust. Email admin@masslift.org or call 978-248-2043 x16.