The duty station is located in the foothill community of Foresthill, which dates back to the California gold rush. Foresthill, CA is located on the Foresthill Divide at about 3,000 feet elevation between the North and Middle Forks of the American River, surrounded on the south and west by Auburn State Recreation Area, on the north by BLM lands, and on the east by National Forest. The American River Ranger District is distinguished by a portion of the Granite Chief Wilderness, the North Fork American Wild and Scenic River and Placer County Big Trees, the northernmost grove of giant sequoias. The area is also known for its beauty, rafting, hiking, horseback riding, mining, and logging activities. Foresthill has hardware and grocery stores, a bank and post office, four restaurants, two gas stations, day care facilities, elementary, middle, and high schools, a park with softball diamonds and a pool, with more available in Auburn just 17 miles away.
Wildlife interns' primary duty will be to conduct surveys for California spotted owl and northern goshawk to established protocols. Supervision, training, and technical equipment (e.g. radio, gps, and compass) will be provided. Surveys for owls typically run from dusk until near dawn while surveys for goshawks occur during the day. Surveys generally are conducted four days a week (typically four 10-hour shifts) in semi-rural and remote forest locations. Interns will work in pairs, with Forest Service personnel or independently, often in steep and difficult terrain, and occasionally in inclement conditions. Duties also may include rare plant surveys, monitoring off-highway vehicle and grazing impacts, assisting with aspen, meadow, and fen restoration projects, and other tasks as assigned. Interns will gain experience in the application of academic theories and principles to practical work situations, including wildlife habitat management and the interaction between other resources such as fire, timber, recreation, mining, engineering, soils, hydrology, and grazing. Interns will understand how their field data is utilized and affects wildlife habitat management decisions.