Arrival Date: 10/2/2023 Departure Date: 12/23/2023
The SCA Joshua Tree Planting and Resiliency Team will help the National Park Service to restore and protect Joshua Trees at the Mojave National Preserve and Joshua Tree National Parks. SCA is working in partnership with the National Park Service to implement a multi-year Joshua Tree Protection & Restoration Project shared between Mojave National Preserve and Joshua Tree National Park. This multi-year, climate change mitigation project will directly reduce the threat of future wildfire to Joshua trees. In addition, it will restore burned over Joshua tree forests through planting efforts, and increase the long-term viability of Joshua trees in the California Desert. Both Joshua Tree National Park and the Mojave National Preserve provide critically important habitat for the iconic Joshua tree, which have graced the Mojave Desert for some 2.5 million years. To accomplish this, SCA will field an SCA Corps Team to remove invasive grass in both wilderness and non-wilderness portions of Joshua Tree National Park and plant Joshua trees in the Cima Dome area at Mojave National Preserve, where thousands of individual trees were lost in the Dome Fire of 2020.
Leadership development will be a major focus for the season. At the beginning of the season, crews will take part in an intensive training period designed to prepare members for the demands of field-based hitches. Members will serve as Hitch Leader for several hitches during the season. Responsibilities will include meal planning, implementing work plans, and reporting and other administrative tasks during and following hitch. Each crew will be assigned a SCA Project Leader to provide support and supplementary training throughout the season.
Field-life is rugged, and while on hitch, members should expect to live without electricity, running water, and cell phone reception; additionally, while on work hitches, this program is alcohol and substance free.
Arrival/Training Location:
Arrival Airport: Ontario International Airport (ONT), CA
Housing Location: Ridgecrest, CA
Crew Housing
For the duration of the time in the field, the team will camp out with periodic hotel stays. Members will be expected to work together to ensure that all SCA equipment, vehicles, trailer, and tools are properly maintained and ready for use in the field. Crew members will have access to an SCA vehicle for transportation to and from work projects.
Personal vehicles are not required for this project, and members who bring a personal vehicle will be responsible for the security and parking of their own vehicle.
Member Responsibilities
- Ensure project, crew community, basecamp, vehicles, and general safety standards are upheld; full engagement is expected in all work projects and community activities.
- Interfacing with general public and partner organizations in a manner that reflects positively upon the crew, organization, and agency.
- Take on role of Hitch Leader for at least one hitch, serving as a professional liaison with SCA Project Leaders, handling the logistics of a project, meal planning, delegating responsibilities, developing emergency response plans, and completing all necessary paperwork.
- Recording work totals and creating reports for submission to agency partners; this will include GPS field data collection and post-processing.
Member Qualifications
- Commitment to living and working within an intensive crew environment; interpersonal skills and community living experience are pluses.
- Commitment to service in working conditions that will include: extreme heat, extreme cold, high winds, and precipitation.
- Ability to enroll in AmeriCorps Education Award Program.
- Ability to pass SCA background check.
- Valid driver’s license; ability to pass Motor Vehicle Records check preferred
Member Benefits:
– $650 – one time round trip travel allowance
– $600 – weekly living allowance
– AmeriCorps eligible education award ($1,824)
– Wilderness Advanced First Aid Certification
*All allowances subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes
**This position is part of a specialized SCA AmeriCorps program and if you are selected, you will be serving as an SCA AmeriCorps member. To be eligible for this position you must have served as an AmeriCorps member less than 4 times**
***COVID-19***
The COVID-19 pandemic has required SCA to implement several safety protocols and policies to help our teams manage the risks associated with the pandemic. Please review the documents below for SCA's updated organizational response plan and participant agreement form to learn more how our teams will be operating in the field.
*For SCA's COVID-19 guidance, please refer to www.thesca.org/covid
For Members who have accepted this position (Please click on the links below to review the steps you need to take to prepare for your position)
Preparing for your Corps Team Position
Onboarding for Your Corps Team Position
Desert Restoration Corps Team Gear List
sca1957
Position ID: PO-00735275
Expected Dates: October 2, 2023 - December 24, 2023
Location:
2701 Barstow Road
Barstow, CA 92311
US
Main Area of Focus: Natural Resources Mgmt
Further Details
AmeriCorps Eligible: Eligible
Driving Logistics: Not needed
Housing or Stipend Provided?
D. No housing is available
The team will camp for the duration of the project with periodic hotel stays
Indoor/Outdoor: Outside
US Citizenship: Yes