The Community Forestry Intern placed with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) will participate in a full time (40 hours per week) hands-on immersion into tree care across urban, suburban, and rural contexts.  The majority of service will be outside in all weather conditions. The intern will also provide community education in the air quality benefits of neighborhood canopy.
 
Training will be provided in tree biology, tree identification, planting techniques, basic tree maintenance practices, and volunteer and data management. Tool safety, job hazard assessment, and safe driving will also be included.  

A personal vehicle is not required, but a clean driving record IS required because the intern will be driving at WPC truck daily.  Candidates MUST be able to pass a driving record background check.  SCA will also provide safe driving training to be fully cleared to drive for position duties.​
 
The intern will be working as a part of the Community Gardens and Greenspace Department at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. Duties will focus on supporting the Community Forestry program projects that WPC has undertaken within Allegheny County. To date, WPC has planted over 25,000 trees through the TreeVitalize Pittsburgh program and other initiatives. The intern will be responsible for basic tree care and maintenance activities throughout the growing season (May-August) for newly planted trees. Activities include but are not limited to: tree watering, weeding, mulching, and pruning during tree establishment periods. Monitoring for signs of pest, disease, vandalism, and other stressors also will be required. Other Community Forestry projects that the intern may assist with include tree planting events, volunteer maintenance events, collecting and updating databases or spreadsheets, assisting with event planning, and more.
 
The intern will also conduct educational outreach to community members during tree planting/care events and at other outreach opportunities to teach the air quality benefits of neighborhood canopy. The intern will promote air quality education, relating to trees, at the beginning of all of our tree plantings, and compile data for how local urban forests improve air quality and use this information to complete outreach to various authorities and organizations within Allegheny County. The intern will educate an estimated 800 community members during the position.

Preferred candidates will have at least one previous full-time internship experience and a background in one or multiple of: biology, forestry, ecology, nursery care, landscaping, tree plantings and tree care, farming, urban planning, or a related field.  Successful candidates will demonstrate an ability to positively collaborate in a tight team in a hands-on workplace and an ability to adapt to daily project execution needs. 
 
5%: Other duties include regular day-to-day tasks of running an office, such as: scheduling meetings; fielding phone calls and emails; other duties as assigned. General office work will be kept to a minimum, so that the Sustainability Interns can focus their time gaining relevant experience.

Compensation: $150 week living stipend, $800/week housing allowance, $25/week commuting allowance, $650 relocation support, and, upon successfull completion of service, a $1,638.89 AmeriCorps Education Award.*

Note: Stipends and allowances are subject to state, local and federal taxes.

*It is SCA’s policy that all AmeriCorps-required background checks must return cleared results prior to the position’s start; this includes being fingerprinted for the FBI check. Otherwise, the AmeriCorps award will be removed or the position’s start date will be delayed due to non-compliance.