Fossil Creek Recreation Technician

Fossil Creek Recreation Technician -AmeriCorps (2 openings)

Conservation Legacy Program: Arizona Conservation Corps

Site Location: 300 East Highway 260, Camp Verde, AZ 86322

Term of Service:

• Start Date: 04/14/2025 (anticipated)
• End Date: 10/10/2025
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 900 Hours

Purpose:

This is an AmeriCorps position with Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC), which is an AmeriCorps program of Conservation Legacy. The member selected for this position will be serving at the Red Rocks Ranger District as an AmeriCorps member with Arizona Conservation Corps, and completing service projects for Coconino National Forest.

AZCC aims to continue the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930's, and is focused on connecting youth, young adults, and recent era military veterans with communities and conservation service projects on public lands. AZCC operates programs across Arizona that engage individuals and strengthen communities through service and conservation. AZCC has program offices in Flagstaff, Tucson, and Phoenix.

Coconino National Forest:

One of six National Forests in Arizona, the Coconino National Forest comprises 1.856-million acres in northern Arizona, with elevations ranging from 2,600 feet to the highest point in Arizona at 12,633 feet (Humphrey's Peak). Coconino National Forest contains diverse landscapes, including deserts, ponderosa pine forests, flatlands, mesas, alpine tundra, and ancient volcanic peaks. The forest surrounds the towns of Sedona and Flagstaff and contains all or parts of 10 designated wilderness areas.

Fossil Creek:

Fossil Creek, one of two "Wild and Scenic" rivers in Arizona, seems to appear out of nowhere, gushing 20,000 gallons per minute out of a series of springs, known as Fossil Springs, at the bottom of a 1,600 foot deep canyon. Over the years these calcium laden waters have created massive deposits of travertine rock, which encases whatever happens to fall into the streambed, forming the “fossils” for which the area is named. Most people come to Fossil Creek to swim, wade, hike and birdwatch. The lushness of the riparian area strikes a sharp contrast to the brittle desert that surrounds it. Fossil Creek is a rare riparian area within an otherwise arid landscape. Many plants and wildlife depend on Fossil Creek for habitat, including otters, beavers, leopard frogs, and common black hawks. Fossil Creek has a number of Dilzhé’é (Western Apache) cultural sites. The Dilzhé’é lived along Fossil Creek for generations and several families consider this to be their homeland.

Fossil Creek’s delicate and unique ecosystem has seen overuse in the past. With large numbers of visitors annually, a permit system is in place to balance the need for protection of this special landscape while also providing access to the public. Many people return to Fossil Creek every year, and rely on their experience there to connect to nature and spend time within a wilderness corridor. These summer positions make this needed experience possible, and greatly benefit the local and wider community in serving the public and the landscape.

Description of Duties:

Arizona Conservation Corps is partnering with the Coconino National Forest to offer two individual placement opportunities in the Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River recreation area near Camp Verde, Arizona, working with the Forest’s Recreation Program. These positions will focus on maintaining and improving the quality of recreational opportunities on the Forest and will serve the local community and visiting public by ensuring visitors have safe, clean, and positive recreational opportunities and experiences. To achieve this goal these positions will ensure recreation sites are maintained and improved while interacting positively with visitors to provide education on important Forest information, rules, and regulations.

The interns will be tasked with performing a variety of projects and activities in support of the Fossil Creek permit reservation system, as listed below. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in gaining meaningful work experience with a land management agency. The selected interns will be based out of the Verde Ranger District office in Camp Verde but will report to the Wild & Scenic Rivers Coordinator at the Red Rocks Ranger District in Sedona.

Essential Responsibilities and Functions:

• Act as a representative of the Forest Service.
• Staff entry sites and support permit reservation system (training will be provided).
• Participate in occasional overnight backpacking trips to Fossil Springs.
• Help support Forest restoration projects.
• Drive assigned patrol routes to recreation sites and high use dispersed recreation areas.
• Contact visitors to provide information about recreation regulations, opportunities, and current restrictions. Provide information about resource management practices in the area.
• Conduct routine maintenance of Recreation Sites including Day Use Areas, Campgrounds and Cabins; make sure recreation sites and trails are maintained in accordance with standards.
• Perform construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation tasks in recreation sites and on trails.
• Conduct cleaning of recreation facilities including toilets.
• Install and maintain information boards, travel signs, regulatory signs, and other signs associated with recreation sites, trails, travel management, and safety.
• Engage in project documentation including taking of before and after photos.

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• At least 18 years of age
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant, and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.

• Must be over 21, OR, if under 21, must have had driver’s license for 3 years.
• A self-starter that demonstrates professionalism, both in demeanor and appearance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Customer service skills such as working, engaging, and interacting with the public.
• Public speaking experience.
• Basic construction and power tool experience.
• Hiking experience.
• Backpacking experience and comfortability with spending nights outdoors (ideally should possess own gear).

Potential environmental/human risk involved:

Potential exposure to wildlife such as rattlesnakes, bears, mountain lions, and stinging insects, exposure to pathogens due to cleaning restrooms/toilets/human waste/litter and garbage, working in a remote location, and exposure to extreme environmental conditions including heat, sun, wind, and rain.

Physical Requirements:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve Friday - Monday, 40 hours per week, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an Arizona Conservation Corps Individual Placement Program New Member Orientation at start of service that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Site specific training will be provided by the Forest Service.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,697.50 with successful completion of position.
• Living Allowance of $600 per week.

• Additional Benefit of $100 per week.
• Forest Service housing available for the selected interns.
• Public Lands Corps Certificate*
• Healthcare Coverage provided by The Corps Network and Cigna
• Childcare Coverage
• Qualifies for Student Loan forbearance and Interest Payment reimbursement through AmeriCorps

• To be eligible for a Public Lands Corps certificate, members must be between the ages of 18-30, or up to 35 if a military veteran, inclusive, at the time the individual begins the term of service and must complete 640 service hours or more to qualify.

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

This position reports to Rebecca Miller with Coconino National Forest.

To Apply:

Please submit a resume and cover letter along with the online application by clicking the APPLY link on this page.

If you have questions, contact AZCC’s Individual Placement Coordinator Preston Sands at psands@conservationlegacy.org.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.