What are the responsibilities and job description for the 21st Century Conservation Fellow position at Natural Lands?
Fellowship Period: One Year Beginning January 2025
Natural Lands is a non-profit organization that saves open space, cares for nature, and connects people to the outdoors in eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. We’ve been at it since the early 1950s and today more than five million people live within five miles of lands under our permanent protection.
Our conservation work, including our 23,000-acre network of 42 nature preserves and one public garden, is situated in the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Lenape. We work to pay respect to their past, present and future, and to their continuing cultural heritage and connections with this homeland.
Natural Lands has made a commitment to implementing strategies for the improvement of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in our leadership and staffing, visitor and member base, and priorities for mission delivery. To support increased diversity in the fields of environmental land management and natural areas conservation, we have established this DEIA-focused fellowship. Applicants who identify as Black, Indigenous, or persons of color are encouraged to apply.
This full-time, 12-month paid fellowship offers the selected applicant the opportunity to gain experience in aspects of land management, land conservation, gain experience in community outreach, and learn the workings of a land trust.
The fellow will work with a designated “field” coordinator(s) and other staff to explore the elements of Natural Lands’ mission with “caring for nature,” “saving open space,” and “connecting people to the outdoors… and each other.” This includes managing the public use and natural resources of the preserve—assisting efforts to restore natural areas; monitoring of conservation easements; and making connections within the industry and the community. Tools used in the course of the work include power string trimmers, brush cutters, hand pruners and saws, chainsaws, lawnmower, truck, and tractor. Training on the use of these tools will be provided.
The fellowship will be augmented by experiences with Natural Lands’ departments – Conservation, Finance, Human Resources, Communications and Engagement, and Development. The fellow will be invited to participate in all-staff meetings and trainings. In addition to the 21st Century Conservation Fellowship, Natural Lands hosts other interns at various preserves and provides opportunities to connect with these colleagues who are also new to the organization. This is a hands-on position with training provided.
Additional compensation includes:
- Housing stipend
- Transportation stipend
- Health insurance coverage eligibility
- Time off benefits
- Paid holidays, including floating holiday(s)
