The Outer Banks Office of the Nature Conservatory seeks an intern to monitor a Climate Adaptation Project on conservation lands in the Albemarle-Pamlico region.
Internship Name: Implementation of a long-term monitoring strategy for the Albemarle-Pamlico
Region: water quality, shoreline erosion, and other ecosystem indicators
Description and Responsibilities:
The Outer Banks Office of The Nature Conservancy is seeking an intern to continue long-term monitoring of individual components of a Climate Adaptation Project initiated by The Nature Conservancy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on conservation lands in the Albemarle-Pamlico region. The objective of the Climate Adaptation Project is to ensure that as the ecosystems of the Albemarle-Pamlico region are inevitably altered by climate change and sea level rise, they are transformed into ones that remain complex and provide a suite of ecosystem services. Strategies include construction of shoreline oyster reefs to attenuate wave action, hydrologic manipulation to eliminate saltwater intrusion through drainage ditches, and salt-tolerant vegetation plantings to manage the rate of habitat transition. To assess the overall success of our adaptation strategies, a comprehensive, long-term monitoring program has been put in place. The intern will work with TNC and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff, along with other partners, to implement the current monitoring program, fill any gaps, and continue collection of long-term data sets. Activities may include water quality, shoreline erosion, estuarine biota, oyster reef and/or vegetation monitoring among others.
Qualifications:
1) Background in natural resources, ecology, conservation biology, marine biology; or similar field; 2) ability to work independently in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances; 3) a self-starter able to work with minimal guidance; 4) experience with field monitoring techniques.
Additional information:
Compensation: This is a full-time, paid internship through TNC’s Wolf Fellowship program. Students from any college or university are eligible to apply.
Duration: 3 months, summer 2012
Level of education: Undergraduate or graduate students
Housing provided: Yes
Host office location: Nags Head Woods (Outer Banks)
To apply:
Please contact Maggie Porell (mporell@tnc.org) for an internship application. All completed applications for summer internships are due back to Maggie via email no later than 5:00 pm on Thursday, March 1.
