Your Very Next Step newsletter for January 2013
By Ned Lundquist
www.yourverynextstep.com
“Home is where one starts from.”
- T. S. Eliot
“In solitude, where we are least alone.”
-Lord Byron
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
- Lao Tzu
“Your Very Next Step” newsletter, published by Ned Lundquist, is a cooperative community, and everyone is invited, no…encouraged, no…urged to participate. Share your adventures with the network today! Send to lundquist989@cs.com.
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You may note that our website (www.yourverynextstep.com) has received a make-over. Bear with Ned as he learns how to use it.
*** In this issue:
*** New ChargePoint Mobile App Shows Every US Charging Station
*** Navigating the land
*** Snowy Steps, Frozen Water
*** 108 species spotted in annual bird count, but where are the diving ducks?
*** 5 Tips to Stay Warm Outside In Winter
*** The Eagle Lake & West Branch Railroad
*** Reptiles Alive!
*** Vibrating Belt Uses GPS to Guide Cyclists By Tickling Them
*** “Take it Outside!”
*** User Review: Eagles Nest Outfitters Twilight LED Lights
*** 2013 Cocktail Trends
*** National Rail-Trail of the month:
*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:
1.) Grassland Bird Technician, Nature Conservancy, Milnor, North Dakota
2.) River Clean Ups & Trail Maintenance, Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, San Jose CA
3.) Trail Maintenance Volunteers, East Bay Regional Park District, Oakland, CA
*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:
1.) Summer Program Instructor – Log Rolling, Office of Student Affairs, Twin Cities Campus, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN
2.) Projects Coordinator, Nepal, Zoological Society of London, Kathmandu and project sites, Nepal
3.) Development and Fundraising Volunteer Organization, Save The Bay, Oakland, California
4.) Communications Assistant, Principles for Responsible Investment, London, England
5.) Executive Director, Outdoor Writers Association of America
6.) Executive Director, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA), Joseph, OR (position location is flexible)
7.) Manager, Major Donor Communications, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
8.) Development Coordinator, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, DC
9.) Federal Lands Policy Analyst, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, DC
10.) Vice President and Executive Director, Audubon Vermont National Audubon Society Huntington, Vermont
11.) Outdoors Show Internship (Non-Paid, for Academic Credit), KSL Television, Bonneville Communications, Salt Lake City, UT
12.) Center Director, Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary, Audubon, Tiburon, California
13.) Outreach Coordinator, National Audubon Society, Inc., Oyster Bay, NY
14.) Half-Time Executive Director, Bike&Walk Montclair, Montclair, New Jersey
…and much more…and it’s all FREE!!!
*** Do you have a travel adventure to share?
Send me your stories and I’ll post in the “Your Very Next Step” and on the YVNS website (http://www.yourverynextstep.com/).
*** New ChargePoint Mobile App Shows Every US Charging Station
From Bernie Wagenblast’s Transportation Communications Newsletter, with a link to article on Green Car Reports:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1081356_new-chargepoint-mobile-app-shows-every-u-s-charging-station
*** Navigating the land:
The idea of hunting the backcountry is increasingly appealing to many folks. Today, it seems everyone has a GPS unit and can travel for days over diverse country. But, what occurs when the GPS is inoperable or the batteries die? Do you know how to navigate without your GPS in country you’ve never been in or seen in daylight? How about when fog or snow sets in? How competent are you with a map and compass?
If we are going to travel in the backcountry away from modern conveniences then we need to know how to return to the trailhead. It means personal responsibility beyond the green gate. Make the effort to learn basic navigation skills, determining declination, finding north on a compass and returning to your vehicle. Learn these skills and the backcountry becomes an endless wilderness that has no boundaries.
As a former search and rescue volunteer, I remember a group that was lost in the Cascade Range of Oregon. They called 911 to report they were lost, and when an intervening Sheriff’s deputy asked if they had a GPS, the answer was, “Yes, but we don’t know how to use it!”
A year later a similar call to 911 revealed that this family still had not learned the basics of GPS operation, as they requested “rescue” again from nearly the same location. The point being: know your equipment and how to use it.
If you don’t have navigation skills, even staying on roads and trails can lead to an unplanned overnight in the backcountry. One October an Oregon hunter on an ATV drove on a road away from camp to dispose of a deer carcass. Once he left the carcass, the return to camp seemed simple enough, but somehow he couldn’t follow his ATV tracks back to camp. He spent the night out without essentials. The next day he was found very cold and lucky to be alive. One of the lessons learned: always have the 12 essentials (see side bar). Staying hydrated and warm are two of the fundamentals of survival – add a head lamp to assist in gathering wood, and the fear factor is halved! Carry fresh spare batteries for all electronic devices.
At one time or another, many of us have become disoriented in patches of blow-down or stands of second-growth or dense young trees. Or when we’ve lost a trail due to snow-drifts or while navigating in the dark, but we’re not lost. The difference between disorientation and being lost can be subtle, but the decision between self-help and calling for rescue becomes critical.
The “disoriented” hiker may still have landmarks at his/her disposal, where the “lost” hiker may have none. When truly lost, the hiker typically wanders for hours or days in circles so random that search-and-rescue personnel experience difficulty making sense of the route. There is a common belief to always go downhill, or drop in elevation if disoriented. The reasoning is, “You’ll eventually hit a road.” Not true. That strategy can be very dangerous in many locales. So, how do you stay found?
- Know how to navigate using a map and compass.
- At a minimum, always carry a map, compass, headlamp and fire-starting equipment – and know how to start a fire in any conditions.
- Never go anywhere without the 12 Essentials.*
- Have a communication plan. If hunting with partners, test frequencies. Sample language: “I have a Fox 40 whistle. I’ll turn on my FRS/GMRS radio on-the-hour, starting at 0900. Then, every-hour, if we miss communicating, check back every half-hour.”
- Sit-down once disoriented. Don’t wait until you’re lost. This can be the most difficult survival decision a disoriented person may make. Get your bearings before moving.
- Always tell a reliable friend your itinerary. Leave a hide-a-key and notes with a map of your planned routing at home and in your vehicle, and give contingencies as best you can. If you are diverted from the original plan, decide whether sitting and waiting for rescue is the prudent thing.
Karl Findling, is the Oregon BHA representative-at-large and owner of Oregon Pack Works, LLC. He makes no claims to be an expert in backcountry navigation. The above stories and tips are merely stories and tips. Actual experiences may vary.
Note: The original Ten Essentials list was assembled in the 1930s by The Mountaineers, a Seattle-based organization for climbers and outdoor adventurers. In 2003, the group’s updated “systems” approach made its debut in its seminal text on climbing and outdoor exploration, Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills (The Mountaineers Books, 2010), now in its eighth edition.
* The 12 Essentials
Navigation (map and compass)
Sun protection (sunglasses and sunscreen)
Insulation (extra clothing)
Illumination (headlamp/flashlight)
First-aid supplies
Fire (waterproof matches/lighter/candles)
Repair kit and tools
Nutrition (extra food)
Hydration (extra water)
Emergency shelter
Communication (whistle/cell or satellite phone and/or, GMRS/FRS radio/ELB or SPOT®)
GPS (Global Positioning System)
Classic Ten Essentials:
Map
Compass
Sunglasses and sunscreen
Extra clothing
Headlamp/flashlight
First-aid supplies
Fire starter
Matches
Knife
Extra food
The idea of hunting the backcountry is increasingly appealing to many folks. Today, it seems everyone has a GPS unit and can travel for days over diverse country. But, what occurs when the GPS is inoperable or the batteries die? Do you know how to navigate without your GPS in country you’ve never been in or seen in daylight? How about when fog or snow sets in? How competent are you with a map and compass?
If we are going to travel in the backcountry away from modern conveniences then we need to know how to return to the trailhead. It means personal responsibility beyond the green gate. Make the effort to learn basic navigation skills, determining declination, finding north on a compass and returning to your vehicle. Learn these skills and the backcountry becomes an endless wilderness that has no boundaries.
As a former search and rescue volunteer, I remember a group that was lost in the Cascade Range of Oregon. They called 911 to report they were lost, and when an intervening Sheriff’s deputy asked if they had a GPS, the answer was, “Yes, but we don’t know how to use it!”
A year later a similar call to 911 revealed that this family still had not learned the basics of GPS operation, as they requested “rescue” again from nearly the same location. The point being: know your equipment and how to use it.
http://www.backcountryhunters.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=299&Itemid=123
*** Snowy Steps, Frozen Water
Snowshoe treks to winter waterfalls
Compiled by Kathryn Barnes
AMC Outdoors, January/February 2013
http://www.outdoors.org/publications/outdoors/2013/getout/waterfall-hikes-winter-snowshoe.cfm?utm_source=amcoo&utm_medium=email&utm_content=member&utm_campaign=janamcoo
*** 108 species spotted in annual bird count, but where are the diving ducks?
By Michael S. Rosenwald
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/rosenwald-md/post/108-species-spotted-in-annual-bird-count-but-where-are-the-diving-ducks/2013/01/02/6a911f0a-54f2-11e2-8b9e-dd8773594efc_blog.html?wpisrc=nl_buzz
*** From the National Wildlife Federation:
5 Tips to Stay Warm Outside In Winter
It’s not bathing suit weather, but winter’s still a great season for outdoor fun. Be prepared!
By Anne Keisman
1. Dress in Layers: Wear several layers of clothing and peel them off if you get too warm. The heat captured in between the layers keeps you toasty. (Hint: mittens are warmer than gloves, because fingers retain more heat when they touch each other.)
2.Stay Dry: Nothing chills you like wet skin. Your base layer should be made of a material that wicks sweat away from your body. Popular fabrics include polypropylene and silk. Your outermost layer should be water- and wind-proof.
3.Keep Head, Neck, Hands and Feet Toasty: Your extremities let off the most heat — so keep them wrapped with warm scarves, hats, mittens or gloves, and thick socks!
4.Bring a Backpack: As you and the kids get hot on a hike or while playing outside, make sure you have a backpack to store their clothes they’ll want to peel off. Or, you can clip or tie damp clothing outside your pack to help them dry). When you get to your destination, have everybody put a layer back on to stay warm when they are not moving.
5.Feet First: Especially for snowy or icy conditions, get good boots that the kids can take on and off easily.
And when you get back inside, make some hot chocolate to warm you up! You can even prepare it before your adventure and carry it in a thermos.
MYTH BUSTER: Has anyone ever told you that if you don’t bundle up, you’ll catch a cold? False! You don’t catch a cold by going outside in cold weather or from going outside with wet hair. Viruses and bacteria cause colds and flu — spread by contact with infected people — not cold air.
Health risks of cold weather include hypothermia, which can be easily avoided if you dress smartly and use common sense.
Have fun out there!
http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Outdoors/Archives/2010/5-Tips-to-Stay-Warm-During-A-Cold-Weather-Outdoor-Adventure.aspx?s_email_id=20121215_XYDO_ENG_BOT_December_Edition|STBot
*** The Eagle Lake & West Branch Railroad
There are not a lot of places in the world where you can be hiking through a remote wilderness and suddenly stumble upon rusting locomotives.
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/outdoor-report/2013/01/23/
*** Reptiles Alive!
“Herps” topic of Friends of Dyke Marsh March 3, Alexandria, VA
The world of “herps” will be the focus of March 3 meeting of the Friends of Dyke Marsh. Caroline Seitz, Director of Reptiles Alive and a member of the Virginia Herpetology Society, will survey the world of “herps,” explain the basics and highlight today’s challenges. She will also report on the VHS’s herp survey of Dyke Marsh. The meeting is at 2 p.m. It is free and open to the public and will be held at the Huntley Meadows Park Visitor Center, 3701 Lockheed Boulevard, Alexandria 22306. About Caroline: “At five feet tall, she is more than capable of handling a giant python, capturing a crocodile or carrying a heavy tortoise,” says her website.
http://reptilesalive.com/aboutus/caroline_seitz.html
*** Vibrating Belt Uses GPS to Guide Cyclists By Tickling Them
Link to Press Trust of India article:
http://gadgets.ndtv.com/others/news/vibrating-belt-uses-gps-to-guide-cyclists-by-tickling-them-321253
(From Bernie Wagenblast’s TCN newsletter)
*** “Take it Outside!”
“Take it Outside!” is a Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands initiative designed to encourage Maine’s children and families to reconnect with nature.
The “Take it Outside!” website is your one-stop information source for year-round outdoor recreation opportunities in Maine.
You can find everything you need to “Take it Outside!” and have fun in the great Maine outdoors.
http://take-it-outside.com/index.html
*** User Review: Eagles Nest Outfitters Twilight LED Lights
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/eagles-nest-outfitters/twilight-led-lights/review/26368/
*** 2013 Cocktail Trends
The year 2012 was the year of Negronis, barrel-aged cocktails and gin. But with cocktail culture flourishing in the US, and innovative bartenders coming up with new, spectacular drinks every day, those trends may soon be out of date. To find out what 2013 holds for the world of cocktails, bars and spirits, F&W interviewed bartenders from across the country, who predict a world of restrained and sophisticated low-alcohol cocktails, tequila at brunch and tableside drink service. Here, the top 15 trends in cocktails for the coming year.—Justine Sterling
http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/2013-cocktail-trends
*** National Rail-Trail of the month:
Trail of the Month: January 2013
Colorado’s Rio Grande Trail
By Laura Stark
During Colorado’s silver mining boom more than a century ago, two railroads struggled for supremacy over the Roaring Forks Valley, in a competition to see which could first finish the tracks into Aspen and lay claim to the rich silver deposits there.
The strategy of the Colorado Midland Railroad was to take a shorter, but difficult route involving a large number of trestles and extensive tunneling through the Rocky Mountains. The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad’s method, which ultimately proved successful, was to construct a narrow-gauge railroad—which took less time and money to construct than standard gauge—over a longer, but less demanding route. The Denver & Rio Grande reached Aspen in 1887. Today, the Rio Grande Trail (named for the victor) runs through the rail corridor and, in some places, you can still see the old tracks and trestle bridges.
But that was not the last time the corridor was hotly contested. Since 2006, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), supported by pro bono counsel Richard Allen with the law firm of Zuckert, Scoutt, & Rasenberger, has been involved in defending against a claim filed by one of the trail’s adjacent landowners against the government of the United States, seeking compensation for land they believe was “taken” as a result of the federal railbanking law. It is a case that deals with important legal principles for federally granted rights-of-way.
When the trail first grabbed our attention for a Trail of the Month feature more than 10 years ago, it was already a stunner at only seven miles long. Since then the rail-trail has blossomed, and now stretches 42 miles between the ski towns of Aspen and Glenwood Springs, with gorgeous views of the Roaring Fork River, the surrounding mountains and tall aspens that turn bright gold in the fall.
Gary Tennenbaum remembers our original story. It was published right around the time he began as stewardship and trails manager for Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, which is responsible for the county’s 18-mile stretch of the trail from Emma to Aspen. When asked about the trail’s development over the past decade, the first word that comes to Tennenbaum’s mind is “rapid.”
“After Pitkin County started to pave sections of the trail, it started a groundswell of community support,” says Tennenbaum. “People said ‘let’s get it paved and get it all connected.’”
Completed in 2008, the trail is managed by the Roaring Forks Transportation Authority (RFTA), working with partnering agencies like Pitkin County and the City of Aspen. The last big challenge to its development is to decide what to do with the four-mile section from Woody Creek to Aspen’s Stein Park. The gravel pathway here has been used as a trail since the 1960s, and some want to keep it that way. Others see it as the only part of the trail left unpaved and want a smooth ride, end-to-end.
“We’re looking at different options,” Tennenbaum says. “It’s a difficult area that’s very narrow with steep drop-offs. We’re having discussions with the community and, hopefully, will have a decision within the next three months.”
The decision is an important one as Woody Creek is one of the most popular stopping points on the trail. In this town made famous by legendary journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, you’ll find the quirky and lively Woody Creek Tavern. The fame of the Woody Creek Tavern, frequently mentioned in Thompson’s writings, has made renting bikes in Aspen, pedaling eight miles along the scenic Rio Grande Trail and grabbing lunch at the tavern a popular summertime pursuit for both locals and tourists.
“The trail is a huge benefit for the Woody Creek Tavern,” says Tennenbaum. “They have full bike racks that the big cities don’t even have. In the summer, you’ll see more than a hundred bikes there.”
One thing you won’t find on the trail yet is interpretive signage about the history of the rail corridor. But this is something Tennenbaum hopes to pursue once a decision has been made on whether to pave the Woody Creek section. Presently, its history can be explored in the Glenwood Railroad Museum, only a half-mile from the trail’s western end. The museum, offering railroad artifacts, old photographs and a large-scale model railroad, is housed in the Glenwood Springs station, built in 1904 and still serving Amtrak trains today.
With its mining heydays long gone, the area is once again rich in unspoiled natural beauty. The trail closely parallels the Roaring Fork River for much of its length, and animals can often be spotted along its banks. This ready connection to wildlife is a special treat, especially for city dwellers. In the winter, the valley provides such a critical range for deer and elk that a small section of the trail between Basalt and Carbondale is closed annually from November to April and re-routed on the road.
“I think my most memorable experiences on the trail have been wildlife sightings,” says Austin Weiss, trail manager for the City of Aspen, who frequently trains for marathons on the trail. “It’s common to run into a black bear or deer or elk, and there are mountain lions in the area, too.” Around Rock Bottom Ranch, one of his favorite trail spots, he often sees heron and bald eagles.
When the rail corridor was purchased in 1997, one of the justifications was “creating recreation connectivity in the Roaring Forks Valley.” In that endeavor, the trail has been tremendously successful.
“The trail is a great way for communities to connect,” says Tennenbaum, who lives in Basalt and commutes on the trail. “I bump into people all the time. Our trail counters show that thousands and thousands of people use it.”
http://www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringFeatures/trailMonth/index.html
*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:
1.) Grassland Bird Technician, Nature Conservancy, Milnor, North Dakota
The Grassland Bird Technician (GBT) will be part of a study to evaluate the effects of grazing on grassland bird abundance/density and diversity in the Sheyenne River Delta of North Dakota, USA. Data collected will contribute to our knowledge of the impact of grazing on declining grassland bird populations. Start date is May 20, 2013 continuing through August 9, 2013, and housing will be provided. Primary job duties will include:
•Conduct bird surveys using point counts and distance sampling methods
•Assist with plant community and vegetation structure sampling
•Collect biomass data to assess forage production on sites with different grazing pressure
http://www.environmentjobs.com/green-jobs/grassland-bird-technician.41476.htm
2.) River Clean Ups & Trail Maintenance, Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, San Jose CA
At least twice a year the Conservancy organizes river clean-up efforts in the area between Coleman Avenue and HWY 880. This is a great opportunity to meet with friends, co-workers or new friends who share an interest in maintaining the beauty of the river and protecting the natural habitat. The award-winning 254 acre park, including 2.6 miles of trails, offers visitors an opportunity to explore nature, enjoy the many water features and playground areas, or travel the trails that meander through the park. Volunteers can help the City of San Jose to maintain the areas of the trail on the 2.6 miles of trail from Hwy. 280 to 880. Projects could include weeding, planting, spread mulch, trimming trees, refurbish park benches, cleaning signs, etc.
http://www.grpg.org/volunteer
3.) Trail Maintenance Volunteers, East Bay Regional Park District, Oakland, CA
In order to provide for visitor safety and to protect parkland resources, the Park District staff and trail volunteers provide a much-needed source of labor to repair and enhance existing trails and construct new narrow trails. Trail maintenance projects at various Regional Parks include helping with pruning, erosion control, post installation, trail improvements, and new trail construction. A great way to see the parks!
How to Volunteer?
If you wish to help with a particular project, you may Register Online or by calling the numbers listed in the schedule above at least three days prior to the event. If you have additional questions please call (510) 544-2631.
Youth under 18 years of age must bring a parent or other parent-designated adult over 18 yrs. old to work with on the trail projects. If there is a group of youth under age 18, one adult supervisor per five youth is required.
Regional Trails staff will assign participants to work teams supervised by EBRPD crew leaders. The work teams will break out into groups throughout the site. Trail workdays continue until about 12:30 or 1:00 p.m. Everyone then reunites for lunch and a wrap-up.
Be prepared for changing weather! Dress in layers and have appropriate clothing for light rain or to protect against full exposure to sun. Bring work gloves and wear sturdy boots or shoes, long pants and long-sleeved T-shirts. Bring drinking water, snacks, sunscreen, and a hat that will protect your ears and neck. If your sensitivity to poison oak is high, bring an extra change of clothes and shoes, and a plastic bag to take away your exposed or soiled work clothes. Irritants may include ticks, mosquitos, sunburn, and blisters. Special precautions for preventing poison oak exposure and reducing irritants will be explained on site.
Storm conditions or heavy rain will cancel events. To check for cancellation, call (510) 544-2631, on the morning of the event.
To volunteer, or for more information on the trail maintenance projects, contact: East Bay Regional Park District, Regional Trails Department, 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, P.O. Box 5381, Oakland, CA 94605-0381 or call (510) 544-2631.
If you would like to receive our bi-annual Ivan Dickson Volunteer Maintenance Program Newsletter, please call (510)544-2631 and leave the correct spelling of your name and mailing address.
Back to top
Why Be a Trail Volunteer?
If you like to hike, bike, or ride and enjoy well maintained trails, think about becoming a trail maintenance volunteer.
The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) manages more than 100,000 acres of land in 65 parks, and maintains 1,150 miles of trails. Maintenance and rehabilitation of the existing trails is an ongoing process (similar to repairing potholes on public roadways) and is required due to public use, annual vegetation growth, and other forces of nature, particularly from erosion caused by the flow of water over and adjacent to trails.
In order to provide for visitor safety and to protect parkland resources, EBRPD staff and volunteers provide a much-needed source of labor to repair and enhance existing trails and construct new narrow trails. In turn, the public learns concepts of land stewardship and resource conservation while giving back to the trails system they enjoy.
Typical tasks for the volunteers include installation of drainage structures, pruning, trail tread maintenance, and installation of special trail structures such as retaining walls, bridges, and causeways.
Volunteers use a variety of hand tools under the instruction of EBRPD staff. Participants can include anyone in good physical condition: children (10 years and older), teens, adults, and seniors.
Earn Respect, Credit and Appreciation for Community Service
In addition to interested individuals, trail maintenance volunteers come from schools, churches, Scout groups, corporate partnerships, public agencies, and various trail user organizations.
Students can earn four community service hours per event.
Girl Scouts have earned credit toward the Backpacking Merit Badge and the Eco-Action Merit Badge.
If you are interested, give us a call!
Ivan Dickson Trail Maintenance Program
History
Ivan Dickson was a member of the Berkeley Hiking Club since 1920 and was an active hiker well into his eighties. For more than 60 years, Ivan Dickson spent his free time hiking the trails of the East Bay Regional Park District.
When Mr. Dickson died in February 1993, at the age of 95, he left both a request and bequest to the East Bay Regional Park District to “take good care” of the trails that meant so much to him. In order to honor Ivan’s desire for trails to be well maintained, the District created a unique program for trail maintenance (current projects). The funds from his bequest are managed like an endowment, with the interest generated being used to sponsor and support volunteer maintenance projects throughout the Park District’s extensive trail system. The funds are allocated for materials, supplies, hand tools, food, and acknowledgments for the volunteers. By leveraging these funds for long-term growth, and by involving the public in a partnership dedicated to the preservation of trail resources through volunteer efforts, a perpetual trail maintenance program has been established to accommodate future generations of trail volunteers.
Since 1996, the Ivan Dickson Volunteer Trail Maintenance Program has managed 121 trail projects with 6,036 volunteers contributing 25,431 hours of volunteer labor.
How to Participate
Choose a Saturday date from the calendar of trail projects and mark your own calendar. Three to four weeks prior to the project, call the Park District’s recorded line (510) 544-2631 and request a flier for the specific date. Or you can register your name and phone number now by emailing info@ebparks.org. The flier you receive will include project specifics such as meeting place and time, project description, and any other special information. We ask that you register up to three days prior to the event. If you have particular questions, the recorded line will refer you to District staff.
Trail Maintenance Fund
Join us in building a Trail Maintenance Fund. Our goal is to build the Ivan Dickson Trail Maintenance Fund to $5,000,000! By doing so, we can guarantee a perpetual trail maintenance program for future generations. Financial contributions are tax-deductible and can be made to: EBRPD-Ivan Dickson Volunteer Trail Maintenance Program Fund, 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605.
http://www.ebparks.org/getinvolved/volunteer/trail
*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:
1.) Summer Program Instructor – Log Rolling, Office of Student Affairs, Twin Cities Campus, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN
https://employment.umn.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/position/JobDetails_css.jsp?postingId=592417
2.) Projects Coordinator, Nepal, Zoological Society of London, Kathmandu and project sites, Nepal
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), a charity founded in 1826, is a world-renowned centre of excellence for conservation science and applied conservation. ZSL’s mission is to promote and achieve the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. This is realised by carrying out field conservation and research in over 50 countries across the globe and through education and awareness-raising at our two zoos, ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, inspiring people to take conservation action.
ZSL in partnership with the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) has been active in the field of conservation in Nepal for more than 20 years. ZSL’s current focus in Nepal is on strengthening and increasing the capacity of Nepal’s existing wildlife department officials, young conservation biologists and communities. Work includes monitoring and surveillance of rhino populations; strengthening metapopulation management; setting up standardised status reporting on each rhino population; developing a Terai grassland invasive species management programme; training field scientists in habitat assessment and control; implementing more effective human-wildlife conflict resolution approaches; coordinating the completion of the Red List of Nepal’s birds; and improving public engagement and integration of local communities, and other stakeholders in conservation efforts.
ZSL is recruiting a projects coordinator to oversee and coordinate this conservation work while also setting up a ZSL Nepal office. Responsibilities will include overseeing current project activities, fundraising, maintaining and building strategic partnerships to develop the Nepal programme, and developing and implementing new conservation projects. Success in these endeavours would lead to the position developing into a full country manager role over the next few years.
The ideal candidate will have a strong scientific background as well as excellent administrative, organizational, communication and interpersonal skills. They will also have a good understanding of current priorities in biodiversity conservation in the region, and experience working in the field, managing staff and budgets, and working collaboratively with different cultures, particularly in the Indian subcontinent.
Salary will be £21,090 pa. ZSL will also provide one international return flight to the UK (or other home country) per year, full medical emergency evacuation cover, visa fees and 30 days holiday per annum. The successful candidate will be based full time in Nepal, with time spent in Kathmandu and at the project sites as required. There will be occasional visits to ZSL’s UK office.
To apply for this position please send your CV and covering letter to the Human Resources Department at hr@zsl.org. The closing date for applications is 25th January, 2013. Interviews are expected to take place in the first week of February. The expected start date is at the end of February, 2013 or as close to that as possible.
http://www.environmentjobs.com/green-jobs/projects-coordinator-nepal.41489.htm
3.) Development and Fundraising Volunteer Organization, Save The Bay, Oakland, California
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=377300028
4.) Communications Assistant, Principles for Responsible Investment, London, England
MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders. Other applicants need not apply.
About the Principles for Responsible Investment
The Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) is an investor initiative in partnership with UNEP Finance Initiative and the UN Global Compact. Launched by UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan and subsequently endorsed by his successor Ban Ki-Moon, the PRI is a set of voluntary best practice principles to assist investors in integrating environmental, social and corporate governance issues into investment processes and ownership practices. The principles are supported by a Secretariat that promotes the PRI and provides implementation support to signatories. See www.unpri.org for further information.
Summary of the position
The Communications Assistant will support the PRI Communications team to deliver a number of new projects that have been prioritised for early 2013 relating to its new website, social media strategy, signatory webinars and general communications activity. The individual will gain exposure to a broad range of teams and activities within the PRI, including signatory relations and recruitment, implementation support, collaborative shareholder engagement, and reporting and assessment. This position will report to the Head of Communications.
Specific responsibilities include:
•Further developing and implementing the PRIs social media strategy, identifying and drawing on best practice within its signatory base and peer organisations.
•Creating collateral to help new and existing signatories better communicate their involvement with the PRI within their own organisations and with external audiences.
•Drafting articles for publication and providing general team support, including on signatory webinars, reporting and data entry.Requirements and likely experience
•Previous experience in a communications function, ideally within an investment institution.
•Strong research and writing skills, with excellent spelling and grammar.
•Interest in responsible investment and ESG issues will be highly regarded.
•Must be eligible to work in the UK.
http://www.environmentjobs.com/green-jobs/communications-assistant.41484.htm
*** From Sue Bumpous:
For both Job of the Week and Your Next Step newsletters – When I changed jobs, I seem to have fallen off the mailing list for both (even though I did not change email addresses) but will add myself back on.
5.) Executive Director, Outdoor Writers Association of America
OWAA Initiates Search For New Executive Director
The Outdoor Writers Association of America, the nation’s oldest and largest association of professional outdoors-focused communicators, is seeking a new executive director.
The 1,000-member association, formed in 1927 at a meeting of the Izaak Walton League of America, counts among its members the nation’s foremost outdoor writers, photographers, artists and broadcasters.
Current OWAA Executive Director Robin Giner submitted her resignation in November. Giner, who began her affiliation with OWAA in 2001, assumed the role of executive director in 2010. She plans to embark on a career more closely aligned with her agricultural roots.
“During her tenure with the organization Giner helped navigate OWAA through difficult times as it confronted challenges facing the entire media industry,” said OWAA President Mark Taylor, outdoors editor of The Roanoke (Va.) Times.
“However, this presents us with an opportunity to find a new director with the special vision and skills needed to keep moving us forward.”
An eight-member committee of OWAA officers and individual members is heading up the recruiting effort.
In the past, the organization’s leaders felt strongly that the position should be based in Missoula, Mont., current location of OWAA headquarters. That requirement has been adjusted to accommodate skilled individuals who might not find it possible to relocate.
“Our priority is finding a skilled, experienced leader who is familiar with the outdoors industry and outdoors-related communication,” Taylor said. “We are trying to do everything we can to ensure that our pool of candidates is as good as it possibly can be.”
The application deadline for the position is Jan. 21, 2013.
View the complete position description.
6.) Executive Director, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA), Joseph, OR (position location is flexible)
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Seeks Executive Director
Position: Executive Director Status: Full time
Description:
Founded around an Oregon campfire in 2004, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) seeks to ensure America’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing through education and work on behalf of wild public lands and waters. Our strength and inspiration are rooted in the passion and knowledge of our grassroots membership representing the interests of sportsmen and women in nearly all fifty states. In the ever expanding and technological world in which we live, there is a need and a longing to return to the natural world and experience the wonders provided by wild public lands. With our natural resources facing unprecedented challenges and threats, it is our responsibility to advocate for meaningful conservation policies that protect the health and integrity of wild backcountry landscapes for future generations.
BHA is looking for a dynamic Executive Director (ED) with the passion, experience, and energy necessary to lead the organization forward and strengthen its commitment to protecting fish and wildlife habitat and increasing opportunity and access to quality hunting and fishing. Working closely with the Board of directors, state chapter leaders and staff, the ED will be responsible for all aspects of organizational management while establishing concrete goals and objectives to guide BHA’s strategic conservation vision.
Leadership qualifications:
-Avid hunter/angler/conservationist with a deep understanding of America’s western heritage and a passion for its backcountry hunting and fishing culture.
-Ability to represent the organization publicly with the media, elected officials and other policymakers to raise the profile of BHA nationally while maintaining its reputation and influence.
-Excellent communication skills capable of delivering compelling and articulate written and verbal messages.
-Experienced in managing organizations (especially nonprofits) and supervising, inspiring, and motivating paid staff and volunteers.
-Financial oversight experience, including banking, insurance, and taxation for nonprofits.
-Enthusiasm for fundraising and demonstrated ability to cultivate development relationships.
-Demonstrated experience in conflict resolution and convening divergent interests to advance BHA’s mission and promote meaningful conservation policies.
-Ability to work in a self-directed and disciplined manner.
-Understanding of land use management policies involving public land, wildlife, and water and the ability to engage BHA members, grassroots leaders, and advocates to advance conservation priorities and opportunities for hunting and fishing.
-Undergraduate degree required; advanced degrees a plus.
Responsibilities:
-Work closely with the Board of Directors to set the organization’s strategic direction and facilitate effective engagement opportunities for BHA’s members and volunteers.
-Initiate regular conference calls and in-person meetings with the Board of Directors, relevant committees of the Board, and with the leadership of state chapters.
-Organize volunteers and oversee contractors to help achieve specific policy objectives, educate members and public audiences about public land conservation, particularly protecting backcountry public lands and other core habitat, and free-flowing rivers, while supporting campaigns spear-headed by state chapters.
-Direct development and fundraising efforts to increase resources, enhance membership programs, diversify funding sources, and cultivate relationships with foundations, major donors, and supporters to keep BHA financially solvent and growing. This includes writing grants and progress reports, working with staff to hold fundraisers and special events like our annual Rendezvous.
-Working with the staff, Board, Board Chair, and Treasurer, secure a reliable cash flow and provide wise stewardship of economic assets. Communicate with major donors, prospects, accountants, and the Board about appropriate aspects of BHA’s finances.
-Administer grants, conservation campaigns, and related accountability systems to ensure that deliverables are met and staff/contractors are efficiently managed.
-Develop business operation systems to manage budgets, human resources, membership programs, strengthen state chapters, and complement board development.
-Provide guidance to BHA’s state chapters, strengthen capacity, help build new chapters, and serve as conduit between the Board, staff, and chapters.
-Communicate regularly with members to keep our “boots on the ground” volunteers enthused, inspired, and informed about BHA activities.
-Serve as the primary point of contact with media interests, increase BHA’s influence with decision makers and core audiences, and elevate public awareness of BHA with strategic constituents.
-Contribute content to the Backcountry Journal, help publish email alerts and other on-line outreach messages, and maintain consistency across all communications platforms.
The position location is flexible. Proximity to a large regional airport is important. The majority of BHA’s priorities are on public lands throughout the West and Alaska. Travel (including driving) is expected. Willingness to work non-traditional hours and weekends is required.
Compensation will reflect the professional nature of this complex and challenging position and the experience level of the candidate.
To apply, submit resume, cover letter, and writing sample by January 31, 2013 to rcaslar@backcountryhunters.org.
7.) Manager, Major Donor Communications, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=363900011
8.) Development Coordinator, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, DC
http://www.execsearches.com/non-profit-jobs/jobDetail.asp?job_id=25271
9.) Federal Lands Policy Analyst, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, DC
http://www.execsearches.com/non-profit-jobs/jobDetail.asp?job_id=25272
10.) Vice President and Executive Director, Audubon Vermont National Audubon Society Huntington, Vermont
For more than a century, Audubon has championed the protection of birds and their habitat. Audubon’s mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats, for the benefit of humanity and the Earth’s biological diversity. With nearly 700 staff, 23 state programs, 465 local chapters, 43 centers and sanctuaries, and close to half a million members throughout the United States, Audubon achieves its mission by engaging people in bird conservation on a hemispheric scale through science, policy, education, and on-the-ground conservation action.
In the fall of 2011, Audubon adopted a new strategic plan to renew the organization’s focus on the biggest and most important opportunities for addressing critical threats to birds and their habitat. At the core of this plan is a focus on flyways: Each year, more than 10 billion birds use major flyways to travel up and down the continent and to points beyond. Underneath these flyways are migratory rest stops and the homes for non-migratory birds that are critical to birds’ survival. These places form a web that represents the richest veins of biodiversity across the Americas. They are the tipping point places that connect people to birds and ecosystems—and where birds thrive, people prosper. By mobilizing and aligning Audubon’s unparalleled network of chapters, centers, state programs, and Important Bird Area (IBA) programs to focus on the four major migratory flyways in the Americas (Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and Pacific), the organization will bring the full power of Audubon to bear on protecting common and threatened bird species and the critical habitat they need to survive. Within each flyway, Audubon will sharpen its focus on the most critical species and places, working only where there is a theory of victory for delivering measurable conservation impact at scale. As part of BirdLife International, Audubon will join people in more than 100 countries working to protect a network of IBAs around the world, leveraging the impact of actions they take at a local level. Critical to Audubon’s conservation success will be engaging a growing and more diverse audience to take conservation action.
Position Summary:
Audubon seeks an Executive Director to build on Audubon Vermont’s rich history and expand its contributions to conservation in Vermont and the Atlantic Flyway, leading the organization to its next level of programmatic and financial success. This is a high-profile, pivotal opportunity for a dynamic conservation professional. As one of Audubon’s state programs with a significant leadership role in the Atlantic Flyway, an annual budget of $800,000 and a staff of 12, Audubon Vermont uses its statewide Forest Bird and Champlain Valley Bird conservation initiatives, educational programming, the Green Mountain Audubon Center, its four sanctuaries, seven affiliated local Audubon Chapters, and 3,000 grassroots members to protect birds and their habitats. The successful candidate will have the passion and leadership skills necessary to articulate, develop, and implement Audubon’s conservation goals and strategies in the state, while maintaining its leadership role in the flyway by working closely with the Audubon Vermont Board and staff, and the Vice President of the Atlantic Flyway to align the state program with strategic regional and national priorities. The Executive Director will hold the title of Vice President within the national organization and will report to the VP Atlantic Flyway; s/he will be jointly reviewed by the VP Atlantic Flyway and Audubon Vermont Board each year.
Audubon offers an excellent benefits package and a competitive salary that is commensurate with experience. This position will be located in Huntington, Vermont at the Green Mountain Audubon Center.
Essential Functions:
The Vice President/Executive Director, Audubon Vermont, will perform the following and other duties as assigned:
Strategy Development and Organizational Leadership
• Complete the development and lead the implementation of a five-year strategic plan for Audubon Vermont to grow the organization’s capacity across the state to achieve conservation of priority birds and their habitats.
• Provide leadership, management, and mentoring to a staff of 12 including a team of dedicated program directors in the areas of science, policy, and education to reach the goals set out by the National Strategic Plan as they relate to Vermont and the Green Mountain Audubon Center.
• Have a clear vision, passion, and commitment to leveraging the Green Mountain Audubon Center as a hub for education, science, and demonstration that is clearly and strategically integrated with state and flyway initiatives.
• Manage the day to day operations of the state, including setting financial and programmatic goals, analyzing results, and taking corrective actions, in close collaboration with Audubon Vermont’s program directors.
Fundraising and External Relations
• Lead Audubon Vermont’s fundraising, working closely with Audubon Vermont’s development staff and program directors, the VP of the Atlantic Flyway, and the Chief Development Officer of the National Audubon Society to cultivate and solicit major donors and foundations for Audubon Vermont and Atlantic Flyway initiatives of which Audubon Vermont is a part to significantly increase contributions from diverse stakeholders.
• Represent and raise the profile and visibility of Audubon Vermont externally to funders, partners, policymakers, and the public.
• Work closely with the Audubon Vermont Board to support their efforts in continuing the development of a strong statewide organization through fundraising, program development, and conservation advocacy.
• Inspire and provide guidance to Audubon Vermont chapters to help them realize their potential for on-the-ground conservation and education, as well as within the larger organization’s Atlantic Flyway infrastructure. Work with the Chapter Assembly to strengthen the statewide presence of Audubon and support these organizations in their local efforts.
• Engage Vermont’s growing diverse population through strategic outreach efforts.
• Expand the geographic reach of Audubon Vermont programs both within the state and across the Atlantic Flyway.
Qualifications and Experience:
The successful candidate will have the following qualifications:
• Strong leadership skills, including an engaging and energetic demeanor and the ability to inspire and motivate staff, volunteers, donors, and potential partners
• 7-10 years of experience (preferably in the non-profit sector), including 5 years at a senior management level with comparable staff and budget responsibilities
• Proven success in fundraising, in particular extensive experience with major donors, foundations, corporations, and government funders
• Experience managing institutional growth and change within a decentralized organization highly desirable
• Strategic thinker with the ability to transfer vision and strategy into aligned and effective programs and activities
• Demonstrated ability to partner with key stakeholders, such as Boards of Directors and management teams, all while acting as an ambassador for Audubon Vermont
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, judgment, and an ability to collaborate and build coalitions with a wide range of individuals and organizations at the local, regional, and national levels
• Persuasive communication skills and the ability to effectively represent Audubon Vermont to its members, state and federal elected officials, donors, and chapters leaders, as well as in traditional and social media
• Knowledge and appreciation of Vermont and its environment, its conservation and political history, and the role of science in developing conservation strategies, strongly preferred, as well as an understanding of the role that science, policy, and education cooperatively play in achieving conservation goals and outcomes
• Willingness and ability to travel routinely throughout the state and nationally, as required
• Knowledge of basic accounting protocols and ability to review finances with others to build consensus around priorities and monitor ongoing expenditures
• Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree in a relevant field preferred
To Apply:
Candidates should apply directly online at: https://careers-audubon.icims.com/jobs/1572/vice-president-and-state-executive-director%2c-audubon-vermont/job
http://www.execsearches.com/non-profit-jobs/jobDetail.asp?job_id=25216
11.) Outdoors Show Internship (Non-Paid, for Academic Credit), KSL Television, Bonneville Communications, Salt Lake City, UT
http://www.ksl.com/web/joblisting.php?file=1312161011.cur
12.) Center Director, Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary, Audubon, Tiburon, California
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=405000018
13.) Outreach Coordinator, National Audubon Society, Inc., Oyster Bay, NY
https://careers-audubon.icims.com/jobs/1588/outreach-coordinator/job
14.) Half-Time Executive Director, Bike&Walk Montclair, Montclair, New Jersey
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=402900009
*** Send your job opportunities to share with the YVNS network to lundquist989@cs.com.
*** Your Very Next Step is a service of the Job of the Week Network LLC
© 2013 The Job of the Week Network LLC
Edward Lundquist, ABC -
Editor and Publisher
Your Very Next Step
7813 Richfield Road
Springfield, VA 22153
Home office phone: (703) 455-7661
lundquist989@cs.com
www.nedsjotw.com
By Ned Lundquist
www.yourverynextstep.com
“Home is where one starts from.”
- T. S. Eliot
“In solitude, where we are least alone.”
-Lord Byron
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
- Lao Tzu
“Your Very Next Step” newsletter, published by Ned Lundquist, is a cooperative community, and everyone is invited, no…encouraged, no…urged to participate. Share your adventures with the network today! Send to lundquist989@cs.com.
Subscribe for free. Send a blank email to:
yourverynextstep-subscribe@topica.com.
Send us your comments, questions, and contributions to lundquist989@cs.com.
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Contact Ned at lundquist989@cs.com.
You may note that our website (www.yourverynextstep.com) has received a make-over. Bear with Ned as he learns how to use it.
*** In this issue:
*** New ChargePoint Mobile App Shows Every US Charging Station
*** Snowy Steps, Frozen Water
*** 108 species spotted in annual bird count, but where are the diving ducks?
*** 5 Tips to Stay Warm Outside In Winter
*** The Eagle Lake & West Branch Railroad
*** Reptiles Alive!
*** Vibrating Belt Uses GPS to Guide Cyclists By Tickling Them
*** “Take it Outside!”
*** User Review: Eagles Nest Outfitters Twilight LED Lights
*** 2013 Cocktail Trends
*** National Rail-Trail of the month:
*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:
1.) Grassland Bird Technician, Nature Conservancy, Milnor, North Dakota
2.) River Clean Ups & Trail Maintenance, Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, San Jose CA
3.) Trail Maintenance Volunteers, East Bay Regional Park District, Oakland, CA
*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:
1.) Summer Program Instructor – Log Rolling, Office of Student Affairs, Twin Cities Campus, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN
2.) Projects Coordinator, Nepal, Zoological Society of London, Kathmandu and project sites, Nepal
3.) Development and Fundraising Volunteer Organization, Save The Bay, Oakland, California
4.) Communications Assistant, Principles for Responsible Investment, London, England
5.) Executive Director, Outdoor Writers Association of America
6.) Executive Director, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA), Joseph, OR (position location is flexible)
7.) Manager, Major Donor Communications, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
8.) Development Coordinator, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, DC
9.) Federal Lands Policy Analyst, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, DC
10.) Vice President and Executive Director, Audubon Vermont National Audubon Society Huntington, Vermont
11.) Outdoors Show Internship (Non-Paid, for Academic Credit), KSL Television, Bonneville Communications, Salt Lake City, UT
12.) Center Director, Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary, Audubon, Tiburon, California
13.) Outreach Coordinator, National Audubon Society, Inc., Oyster Bay, NY
14.) Half-Time Executive Director, Bike&Walk Montclair, Montclair, New Jersey
…and much more…and it’s all FREE!!!
*** Do you have a travel adventure to share?
Send me your stories and I’ll post in the “Your Very Next Step” and on the YVNS website (http://www.yourverynextstep.com/).
*** New ChargePoint Mobile App Shows Every US Charging Station
From Bernie Wagenblast’s Transportation Communications Newsletter, with a link to article on Green Car Reports:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1081356_new-chargepoint-mobile-app-shows-every-u-s-charging-station
*** Snowy Steps, Frozen Water
Snowshoe treks to winter waterfalls
Compiled by Kathryn Barnes
AMC Outdoors, January/February 2013
http://www.outdoors.org/publications/outdoors/2013/getout/waterfall-hikes-winter-snowshoe.cfm?utm_source=amcoo&utm_medium=email&utm_content=member&utm_campaign=janamcoo
*** 108 species spotted in annual bird count, but where are the diving ducks?
By Michael S. Rosenwald
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/rosenwald-md/post/108-species-spotted-in-annual-bird-count-but-where-are-the-diving-ducks/2013/01/02/6a911f0a-54f2-11e2-8b9e-dd8773594efc_blog.html?wpisrc=nl_buzz
*** From the National Wildlife Federation:
5 Tips to Stay Warm Outside In Winter
It’s not bathing suit weather, but winter’s still a great season for outdoor fun. Be prepared!
By Anne Keisman
1. Dress in Layers: Wear several layers of clothing and peel them off if you get too warm. The heat captured in between the layers keeps you toasty. (Hint: mittens are warmer than gloves, because fingers retain more heat when they touch each other.)
2.Stay Dry: Nothing chills you like wet skin. Your base layer should be made of a material that wicks sweat away from your body. Popular fabrics include polypropylene and silk. Your outermost layer should be water- and wind-proof.
3.Keep Head, Neck, Hands and Feet Toasty: Your extremities let off the most heat — so keep them wrapped with warm scarves, hats, mittens or gloves, and thick socks!
4.Bring a Backpack: As you and the kids get hot on a hike or while playing outside, make sure you have a backpack to store their clothes they’ll want to peel off. Or, you can clip or tie damp clothing outside your pack to help them dry). When you get to your destination, have everybody put a layer back on to stay warm when they are not moving.
5.Feet First: Especially for snowy or icy conditions, get good boots that the kids can take on and off easily.
And when you get back inside, make some hot chocolate to warm you up! You can even prepare it before your adventure and carry it in a thermos.
MYTH BUSTER: Has anyone ever told you that if you don’t bundle up, you’ll catch a cold? False! You don’t catch a cold by going outside in cold weather or from going outside with wet hair. Viruses and bacteria cause colds and flu — spread by contact with infected people — not cold air.
Health risks of cold weather include hypothermia, which can be easily avoided if you dress smartly and use common sense.
Have fun out there!
http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Outdoors/Archives/2010/5-Tips-to-Stay-Warm-During-A-Cold-Weather-Outdoor-Adventure.aspx?s_email_id=20121215_XYDO_ENG_BOT_December_Edition|STBot
*** The Eagle Lake & West Branch Railroad
There are not a lot of places in the world where you can be hiking through a remote wilderness and suddenly stumble upon rusting locomotives.
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/outdoor-report/2013/01/23/
*** Reptiles Alive!
“Herps” topic of Friends of Dyke Marsh March 3, Alexandria, VA
The world of “herps” will be the focus of March 3 meeting of the Friends of Dyke Marsh. Caroline Seitz, Director of Reptiles Alive and a member of the Virginia Herpetology Society, will survey the world of “herps,” explain the basics and highlight today’s challenges. She will also report on the VHS’s herp survey of Dyke Marsh. The meeting is at 2 p.m. It is free and open to the public and will be held at the Huntley Meadows Park Visitor Center, 3701 Lockheed Boulevard, Alexandria 22306. About Caroline: “At five feet tall, she is more than capable of handling a giant python, capturing a crocodile or carrying a heavy tortoise,” says her website.
http://reptilesalive.com/aboutus/caroline_seitz.html
*** Vibrating Belt Uses GPS to Guide Cyclists By Tickling Them
Link to Press Trust of India article:
http://gadgets.ndtv.com/others/news/vibrating-belt-uses-gps-to-guide-cyclists-by-tickling-them-321253
(From Bernie Wagenblast’s TCN newsletter)
*** “Take it Outside!”
“Take it Outside!” is a Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands initiative designed to encourage Maine’s children and families to reconnect with nature.
The “Take it Outside!” website is your one-stop information source for year-round outdoor recreation opportunities in Maine.
You can find everything you need to “Take it Outside!” and have fun in the great Maine outdoors.
http://take-it-outside.com/index.html
*** User Review: Eagles Nest Outfitters Twilight LED Lights
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/eagles-nest-outfitters/twilight-led-lights/review/26368/
*** 2013 Cocktail Trends
The year 2012 was the year of Negronis, barrel-aged cocktails and gin. But with cocktail culture flourishing in the US, and innovative bartenders coming up with new, spectacular drinks every day, those trends may soon be out of date. To find out what 2013 holds for the world of cocktails, bars and spirits, F&W interviewed bartenders from across the country, who predict a world of restrained and sophisticated low-alcohol cocktails, tequila at brunch and tableside drink service. Here, the top 15 trends in cocktails for the coming year.—Justine Sterling
http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/2013-cocktail-trends
*** National Rail-Trail of the month:
Trail of the Month: January 2013
Colorado’s Rio Grande Trail
By Laura Stark
During Colorado’s silver mining boom more than a century ago, two railroads struggled for supremacy over the Roaring Forks Valley, in a competition to see which could first finish the tracks into Aspen and lay claim to the rich silver deposits there.
The strategy of the Colorado Midland Railroad was to take a shorter, but difficult route involving a large number of trestles and extensive tunneling through the Rocky Mountains. The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad’s method, which ultimately proved successful, was to construct a narrow-gauge railroad—which took less time and money to construct than standard gauge—over a longer, but less demanding route. The Denver & Rio Grande reached Aspen in 1887. Today, the Rio Grande Trail (named for the victor) runs through the rail corridor and, in some places, you can still see the old tracks and trestle bridges.
But that was not the last time the corridor was hotly contested. Since 2006, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), supported by pro bono counsel Richard Allen with the law firm of Zuckert, Scoutt, & Rasenberger, has been involved in defending against a claim filed by one of the trail’s adjacent landowners against the government of the United States, seeking compensation for land they believe was “taken” as a result of the federal railbanking law. It is a case that deals with important legal principles for federally granted rights-of-way.
When the trail first grabbed our attention for a Trail of the Month feature more than 10 years ago, it was already a stunner at only seven miles long. Since then the rail-trail has blossomed, and now stretches 42 miles between the ski towns of Aspen and Glenwood Springs, with gorgeous views of the Roaring Fork River, the surrounding mountains and tall aspens that turn bright gold in the fall.
Gary Tennenbaum remembers our original story. It was published right around the time he began as stewardship and trails manager for Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, which is responsible for the county’s 18-mile stretch of the trail from Emma to Aspen. When asked about the trail’s development over the past decade, the first word that comes to Tennenbaum’s mind is “rapid.”
“After Pitkin County started to pave sections of the trail, it started a groundswell of community support,” says Tennenbaum. “People said ‘let’s get it paved and get it all connected.’”
Completed in 2008, the trail is managed by the Roaring Forks Transportation Authority (RFTA), working with partnering agencies like Pitkin County and the City of Aspen. The last big challenge to its development is to decide what to do with the four-mile section from Woody Creek to Aspen’s Stein Park. The gravel pathway here has been used as a trail since the 1960s, and some want to keep it that way. Others see it as the only part of the trail left unpaved and want a smooth ride, end-to-end.
“We’re looking at different options,” Tennenbaum says. “It’s a difficult area that’s very narrow with steep drop-offs. We’re having discussions with the community and, hopefully, will have a decision within the next three months.”
The decision is an important one as Woody Creek is one of the most popular stopping points on the trail. In this town made famous by legendary journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, you’ll find the quirky and lively Woody Creek Tavern. The fame of the Woody Creek Tavern, frequently mentioned in Thompson’s writings, has made renting bikes in Aspen, pedaling eight miles along the scenic Rio Grande Trail and grabbing lunch at the tavern a popular summertime pursuit for both locals and tourists.
“The trail is a huge benefit for the Woody Creek Tavern,” says Tennenbaum. “They have full bike racks that the big cities don’t even have. In the summer, you’ll see more than a hundred bikes there.”
One thing you won’t find on the trail yet is interpretive signage about the history of the rail corridor. But this is something Tennenbaum hopes to pursue once a decision has been made on whether to pave the Woody Creek section. Presently, its history can be explored in the Glenwood Railroad Museum, only a half-mile from the trail’s western end. The museum, offering railroad artifacts, old photographs and a large-scale model railroad, is housed in the Glenwood Springs station, built in 1904 and still serving Amtrak trains today.
With its mining heydays long gone, the area is once again rich in unspoiled natural beauty. The trail closely parallels the Roaring Fork River for much of its length, and animals can often be spotted along its banks. This ready connection to wildlife is a special treat, especially for city dwellers. In the winter, the valley provides such a critical range for deer and elk that a small section of the trail between Basalt and Carbondale is closed annually from November to April and re-routed on the road.
“I think my most memorable experiences on the trail have been wildlife sightings,” says Austin Weiss, trail manager for the City of Aspen, who frequently trains for marathons on the trail. “It’s common to run into a black bear or deer or elk, and there are mountain lions in the area, too.” Around Rock Bottom Ranch, one of his favorite trail spots, he often sees heron and bald eagles.
When the rail corridor was purchased in 1997, one of the justifications was “creating recreation connectivity in the Roaring Forks Valley.” In that endeavor, the trail has been tremendously successful.
“The trail is a great way for communities to connect,” says Tennenbaum, who lives in Basalt and commutes on the trail. “I bump into people all the time. Our trail counters show that thousands and thousands of people use it.”
http://www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringFeatures/trailMonth/index.html
*** Trail/Outdoor/Conservation volunteer opportunities:
1.) Grassland Bird Technician, Nature Conservancy, Milnor, North Dakota
The Grassland Bird Technician (GBT) will be part of a study to evaluate the effects of grazing on grassland bird abundance/density and diversity in the Sheyenne River Delta of North Dakota, USA. Data collected will contribute to our knowledge of the impact of grazing on declining grassland bird populations. Start date is May 20, 2013 continuing through August 9, 2013, and housing will be provided. Primary job duties will include:
•Conduct bird surveys using point counts and distance sampling methods
•Assist with plant community and vegetation structure sampling
•Collect biomass data to assess forage production on sites with different grazing pressure
http://www.environmentjobs.com/green-jobs/grassland-bird-technician.41476.htm
2.) River Clean Ups & Trail Maintenance, Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, San Jose CA
At least twice a year the Conservancy organizes river clean-up efforts in the area between Coleman Avenue and HWY 880. This is a great opportunity to meet with friends, co-workers or new friends who share an interest in maintaining the beauty of the river and protecting the natural habitat. The award-winning 254 acre park, including 2.6 miles of trails, offers visitors an opportunity to explore nature, enjoy the many water features and playground areas, or travel the trails that meander through the park. Volunteers can help the City of San Jose to maintain the areas of the trail on the 2.6 miles of trail from Hwy. 280 to 880. Projects could include weeding, planting, spread mulch, trimming trees, refurbish park benches, cleaning signs, etc.
http://www.grpg.org/volunteer
3.) Trail Maintenance Volunteers, East Bay Regional Park District, Oakland, CA
In order to provide for visitor safety and to protect parkland resources, the Park District staff and trail volunteers provide a much-needed source of labor to repair and enhance existing trails and construct new narrow trails. Trail maintenance projects at various Regional Parks include helping with pruning, erosion control, post installation, trail improvements, and new trail construction. A great way to see the parks!
How to Volunteer?
If you wish to help with a particular project, you may Register Online or by calling the numbers listed in the schedule above at least three days prior to the event. If you have additional questions please call (510) 544-2631.
Youth under 18 years of age must bring a parent or other parent-designated adult over 18 yrs. old to work with on the trail projects. If there is a group of youth under age 18, one adult supervisor per five youth is required.
Regional Trails staff will assign participants to work teams supervised by EBRPD crew leaders. The work teams will break out into groups throughout the site. Trail workdays continue until about 12:30 or 1:00 p.m. Everyone then reunites for lunch and a wrap-up.
Be prepared for changing weather! Dress in layers and have appropriate clothing for light rain or to protect against full exposure to sun. Bring work gloves and wear sturdy boots or shoes, long pants and long-sleeved T-shirts. Bring drinking water, snacks, sunscreen, and a hat that will protect your ears and neck. If your sensitivity to poison oak is high, bring an extra change of clothes and shoes, and a plastic bag to take away your exposed or soiled work clothes. Irritants may include ticks, mosquitos, sunburn, and blisters. Special precautions for preventing poison oak exposure and reducing irritants will be explained on site.
Storm conditions or heavy rain will cancel events. To check for cancellation, call (510) 544-2631, on the morning of the event.
To volunteer, or for more information on the trail maintenance projects, contact: East Bay Regional Park District, Regional Trails Department, 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, P.O. Box 5381, Oakland, CA 94605-0381 or call (510) 544-2631.
If you would like to receive our bi-annual Ivan Dickson Volunteer Maintenance Program Newsletter, please call (510)544-2631 and leave the correct spelling of your name and mailing address.
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Why Be a Trail Volunteer?
If you like to hike, bike, or ride and enjoy well maintained trails, think about becoming a trail maintenance volunteer.
The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) manages more than 100,000 acres of land in 65 parks, and maintains 1,150 miles of trails. Maintenance and rehabilitation of the existing trails is an ongoing process (similar to repairing potholes on public roadways) and is required due to public use, annual vegetation growth, and other forces of nature, particularly from erosion caused by the flow of water over and adjacent to trails.
In order to provide for visitor safety and to protect parkland resources, EBRPD staff and volunteers provide a much-needed source of labor to repair and enhance existing trails and construct new narrow trails. In turn, the public learns concepts of land stewardship and resource conservation while giving back to the trails system they enjoy.
Typical tasks for the volunteers include installation of drainage structures, pruning, trail tread maintenance, and installation of special trail structures such as retaining walls, bridges, and causeways.
Volunteers use a variety of hand tools under the instruction of EBRPD staff. Participants can include anyone in good physical condition: children (10 years and older), teens, adults, and seniors.
Earn Respect, Credit and Appreciation for Community Service
In addition to interested individuals, trail maintenance volunteers come from schools, churches, Scout groups, corporate partnerships, public agencies, and various trail user organizations.
Students can earn four community service hours per event.
Girl Scouts have earned credit toward the Backpacking Merit Badge and the Eco-Action Merit Badge.
If you are interested, give us a call!
Ivan Dickson Trail Maintenance Program
History
Ivan Dickson was a member of the Berkeley Hiking Club since 1920 and was an active hiker well into his eighties. For more than 60 years, Ivan Dickson spent his free time hiking the trails of the East Bay Regional Park District.
When Mr. Dickson died in February 1993, at the age of 95, he left both a request and bequest to the East Bay Regional Park District to “take good care” of the trails that meant so much to him. In order to honor Ivan’s desire for trails to be well maintained, the District created a unique program for trail maintenance (current projects). The funds from his bequest are managed like an endowment, with the interest generated being used to sponsor and support volunteer maintenance projects throughout the Park District’s extensive trail system. The funds are allocated for materials, supplies, hand tools, food, and acknowledgments for the volunteers. By leveraging these funds for long-term growth, and by involving the public in a partnership dedicated to the preservation of trail resources through volunteer efforts, a perpetual trail maintenance program has been established to accommodate future generations of trail volunteers.
Since 1996, the Ivan Dickson Volunteer Trail Maintenance Program has managed 121 trail projects with 6,036 volunteers contributing 25,431 hours of volunteer labor.
How to Participate
Choose a Saturday date from the calendar of trail projects and mark your own calendar. Three to four weeks prior to the project, call the Park District’s recorded line (510) 544-2631 and request a flier for the specific date. Or you can register your name and phone number now by emailing info@ebparks.org. The flier you receive will include project specifics such as meeting place and time, project description, and any other special information. We ask that you register up to three days prior to the event. If you have particular questions, the recorded line will refer you to District staff.
Trail Maintenance Fund
Join us in building a Trail Maintenance Fund. Our goal is to build the Ivan Dickson Trail Maintenance Fund to $5,000,000! By doing so, we can guarantee a perpetual trail maintenance program for future generations. Financial contributions are tax-deductible and can be made to: EBRPD-Ivan Dickson Volunteer Trail Maintenance Program Fund, 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605.
http://www.ebparks.org/getinvolved/volunteer/trail
*** Travel/Adventure/Outdoors/Conservation employment opportunities:
1.) Summer Program Instructor – Log Rolling, Office of Student Affairs, Twin Cities Campus, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN
https://employment.umn.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/position/JobDetails_css.jsp?postingId=592417
2.) Projects Coordinator, Nepal, Zoological Society of London, Kathmandu and project sites, Nepal
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), a charity founded in 1826, is a world-renowned centre of excellence for conservation science and applied conservation. ZSL’s mission is to promote and achieve the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. This is realised by carrying out field conservation and research in over 50 countries across the globe and through education and awareness-raising at our two zoos, ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, inspiring people to take conservation action.
ZSL in partnership with the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) has been active in the field of conservation in Nepal for more than 20 years. ZSL’s current focus in Nepal is on strengthening and increasing the capacity of Nepal’s existing wildlife department officials, young conservation biologists and communities. Work includes monitoring and surveillance of rhino populations; strengthening metapopulation management; setting up standardised status reporting on each rhino population; developing a Terai grassland invasive species management programme; training field scientists in habitat assessment and control; implementing more effective human-wildlife conflict resolution approaches; coordinating the completion of the Red List of Nepal’s birds; and improving public engagement and integration of local communities, and other stakeholders in conservation efforts.
ZSL is recruiting a projects coordinator to oversee and coordinate this conservation work while also setting up a ZSL Nepal office. Responsibilities will include overseeing current project activities, fundraising, maintaining and building strategic partnerships to develop the Nepal programme, and developing and implementing new conservation projects. Success in these endeavours would lead to the position developing into a full country manager role over the next few years.
The ideal candidate will have a strong scientific background as well as excellent administrative, organizational, communication and interpersonal skills. They will also have a good understanding of current priorities in biodiversity conservation in the region, and experience working in the field, managing staff and budgets, and working collaboratively with different cultures, particularly in the Indian subcontinent.
Salary will be £21,090 pa. ZSL will also provide one international return flight to the UK (or other home country) per year, full medical emergency evacuation cover, visa fees and 30 days holiday per annum. The successful candidate will be based full time in Nepal, with time spent in Kathmandu and at the project sites as required. There will be occasional visits to ZSL’s UK office.
To apply for this position please send your CV and covering letter to the Human Resources Department at hr@zsl.org. The closing date for applications is 25th January, 2013. Interviews are expected to take place in the first week of February. The expected start date is at the end of February, 2013 or as close to that as possible.
http://www.environmentjobs.com/green-jobs/projects-coordinator-nepal.41489.htm
3.) Development and Fundraising Volunteer Organization, Save The Bay, Oakland, California
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=377300028
4.) Communications Assistant, Principles for Responsible Investment, London, England
MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders. Other applicants need not apply.
About the Principles for Responsible Investment
The Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) is an investor initiative in partnership with UNEP Finance Initiative and the UN Global Compact. Launched by UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan and subsequently endorsed by his successor Ban Ki-Moon, the PRI is a set of voluntary best practice principles to assist investors in integrating environmental, social and corporate governance issues into investment processes and ownership practices. The principles are supported by a Secretariat that promotes the PRI and provides implementation support to signatories. See www.unpri.org for further information.
Summary of the position
The Communications Assistant will support the PRI Communications team to deliver a number of new projects that have been prioritised for early 2013 relating to its new website, social media strategy, signatory webinars and general communications activity. The individual will gain exposure to a broad range of teams and activities within the PRI, including signatory relations and recruitment, implementation support, collaborative shareholder engagement, and reporting and assessment. This position will report to the Head of Communications.
Specific responsibilities include:
•Further developing and implementing the PRIs social media strategy, identifying and drawing on best practice within its signatory base and peer organisations.
•Creating collateral to help new and existing signatories better communicate their involvement with the PRI within their own organisations and with external audiences.
•Drafting articles for publication and providing general team support, including on signatory webinars, reporting and data entry.Requirements and likely experience
•Previous experience in a communications function, ideally within an investment institution.
•Strong research and writing skills, with excellent spelling and grammar.
•Interest in responsible investment and ESG issues will be highly regarded.
•Must be eligible to work in the UK.
http://www.environmentjobs.com/green-jobs/communications-assistant.41484.htm
*** From Sue Bumpous:
For both Job of the Week and Your Next Step newsletters – When I changed jobs, I seem to have fallen off the mailing list for both (even though I did not change email addresses) but will add myself back on.
5.) Executive Director, Outdoor Writers Association of America
OWAA Initiates Search For New Executive Director
The Outdoor Writers Association of America, the nation’s oldest and largest association of professional outdoors-focused communicators, is seeking a new executive director.
The 1,000-member association, formed in 1927 at a meeting of the Izaak Walton League of America, counts among its members the nation’s foremost outdoor writers, photographers, artists and broadcasters.
Current OWAA Executive Director Robin Giner submitted her resignation in November. Giner, who began her affiliation with OWAA in 2001, assumed the role of executive director in 2010. She plans to embark on a career more closely aligned with her agricultural roots.
“During her tenure with the organization Giner helped navigate OWAA through difficult times as it confronted challenges facing the entire media industry,” said OWAA President Mark Taylor, outdoors editor of The Roanoke (Va.) Times.
“However, this presents us with an opportunity to find a new director with the special vision and skills needed to keep moving us forward.”
An eight-member committee of OWAA officers and individual members is heading up the recruiting effort.
In the past, the organization’s leaders felt strongly that the position should be based in Missoula, Mont., current location of OWAA headquarters. That requirement has been adjusted to accommodate skilled individuals who might not find it possible to relocate.
“Our priority is finding a skilled, experienced leader who is familiar with the outdoors industry and outdoors-related communication,” Taylor said. “We are trying to do everything we can to ensure that our pool of candidates is as good as it possibly can be.”
The application deadline for the position is Jan. 21, 2013.
View the complete position description.
6.) Executive Director, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA), Joseph, OR (position location is flexible)
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Seeks Executive Director
Position: Executive Director Status: Full time
Description:
Founded around an Oregon campfire in 2004, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) seeks to ensure America’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing through education and work on behalf of wild public lands and waters. Our strength and inspiration are rooted in the passion and knowledge of our grassroots membership representing the interests of sportsmen and women in nearly all fifty states. In the ever expanding and technological world in which we live, there is a need and a longing to return to the natural world and experience the wonders provided by wild public lands. With our natural resources facing unprecedented challenges and threats, it is our responsibility to advocate for meaningful conservation policies that protect the health and integrity of wild backcountry landscapes for future generations.
BHA is looking for a dynamic Executive Director (ED) with the passion, experience, and energy necessary to lead the organization forward and strengthen its commitment to protecting fish and wildlife habitat and increasing opportunity and access to quality hunting and fishing. Working closely with the Board of directors, state chapter leaders and staff, the ED will be responsible for all aspects of organizational management while establishing concrete goals and objectives to guide BHA’s strategic conservation vision.
Leadership qualifications:
-Avid hunter/angler/conservationist with a deep understanding of America’s western heritage and a passion for its backcountry hunting and fishing culture.
-Ability to represent the organization publicly with the media, elected officials and other policymakers to raise the profile of BHA nationally while maintaining its reputation and influence.
-Excellent communication skills capable of delivering compelling and articulate written and verbal messages.
-Experienced in managing organizations (especially nonprofits) and supervising, inspiring, and motivating paid staff and volunteers.
-Financial oversight experience, including banking, insurance, and taxation for nonprofits.
-Enthusiasm for fundraising and demonstrated ability to cultivate development relationships.
-Demonstrated experience in conflict resolution and convening divergent interests to advance BHA’s mission and promote meaningful conservation policies.
-Ability to work in a self-directed and disciplined manner.
-Understanding of land use management policies involving public land, wildlife, and water and the ability to engage BHA members, grassroots leaders, and advocates to advance conservation priorities and opportunities for hunting and fishing.
-Undergraduate degree required; advanced degrees a plus.
Responsibilities:
-Work closely with the Board of Directors to set the organization’s strategic direction and facilitate effective engagement opportunities for BHA’s members and volunteers.
-Initiate regular conference calls and in-person meetings with the Board of Directors, relevant committees of the Board, and with the leadership of state chapters.
-Organize volunteers and oversee contractors to help achieve specific policy objectives, educate members and public audiences about public land conservation, particularly protecting backcountry public lands and other core habitat, and free-flowing rivers, while supporting campaigns spear-headed by state chapters.
-Direct development and fundraising efforts to increase resources, enhance membership programs, diversify funding sources, and cultivate relationships with foundations, major donors, and supporters to keep BHA financially solvent and growing. This includes writing grants and progress reports, working with staff to hold fundraisers and special events like our annual Rendezvous.
-Working with the staff, Board, Board Chair, and Treasurer, secure a reliable cash flow and provide wise stewardship of economic assets. Communicate with major donors, prospects, accountants, and the Board about appropriate aspects of BHA’s finances.
-Administer grants, conservation campaigns, and related accountability systems to ensure that deliverables are met and staff/contractors are efficiently managed.
-Develop business operation systems to manage budgets, human resources, membership programs, strengthen state chapters, and complement board development.
-Provide guidance to BHA’s state chapters, strengthen capacity, help build new chapters, and serve as conduit between the Board, staff, and chapters.
-Communicate regularly with members to keep our “boots on the ground” volunteers enthused, inspired, and informed about BHA activities.
-Serve as the primary point of contact with media interests, increase BHA’s influence with decision makers and core audiences, and elevate public awareness of BHA with strategic constituents.
-Contribute content to the Backcountry Journal, help publish email alerts and other on-line outreach messages, and maintain consistency across all communications platforms.
The position location is flexible. Proximity to a large regional airport is important. The majority of BHA’s priorities are on public lands throughout the West and Alaska. Travel (including driving) is expected. Willingness to work non-traditional hours and weekends is required.
Compensation will reflect the professional nature of this complex and challenging position and the experience level of the candidate.
To apply, submit resume, cover letter, and writing sample by January 31, 2013 to rcaslar@backcountryhunters.org.
7.) Manager, Major Donor Communications, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=363900011
8.) Development Coordinator, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, DC
http://www.execsearches.com/non-profit-jobs/jobDetail.asp?job_id=25271
9.) Federal Lands Policy Analyst, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, DC
http://www.execsearches.com/non-profit-jobs/jobDetail.asp?job_id=25272
10.) Vice President and Executive Director, Audubon Vermont National Audubon Society Huntington, Vermont
For more than a century, Audubon has championed the protection of birds and their habitat. Audubon’s mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats, for the benefit of humanity and the Earth’s biological diversity. With nearly 700 staff, 23 state programs, 465 local chapters, 43 centers and sanctuaries, and close to half a million members throughout the United States, Audubon achieves its mission by engaging people in bird conservation on a hemispheric scale through science, policy, education, and on-the-ground conservation action.
In the fall of 2011, Audubon adopted a new strategic plan to renew the organization’s focus on the biggest and most important opportunities for addressing critical threats to birds and their habitat. At the core of this plan is a focus on flyways: Each year, more than 10 billion birds use major flyways to travel up and down the continent and to points beyond. Underneath these flyways are migratory rest stops and the homes for non-migratory birds that are critical to birds’ survival. These places form a web that represents the richest veins of biodiversity across the Americas. They are the tipping point places that connect people to birds and ecosystems—and where birds thrive, people prosper. By mobilizing and aligning Audubon’s unparalleled network of chapters, centers, state programs, and Important Bird Area (IBA) programs to focus on the four major migratory flyways in the Americas (Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and Pacific), the organization will bring the full power of Audubon to bear on protecting common and threatened bird species and the critical habitat they need to survive. Within each flyway, Audubon will sharpen its focus on the most critical species and places, working only where there is a theory of victory for delivering measurable conservation impact at scale. As part of BirdLife International, Audubon will join people in more than 100 countries working to protect a network of IBAs around the world, leveraging the impact of actions they take at a local level. Critical to Audubon’s conservation success will be engaging a growing and more diverse audience to take conservation action.
Position Summary:
Audubon seeks an Executive Director to build on Audubon Vermont’s rich history and expand its contributions to conservation in Vermont and the Atlantic Flyway, leading the organization to its next level of programmatic and financial success. This is a high-profile, pivotal opportunity for a dynamic conservation professional. As one of Audubon’s state programs with a significant leadership role in the Atlantic Flyway, an annual budget of $800,000 and a staff of 12, Audubon Vermont uses its statewide Forest Bird and Champlain Valley Bird conservation initiatives, educational programming, the Green Mountain Audubon Center, its four sanctuaries, seven affiliated local Audubon Chapters, and 3,000 grassroots members to protect birds and their habitats. The successful candidate will have the passion and leadership skills necessary to articulate, develop, and implement Audubon’s conservation goals and strategies in the state, while maintaining its leadership role in the flyway by working closely with the Audubon Vermont Board and staff, and the Vice President of the Atlantic Flyway to align the state program with strategic regional and national priorities. The Executive Director will hold the title of Vice President within the national organization and will report to the VP Atlantic Flyway; s/he will be jointly reviewed by the VP Atlantic Flyway and Audubon Vermont Board each year.
Audubon offers an excellent benefits package and a competitive salary that is commensurate with experience. This position will be located in Huntington, Vermont at the Green Mountain Audubon Center.
Essential Functions:
The Vice President/Executive Director, Audubon Vermont, will perform the following and other duties as assigned:
Strategy Development and Organizational Leadership
• Complete the development and lead the implementation of a five-year strategic plan for Audubon Vermont to grow the organization’s capacity across the state to achieve conservation of priority birds and their habitats.
• Provide leadership, management, and mentoring to a staff of 12 including a team of dedicated program directors in the areas of science, policy, and education to reach the goals set out by the National Strategic Plan as they relate to Vermont and the Green Mountain Audubon Center.
• Have a clear vision, passion, and commitment to leveraging the Green Mountain Audubon Center as a hub for education, science, and demonstration that is clearly and strategically integrated with state and flyway initiatives.
• Manage the day to day operations of the state, including setting financial and programmatic goals, analyzing results, and taking corrective actions, in close collaboration with Audubon Vermont’s program directors.
Fundraising and External Relations
• Lead Audubon Vermont’s fundraising, working closely with Audubon Vermont’s development staff and program directors, the VP of the Atlantic Flyway, and the Chief Development Officer of the National Audubon Society to cultivate and solicit major donors and foundations for Audubon Vermont and Atlantic Flyway initiatives of which Audubon Vermont is a part to significantly increase contributions from diverse stakeholders.
• Represent and raise the profile and visibility of Audubon Vermont externally to funders, partners, policymakers, and the public.
• Work closely with the Audubon Vermont Board to support their efforts in continuing the development of a strong statewide organization through fundraising, program development, and conservation advocacy.
• Inspire and provide guidance to Audubon Vermont chapters to help them realize their potential for on-the-ground conservation and education, as well as within the larger organization’s Atlantic Flyway infrastructure. Work with the Chapter Assembly to strengthen the statewide presence of Audubon and support these organizations in their local efforts.
• Engage Vermont’s growing diverse population through strategic outreach efforts.
• Expand the geographic reach of Audubon Vermont programs both within the state and across the Atlantic Flyway.
Qualifications and Experience:
The successful candidate will have the following qualifications:
• Strong leadership skills, including an engaging and energetic demeanor and the ability to inspire and motivate staff, volunteers, donors, and potential partners
• 7-10 years of experience (preferably in the non-profit sector), including 5 years at a senior management level with comparable staff and budget responsibilities
• Proven success in fundraising, in particular extensive experience with major donors, foundations, corporations, and government funders
• Experience managing institutional growth and change within a decentralized organization highly desirable
• Strategic thinker with the ability to transfer vision and strategy into aligned and effective programs and activities
• Demonstrated ability to partner with key stakeholders, such as Boards of Directors and management teams, all while acting as an ambassador for Audubon Vermont
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, judgment, and an ability to collaborate and build coalitions with a wide range of individuals and organizations at the local, regional, and national levels
• Persuasive communication skills and the ability to effectively represent Audubon Vermont to its members, state and federal elected officials, donors, and chapters leaders, as well as in traditional and social media
• Knowledge and appreciation of Vermont and its environment, its conservation and political history, and the role of science in developing conservation strategies, strongly preferred, as well as an understanding of the role that science, policy, and education cooperatively play in achieving conservation goals and outcomes
• Willingness and ability to travel routinely throughout the state and nationally, as required
• Knowledge of basic accounting protocols and ability to review finances with others to build consensus around priorities and monitor ongoing expenditures
• Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree in a relevant field preferred
To Apply:
Candidates should apply directly online at: https://careers-audubon.icims.com/jobs/1572/vice-president-and-state-executive-director%2c-audubon-vermont/job
http://www.execsearches.com/non-profit-jobs/jobDetail.asp?job_id=25216
11.) Outdoors Show Internship (Non-Paid, for Academic Credit), KSL Television, Bonneville Communications, Salt Lake City, UT
http://www.ksl.com/web/joblisting.php?file=1312161011.cur
12.) Center Director, Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary, Audubon, Tiburon, California
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=405000018
13.) Outreach Coordinator, National Audubon Society, Inc., Oyster Bay, NY
https://careers-audubon.icims.com/jobs/1588/outreach-coordinator/job
14.) Half-Time Executive Director, Bike&Walk Montclair, Montclair, New Jersey
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=402900009
*** Send your job opportunities to share with the YVNS network to lundquist989@cs.com.
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