The AmeriCorps member will support the day-to-day logistics for many of our Conservancy programs in central Pennsylvania. The AmeriCorps member will be responsible for recruitment and outreach of volunteers, planning and running events and educational trainings, and building capacity for our major programs (above and beyond what current staff are doing). These include the Live Stake Collaborative, Riparian Rangers: Union County, and partner streamside tree plantings. The member will serve the community by providing opportunities to maintain local water quality, as well as to learn about local ecology and why conservation and restoration are important to our livelihood.

A driver’s license and access to reliable transportation will be required to attend and coordinate volunteer events away from the host site.

  • Members must participate in CORE AmeriCorps Group Activities.
  • Members must have all clearances before serving Vulnerable Populations.
  • Members may not participate in any activities included in the Prohibited
  • Activities as listed in the Partner Site and Member Agreements.
  1. Increase capacity for Chesapeake Conservancy Pennsylvania programs
    1. Live staking and buffer maintenance volunteer programs—reaching a larger volunteer base, integrating more partners, expanding the geographical reach of new projects, and other program leadership duties
    2. Restoration projects—assisting with outreach, creating new partnerships, strengthening existing partnerships, and helping with buffer planning and planting logistics
    3. Create advertising materials—to communicate event details with volunteers the CORE member will create virtual or physical advertising materials (fliers, etc.).
    4. Create educational materials—as part of planning volunteer trainings, or as part of educating the community about our projects (at a workshop, conference, tabling, etc.)
    5. Participate in conferences and meetings to promote PA programs and collaboration opportunities with other conservation organizations.
    6. Other logistical support as identified for Pennsylvania programming
  2. Volunteer management for the Conservancy’s central PA programs (live stake, buffer maintenance, partner tree planting)
    1. Volunteer recruitment and outreach—the CORE member will oversee recruiting new and recurring volunteers for Chesapeake Conservancy events, they will communicate by email and phone call with local individuals and groups whose goals align with ours (i.e. local Audubon chapter, environmentally focused clubs at schools, Master Gardeners, Susquehanna University students, etc.). Volunteers will also be recruited through marketing via local media outlets.
    2. Volunteer coordination—the CORE member will often oversee planning the events where volunteers are necessary, this includes choosing a date and time, coordinating with other Conservancy staff, securing a location and getting landowner permission, and communicating these details with volunteers participating in the events.
    3. Volunteer training—the CORE member may have the opportunity to plan and coordinate volunteer trainings, this includes choosing a date and time, securing a location and getting landowner permission, creating an agenda and securing training leaders, and communicating this with participants.
    4. Record volunteer numbers and hours for grant reporting.
  3. Participate in volunteer events and trainings.
    1. Live stake volunteering includes collecting and planting live stakes.
    2. Buffer maintenance volunteering includes removing tree tubes, planting tree stakes, weed whacking, cutting back invasive species.
    3. Other restoration project volunteering typically includes tree planting.
  4. Oversee student interns by assigning tasks and providing guidance.
  5. Will have opportunities to shadow and potentially collaborate with other Conservancy staff on projects such as ArcGIS mapping, video creation, virtual tool creation, environmental education curriculum development, water quality monitoring techniques, and more.
  6. Maintain and manage Google Calendar to keep organized and communicate schedules with Chesapeake Conservancy and the PA team.
  7. Supporting Gather and Grow programming, including participating in and completing workforce development
    focused trainings as available