Program: Potomac Headwaters Home Rivers Initiative

Reports to: Potomac Headwaters HRI Manager and Local District Conservationist

Organization: Trout Unlimited

Location: Franklin, West Virginia

About Trout Unlimited: Trout Unlimited (TU) is a national organization with more than 300,000 supporters nationwide. This dedicated grassroots army is matched by a respected staff of organizers, lawyers, policy experts and scientists, who work out of more than 30 offices. Our mission to bring together diverse interests to care for and recover rivers and streams so our children can experience the joy of wild and native trout and salmon.

Description: Since 2005, TU has been working in the headwaters of the Potomac River watershed in West Virginia to protect, restore, and re-connect native brook trout resources. Through TU’s Potomac Headwaters Home River Initiative (PHHRI) staff works with public and private landowners to restore riparian and in-stream habitat, stabilize eroding stream banks, mitigate barriers to aquatic organism passage, and monitor projects for success. The PHHRI is spearheaded by TU, however, a variety of other partners are actively engaged in the PHHRI, including TU council and chapters, state and federal agencies, landowners, industry, land trusts, and watershed groups. This professional level position provides an opportunity to become engaged in a cutting-edge restoration initiative working amongst a diverse group of partners and stakeholders. This position will focus on assisting in the identification and implementation of cold-water restoration opportunities and efforts to the benefit of WV’s trout fisheries. The position collaborates with local landowners and partners to fund and design conservation projects that meet the needs of the landowners, and the biota that inhabit these streams. A significant portion of the conservation efforts in the Potomac are implemented through federal financial assistance programs available to private landowners through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA). Therefore, the PHHRI Conservation Planner will work closely with staff from TU, the NRCS and FSA, out of local the USDA Service Center in Franklin, West Virginia to provide technical assistance to private landowners and agency staff to facilitate the implementation of riparian and in-stream restoration projects and monitoring such projects to evaluate success. This position provides an opportunity to restore trout streams and the watersheds they inhabit on a full-time basis. It provides both an opportunity to spend time in the field and in an office setting, as staff regularly conduct site visits, as well as, input, analyze, contract, and implement projects.

Duties and Responsibilities: This position’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following activities:

• Conduct field assessments of properties and watersheds to identify resource and on farm needs to develop quality conservation projects;
• Conduct field visits with landowners and agency staff to support initial sign up for Farm Bill Programs, as well as, the assessment and maintenance of existing conservation projects with regard to re-enrollment in Farm Bill Programs;
• Support the identification of resource concerns to facilitate the installation of targeted conservation practices in focal areas.
• Provide assessment and design technical assistance to private landowners by using the NRCS and FSA conservation planning and reporting platforms;
• Provide technical assistance for the implementation of select conservation practices;
• Assist District Conservationists and Trout Unlimited staff in contract development;
• Assist in the development of NRCS ranking criteria, and apply the authorized ranking process to the individual producer project applications;
• Collaborate with a diverse group of conservation partners to implement conservation projects

Education: Bachelor’s Degree or Higher. Preference given to candidates with a major of Biology, Forestry, Agriculture, Wildlife and Fisheries Resources, Environmental Sciences, or other related degree. Preference will be given to advanced degree holders.

Qualifications:

• General knowledge of conservation techniques and best management practices in agricultural settings
• Stream habitat assessment and restoration experience
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Self-motivated
• Enjoy working in a collaborative environment
• Ability to foster relationships with agricultural producers and partners and willingness to provide guidance to landowners in the conservation planning process.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with federal Farm Bill financial assistance programs (EQIP, CREP, CSP, etc.)
• Passion for the outdoors
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail
• Knowledge of resource concerns and conservation practices for watershed restoration
• General knowledge of NRCS Program, Practices and Standards (Alternative water, riparian buffers, rotational grazing, in-stream habitat restoration etc.)
• Experience providing conservation planning, technical assistance, or implementation services