SCA NH Corps Interpretive Ranger

Have you ever wanted to live in a state park where you can explore thousands of acres of prime New England forest? Do you want to make life-long friends who are passionate about the environment and are from all over the United States? Does the chance to learn environmental education and leadership skills and start your career off with a one-of-a-kind experience sound exciting? If you said yes to any or all of these questions, then the New Hampshire Conservation Corps is the place for you!

The SCA New Hampshire Corps is a collaboration between the SCA, the New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and AmeriCorps. Since 1994 the SCA NH Corps has provided over one million hours of service to the great little state of New Hampshire while training young adults to do valuable conservation work. Each year 27 young adult volunteers (18 Field Crew members and 9 Interpretive Rangers) contribute thousands of service hours, providing environmental education programs to the state’s residents and visitors and completing conservation service projects to improve and protect the state’s natural, cultural, and recreational resources from the Atlantic Coast to the White Mountains and beyond.

This program has been branded the Discover the Power of Parks (DPP) as a way to engage visitors with the natural, cultural, and recreational resources of New Hampshire State Parks.  In this program you will connect residents and visitors through fun and engaging programs throughout your service term.  To view a visual representation of the Interpretive Ranger position and all it has to offer please head to, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L__GPJUlOysOXq-9U0uQCgLFYBoy6EqE/view?usp=share_link. 

Training Season:
This season runs April - mid June. During this time you will be living at Bear Brook State Park with the other Interpretive Rangers and Field Crew Members.  Throughout training you will learn from experienced staff and trainers as you engage in:

• SCA, AmeriCorps, and NH State Park policies and protocols
• Leadership development and teamwork discussions and scenarios
• Leave No Trace 
• Wilderness First Responder
• Environmental education program and curriculum development, delivery, and evaluation
• NH natural and cultural history
• and Certified Interpretive Guide training 

During May you will work in groups to deliver outreach programs for our partners across NH.  Programs may include a stand alone event or series of events. The programmatic structure may include field-days, hour long in person sessions outdoors, or shorter virtual programs.  Partners include:

• Elementary and middle school classes
• Multi-age afterschool and programs
• Libraries
• Community centers
• Other non-profits

Discover the Power of Parks Season:
This season runs from mid June-October. During this time members will serve in the field at one or more, but not all, state parks across NH.  Parks members may serve at include:

• Monadnock State Park - Jaffrey, NH
• Greenfield State Park - Greenfield, NH
• White Lake State Park - Tamworth, NH
• Umbagog Lake State Park - Cambridge, NH
• Pawtuckaway State Park - Nottingham, NH
• Bear Brook State Park - Allenstown, NH
• Crawford Notch State Park - Harts Location, NH
• Franconia Notch State Park - Franconia/Lincoln, NH
• And More!

During your time at your designated park you may serve individually or with one other member and will assist with visitor services and develop and deliver environmental, cultural, and recreational programs.  From mid June - August you will create and staff educational drop-in tables or run 45 minute to hour long interactive programs for multi age groups.

After Labor Day until Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day you will spend half your week delivering outreach programs for organizations based in the communities surrounding your park. The remainder of your week, mainly Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday, will be spent delivering programs or assisting with visitor services at your park(s).

For the last several weeks of the program, in October, everyone will return to the NH Corps site at Bear Brook.  During this time folks will clean and return gear, complete facilities projects to get camp ready for winter, finish programmatic paperwork and reporting, and celebrate before everyone departs for their next adventure.

Through this 7 month commitment you will serve communities throughout New Hampshire while contributing as active members of the SCA NH AmeriCorps program. For more general information about this and other positions with the SCA NH Corps please visit, https://www.thesca.org/NHcorps.

POSITION BENEFITS:

• Stipend $6,300 – $210/week
• All food is provided – estimated value is $1500
• Housing is provided – estimated value is $4,000
• AmeriCorps Education Award $4,826.50, for qualifying educational expenses and loans,upon completion of 1200 hours of service
• Health Insurance – $375/month
• Wilderness First Responder (WFR) $700 – includes CPR
• Certified Interpretive Guide training – $400
• Leave No Trace - Trainer Certification – $150
• Hands-on experience in education, including program development, lesson and curriculum planning, and evaluation
• Opportunity to develop a network of professional contacts and great friends

Requirements in Order to Serve:

• US citizenship is required.
• Ability to pass required state and federal background checks.
• Personal Vehicle

Location Descriptions

Bear Brook State Park:
This position is unique in that service takes place all over the state. However, the programs home base, which includes “rustic camp” cabins is Spruce Pond Camp within Bear Brook State Park (BBSP). BBSP is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire with over 10,000 acres and 40 miles of trails. Whether you are headed from here to do service or just have fun recreating you will certainly enjoy the trails, ponds, wildlife and other gems this park and state have to offer.

Discover the Power of Parks Locations:
During the program you may have the opportunity to serve in the Monadnock, Merrimack Valley, Seacoast, Lakes, White Mountain, or Great North Woods region(s) of NH.

Training Provided

• Education Program Development, Management, Delivery, and Evaluation
• NH Natural History
• Wilderness First Responder & CPR
• Certified Interpretive Guide
• Leave No Trace
• Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
• Leadership and Teamwork
• Risk Management & More!

How to apply:

Please head to the position posting on the SCA webpage, https://www.thesca.org/serve/position/nh-conservation-corps-interpretive-ranger/po-00734497.  At the bottom of the page you will see an apply now button, click that to complete the crew and corps application and submit your references.  If you have any questions throughout the application process please email Kate Banyas the NH Corps Education Coordinator at kbanyas@thesca.org.

For further information about the program please visit the NH Corps website, thesca.org/NHCorps, and Instagram page, https://www.instagram.com/sca_nh_bearbrook/.