Public Outreach & Recreation Assistant at Ottawa National Forest

position Title: Public Outreach & Recreation Assistant

Position Service Site: Ottawa National Forest Visitor Center, Watersmeet, MI 

Service Time: January 11, 2027 – August 28, 2027 (1,200-hr AmeriCorps Term, 33 weeks, 40 hours per week)

Benefits: Living stipend total for the whole term = $16,500 ($500 per week). An AmeriCorps education Award of approximately $5,176 will be awarded upon successful service completion. $175 WisCorps boot reimbursement benefit.

Onsite shared housing is available at no cost. Members should be prepared to live communally with other people.

OVERVIEW: At just over one million acres, the Ottawa National Forest is located in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, extending from the south shore of Lake Superior to the Wisconsin border.  The area is known for its remote character, picturesque lakes and streams, vast northern hardwood forests, and abundant wildlife. The Ottawa National Forest offers numerous recreational opportunities including high-quality stream and lake fishing, deer and small-game hunting, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, birding, cross-country and downhill skiing, and more. The Ottawa National Forest contains numerous glacial lakes, which are home to bald eagles, ospreys, loons, smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike, and other native fish and wildlife species. Three designated Wilderness Areas lie within this area– Sylvania, McCormick, and the Sturgeon River Gorge, each offering its own unique features.

SERVICE description: The Assistant will perform a variety of services in the field and office to support Ottawa National Forest’s recreation programs. They will conduct surveys as part of National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM), a Forest Service program designed to estimate how many people recreate on national forests and grasslands, what activities they engage in while there and how satisfied people were with their visit. They will also assist with staffing the Ottawa National Forest Visitor Center and Sylvania Wilderness Entrance Station, providing visitor information, educating visitors on Leave No Trace principles, and instructing users about rules and regulations. They will help respond to inquiries about recreation facilities, user permits, points of interest, and related activities and may participate in and develop interpretive programs for community outreach purposes. The Public Outreach and Recreation Assistant may be required to wear a uniform and comply with USFS uniform standards.  The work schedule may vary seasonally and could require early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays as necessary to fulfill position responsibilities.

The Assistant will periodically rotate into the Recreation and Wilderness Crews as needed, performing maintenance tasks at developed and dispersed recreation sites in a small crew setting. Required field overnights may occur periodically. Associated duties include maintaining and restoring sites that visitors use for recreational purposes to prevent resource damage and minimize impact on the land. These tasks involve operation of hand tools, mowers, chainsaws, weed whips, and various power tools. The team also maintains facilities to reduce sanitation impacts in the forest. The Assistant may assist with field and survey data collection and input utilizing a tablet or GPS unit.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Follow survey and site setup protocol and conduct on the ground NVUM interviews/surveys with forest visitors at designated developed and dispersed recreation sites across the forest on an assigned schedule.
• Conduct Ottawa National Forest Visitor Center and Sylvania Wilderness Entrance Station operations as needed.
• Assist visitors by providing them with information about specific recreation opportunities and activities.
• Inform visitors of the rules and regulations applicable to the various areas within the Ottawa National Forest.
• Conduct site monitoring visits for compliance with Recreation and Wilderness Area rules and regulations, including those involving campfires, sanitation, and use of camping sites. Report any observed violations.
• Use initiative to carry out recurring assignments independently. Detailed instructions are provided for new assignments. Unfamiliar situations or deviations from established practices are referred to a supervisor.
• Periodically join the Recreation Crew to perform day-to-day maintenance, monitoring, clean-up, issues reporting, and simple construction projects for recreation sites. Day-to-day maintenance includes mowing, trimming, tree clearing, and debris pick-up, cleaning and maintaining fire rings, campsites, bathrooms, beaches, and other facilities, and assisting the public with questions related to camping and recreation.
• Monitor the condition and use of trails, portages, Wilderness campsites, and other wilderness areas, perform any maintenance needed to US Forest Service standards, and report any issues found.
• Complete backcountry maintenance of hiking trails, campsites, and portages using crosscut saws, axes, etc.
• The WisCorps member may on rare occasions take part in overnight trips to maintain backcountry wilderness sites involving complex portage and campsite projects where the main mode of travel is by canoe and on foot.

HOUSING:

• Members should be prepared to live in communal housing with 0-5 other Forest Service affiliated staff.
• Members must inform staff of any housing preferences or required accommodations.
• Housing accommodation includes a private, lockable dorm room with a twin mattress and limited closet space.
• Shared living spaces include a large living and dining room, laundry, full-service kitchen, and two full bathrooms.
• There is no internet or tv service provided in the shared house, and no pets are allowed.
• The bunkhouse is located within 30 miles of Iron River, MI, and Eagle River, WI, which offer several amenities.

TRAININGS OFFERED:

• National Visitor Use Monitoring trainings
• Cross Cut Saw and ATV/UTV certifications
• First Aid/CPR training
• Defensive Driving training
• Radio/SPOT device and Avenza mapping software trainings

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum age requirement is 18 years old
• A citizen of the United States, a United States national, or a legal permanent resident of the United States
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Excellent communication skills
• Understanding of or willingness to learn various conservation practices
• Passion for outdoor recreation
• Must possess a valid driver’s license, and a reliable personal vehicle is recommended
• Ability to perform position duties in a service environment which regularly requires the service member to be outdoors in wooded areas, on uneven natural paths, on open water, and in the presence of biting insects
• Physically able to serve long days and navigate outside in seasonal inclement weather, hiking on and off trail
• Ability to carry up to 50 pounds of equipment with carrying, lifting, stooping, and bending
• Ability to serve in a variety of weather conditions such as temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, high winds, intense sunshine, rain, and high humidity
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation
• Ability to multitask and shift schedule and priorities to meet changing conditions
• Upon hire, a criminal background check will be conducted. Service with WisCorps will be considered probationary until all results are returned and have been reviewed.

WisCorps provides equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran per applicable federal, state, and local laws. We are committed to assuring equal employment opportunity and equal access to services, programs, and activities for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability, and need to access information in an alternative format, or need it translated into another language, please contact us at 608-782-2494, by email at staff@wiscorps.org or dial Wisconsin Relay 711.