Summer Stanback Internship Opportunities for Duke University Students

Want to spend your summer kayaking and hiking and helping save important lands in the Piedmont?  The LandTrust still has two of our Stanback Internship Positions available for continuing Duke University students this summer.  Contact Crystal to find out more, at crystal@landtrustcnc.org.

Job Title:
Uwharrie Bio Blitz (Stanback Internship)

Opportunity Type:
Internship

Description:
Species inventory work in a relatively under-surveyed, still relatively undeveloped and biologically diverse region of the Piedmont. (potential multiple positions available for this project, and possibly as part of the Duke Group Masters Project) The Uwharries (a small mountain range in Piedmont NC) have a large amount of yet undeveloped land and a lot of scattered conservation land (Uwharrie National Forest, State Park, LandTrust land, private land, etc). The Uwharries are a really diverse area in the Piedmont and haven’t really been inventoried that intensely for a lot of species. Recent surveys have shown new county and region records, including nesting black throated green warblers, scarlet snakes, swainsons warblers, yellow crowned night herons, etc. The idea for this internship would be a sort of large scale Bio Blitz, where we inventory properties (both public, land trust, and private) for lots of different groups of species. This would require students who had specific skill sets, some expertise in identification of species of birds, herps, invertebrates, bats, mammals, plants, etc. Mapping and helping understand their distribution would certainly also be a component. This information helps us prioritize properties for conservation. This could also include an educational component, involving citizen science.

Location(s):
Asheboro, North Carolina; Salisbury, North Carolina.

Compensation Type:
Paid ($5000 total for 11 weeks)

Compensation Details/Other Benefits:
Full time summer internship for 11 weeks (Stanback Internship)

Job Status:
Full-Time

Nicholas School Job Classification:
Stanback internship program

Environmental Job Function:
Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecology, Forest management, GIS, Land conservation, Outreach, Stewardship, Wetlands, Wildlife

Job Title:
Conservation Management and Planning Intern (Stanback Internship)

Opportunity Type:
Internship

Description:
The Conservation Management and Planning intern will help with conservation planning and stewardship in The LandTrust’s region. This includes: drafting management plans for Land Trust owned lands, creating baseline reports of fee and conservation easement lands. The intern would help us with management plans on some of our properties, and also with Baseline Documentation Reports (biological and physical characteristics for each property we protect, including field work and GIS map-making). The LandTrust now owns over 3,000 acres of property, much of which we need to better document and manage appropriately. For creation of management plans, this will require extensive time on the ground, hiking and kayaking, and meeting with local wildlife biologists and other partners for management suggestions. There are historically and ecologically important areas that need to be documented and considered for management needs. This will entail use of a GPS unit to mark boundaries and trails, and creation of comprehensive reports for properties. Some basic GIS knowledge is required, but GPS experience can be learned hands-on. These reports are a requirement for each property we protect, and our organization utilizes these inventories and plans for further monitoring and management on these properties.

Location(s):
Asheboro, North Carolina; Salisbury, North Carolina.

Compensation Type:
Paid ($5000 total for 11 weeks)

Compensation Details/Other Benefits:
Full time for 11 weeks (Stanback Internship)

Job Status:
Full-Time

Nicholas School Job Classification:
Stanback internship program

Environmental Job Function:
Conservation, Forest management, GIS, Land conservation, Stewardship

Additional Information:

Depending on project focus, the position could be based out of our Salisbury or Asheboro offices, both of which are located in historic downtown locations where convenient affordable housing can be found. We are flexible and located within a convenient 1 to 1.5 hour drive from the Durham/Raleigh area or the Charlotte Area, and would be willing to work with interns to allow some work to be done remotely.

The LandTrust has use of a travel trailer set up full time in a campground on Badin Lake in the Uwharrie National Forest available specifically for intern use, and also has permission for occasional use of a cabin on the Uwharrie River on a conserved property.

We will work with the student to ensure that a Masters Project or a Graduation with Distinction project can result from this internship if the student so desires. The LandTrust is eager to include the student in any professional meetings/conferences that staff will attend. The student will also have the opportunity to assist with daily activities, thus providing them a behind-the-scenes look at the world of non-profit management. Interns will be invited to assist with and attend all field trips including hikes, kayak trips, and our annual fundraising gala event in August. Intern will have networking opportunities through the Greater Uwharrie Conservation Partnership with a variety of federal, state and local governmental and nongovernmental conservation agencies working in this region.

Familiarity with GIS a plus but not required. Open to any Duke Undergraduate or Graduate students. Call or email Crystal Cockman (Duke undergrad 2004, MEM 2006) with any questions or for more information at 336.633.0143, crystal@landtrustcnc.org.