College Student Volunteer - Environmental Education and Outreach Specialist

College students with volunteer or internship requirements in a related field of study and pursuing a career in the National Park Service.

Big Cypress National Preserve is 729,000 acres of swampland in south Florida. Part of the Everglades ecosystem, Big Cypress is a critical watershed for the Ten thousand Islands area to the southwest. It is home to many endangered species including the Florida Panther. Incredible wildlife viewing opportunities, canoeing, hiking and biking are just some of the activities available during the winter months in the swamp.

Dates:  Fall and Spring 3-6 month positions. Fall volunteers begin in September, Spring volunteers begin in January.

Duties: Main Duty - October through the end of March – Four days a week interns work with the S.W.A.M.P., Swamp Water and Me Program, a hands-on curriculum-based program with the 6th grade students and their teachers from the Collier County School System. Volunteers will either assist rangers or lead own groups depending on staffing during the field trip. This involves hiking into a cypress strand, prairie and pineland with the students and helping them with field experiments, data gathering and other activities such as radio telemetry, dip netting, water quality testing, soil sampling, animal and vegetation identification and weather tests. While the hiking is not long in distance it can be very physically demanding as it involves walking through knee to thigh deep water, long periods of standing, heavy lifting, heat and humidity, mosquitoes, uneven footing and other swamp creatures besides the 6th graders! Volunteers will also present the pre-site programs in the classrooms before field trips and assist in the facilitation of the S.W.A.M.P. Teacher Workshop.

Volunteers also develop a variety of thematic interpretive outreach programs that are presented to school groups of all ages and adult special interest groups. These take place in the schools, libraries, museums, communities or in the preserve and may include power point presentations or wet walks, canoe trips, and bike trips in the field.

Volunteers will work at community festivals and special events representing the preserve with exhibits and activities.

Volunteers will also develop a variety of assigned projects including interpretive posters, videos, flyers, activities and teacher resources.

Volunteers will have many learning opportunities throughout the season. These may include attending Project Wild workshops, trainings offered by other environmental agencies as well as assisting and shadowing staff in the divisions of visitor services, resource management, fire, administration, maintenance and law enforcement to receive a full range of exposure to preserve operations.

Days off vary week to week depending upon program needs.  Volunteers work a minimum of 40 hours per week. These may include weekends and days with long hours for special events

Skills: Must have a car and valid driver's license.  Must enjoy and have experience working with children. An education, interpretation, recreation or biology background is preferred. Knowledge of natural science is necessary along with good communication skills, flexibility, good physical condition and most of all have enthusiasm!!!

Compensation: This position is designed to give you first-hand workplace experience. Shared housing will be provided on-site with individual bedrooms. Laundry facilities, a pool and a weight room are also available. This is not a paid position.

Area: Big Cypress is located in South Florida on Highway 41 just thirty miles east of Naples and seventy miles west of Miami. Temperatures during the winter months are usually in the 80s during the day and 60s to 70s at night. Everglades City is the closest town, five miles, with a small grocery, convenience stores, gas stations, and restaurants. The fishing is great!

To apply, fill out the on-line application AND send your resume with references and contact information to Lisa Andrews, [email protected] or call 239-695-1164.