Bear Education Technician

CAMPGROUND: Bridger-Teton National Forest

DEPT: Forest Service

AVAILABILITY: 5/26/2020–9/11/2020

RV INFORMATION: Trailer/RV PadsDescription: Government housing is available for this position at Blackrock in seasonal housing units, or if individual has a travel trailer, the District has full RV hook ups to accommodate camper units.

DESCRIPTION

Volunteer Activities• Other • Visitor Information • General Assistance Photo Courtesy of FS DescriptionThe Bridger-Teton National Forest, in partnership with Friends of the Bridger-Teton, is recruiting a bear education technician for a full- time ambassadorship on Blackrock Ranger District during summer season 2020. The Blackrock Ranger Station is located near Moran, Wyoming in the beautiful Northwestern corner of the State within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.  The individual will lead bear safety education efforts across the District, providing education in the field with National Forest visitors, permit holders such as Resort and Outfitter/Guide operators, and homeowners adjacent to the National Forest.  Additionally, the incumbent would coordinate with District staff on signing and infrastructure related to bear safety and food storage compliance.    Work Schedule:   Full time, 4 days per week, 32 hours Application Period Closes:  February 22, 2020 MAJOR DUTIES: Serves as bear safety education lead for the District in coordination with Zone Wildlife Biologist and Blackrock District Ranger to help mitigate human-wildlife conflicts.  Individual would assist with bear safety/bear spray use trainings for local Resort and outfitter/guide employees.  Grizzly bears frequent meadows along Togwotee Scenic Highway corridor that attract large crowds.  Education is important to deliver in these scenarios to help prevent potential dangerous human/bear encounters due to people getting too close to grizzly bears and bear cubs.  The District has a variety of infrastructure including food storage boxes, bear poles, and a wide variety of signage at campgrounds, trailheads, and dispersed campsites throughout the front country and backcountry.  This signage and infrastructure requires maintenance, inventory, and evaluation of adequacy/needed changes or updates, and consistency across types of sites.  Ambassador would also be responsible for assisting with signing of temporary area closures for public safety in instances such as a bear claiming a carcass near a developed area, campsite, trail, etc. and communicating human-bear safety concerns with Forest colleagues and partner agencies as appropriate. Job Duties Proactively patrol and initiate public contacts and educational outreach focused on reducing bear conflict; promote proper food storage, “Bear Aware” principles, and responsible wildlife-viewing best practices.  Respond to calls and provide roadside bear education, presence and signage in collaboration with WGF/WYDOT and Togwotee Mountain Lodge Staff to prevent unsafe behavior. Facilitate bear safety training sessions for local outfitters and lodges in collaboration with WYGF.  Help inventory, maintain and repair existing bear boxes and signage in campgrounds, trailheads and dispersed camping sites throughout the District Respond to situations across the District where we may need to provide safety signage, such as a bear on a carcass.  Provide additional outreach and education to the “in-holding” areas on Buffalo Valley to promote good behavior with grills, bird feeders, trash storage, etc. Work independently around potentially dangerous wildlife on a flexible schedule, which may include early evenings (before dark) and weekends. Record volunteer hours and accomplishments. Provide Forest visitors with information about bear ecology, behavior, and conservation, bear safety, and ethical wildlife viewing standards. Record bear observations and behavior including the use of scopes, binoculars, and interpreting bear sign. Interpret bear behavior and ecology for visitors and answer questions. Deliver PowerPoint and oral bear safety presentations. Document human behavior related to bear encounters and provide these details in written reports to US Forest Service Law Enforcement Officers or position supervisors. Keep daily records of grizzly bear, black bear, and other wildlife observations. May remove roadkill or assist WYDOT or WGFD with removing roadkill. Demonstrate a courteous, customer service attuite with visitors and colleagues. Follow U.S. Forest Service procedures and policies. Follow US Forest Service social media policy. As an agency representative, support and explain agency policy and objectives. Wear the provided identifying uniform. Ambassador will carry, at a minimum, a radio, bear spray, maps and a cell phone. Operate a government motor vehicle safely; must have valid driver’s license and safe driving record. Provide supervisors with recommendations for improving the operation as necessary. Will attend bear safety training and on-site orientations by District staff, with directed and as needed guidance and assistance throughout the season. Skills and Qualifications needed Strong communication skills with an ability to engage the public with a friendly and professional public service attitude. Reliable attendance and dependability. Experience working with people under challenging and emotionally charged situations, and ability to maintain composure and professionalism in these situations. Ability to work with attention to safety, and independently with little supervision for extended periods. A passion to serve and promote public lands and their stewardship in the spirit of a public servant, recognizing the mission of the Forest Service to provide for sustainability of many diverse uses. The ability to be self-motivated with a willingness to ask questions for clarification. The ability to cooperate and serve as an extension of Forest Staff. An understanding of bear behavior and an operational command of safety and ethical standards of wildlife viewing. Ability to stand/walk for long periods of time in all weather conditions. Working conditions Work may require extended periods of standing and walking, including many hours spent standing near traffic and in proximity to potentially dangerous wildlife. Educational interfaces may be formalized through indoor presentations or in the field and situationally dependent. Not all visitors will be friendly or cooperative. Work will be performed in inclement weather, including hot, sunny, buggy, rainy, and/or cold conditions. May need to lift objects that weigh up to 50 pounds. If you would like more information about this opportunity, contact Jason Wilmot, Jackson/Blackrock District Wildlife Biologist, at 307-739-5542- jason.wilmot@usda.gov or Todd Stiles, Blackrock District Ranger, at 307-543-3910- todd.stiles@usda.gov   Reimbursement is available for this opportunity at approximately $45.60 per day.    About Bridger Teton National Forest The Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF) is part of the largest intact ecosystem in the lower 48 states.  3.48 million acres stretch from the southern border of Yellowstone National Park, covering the entire eastern flank of Grand Teton National Park, wrapping around Jackson Hole valley, to the sagebrush prairies of southwest-central Wyoming. The Bridger-Teton is characterized by high elevation coniferous forests, sage/grass steppes, mountain ranges and deep valleys, large expanses of wild lands and three wilderness areas, abundant wildlife, and internationally recognized scenic and natural features.  The Forest includes headwaters of three nationally significant rivers (Yellowstone, Snake and Green).  Tributaries to these rivers are considered exceptional trout habitat and home to native strains of cutthroat trout. Some of the largest and most diverse populations of mammals in North America inhabit the area.  This ecosystem still includes all of the major carnivores, an indication of its ecological completeness.  The BTNF includes undisturbed habitat for the grizzly bear.  The Forest’s wild lands are large and relatively unaltered by human activity, making them valuable for scientific study and determining baseline conditions for comparison elsewhere. Recreation opportunities and scenic quality are internationally renowned.  The BTNF attracts approximately 3 million visitors each year.  The three wilderness areas cover over 1.3 million acres; the Bridger, Teton and Gros Ventre total more than one-third of the BTNF acreage, and contain major migration routes for wildlife.  The Forest offers some of the nation’s best opportunities for winter sports, as two major ski resorts, Jackson Hole and Snow King Mountain Resorts, are located on the Forest.  The backcountry landscape contains a multitude of cross-country ski trails and snowmobile trails.  The Forest has a trail system of over 3000 miles, and a network of scenic roads stretching more than 2,500 miles.  The Forest offers unique features such as the scenic and challenging Snake River Canyon, where 300,000 visitors float through its whitewater each year; the Gros Ventre Slide, one of the largest natural landslides in the country; Periodic Springs on Swift Creek near Afton, which is one of the few cold-water geysers in the world; Fremont Lake, the second largest lake in the State of Wyoming, and one of the deepest in the U.S.; Kendall Warm Springs known as the only home for the Kendall Warm Springs Dace; and Gannett Peak (elev. 13,804) the highest point in Wyoming.  About Blackrock Ranger District The scenic 720,000 acre Blackrock Ranger District is bounded by Yellowstone National Park to the north, Grand Teton National Park to the west, Shoshone National Forest to the east, and the BTNF’s Jackson Ranger District to the south.  The historic Blackrock Ranger Station compound is nestled between two Wild and Scenic designated Rivers- Blackrock Creek and Buffalo Fork River, with numerous housing units, worksites, and warehouses situated within its boundaries. Central to the District is its large and varied recreation/Wilderness program.  There is a high volume of recreation use through outfitter guides, Resorts, several developed campgrounds, and dispersed use.  There are several historic guard stations located in the Teton Wilderness area, and one of the most remote locations in the lower 48 states (in terms of distance from roads). Other programs on the District include timber sales, and a Whitebark pine management program including cone/pollen collection and cone protection.  Working relationships with other federal and state agencies, Teton County government, non-governmental organizations, and other on-going partnerships are well established. Historic Blackrock Ranger Station (Moran, WY),  is located 42 miles north of Jackson, WY, and 8 miles east of Moran Junction (the East Gate to Grand Teton National Park).  There are full views of the Teton Range from many areas of the District including the compound.  The Blackrock Ranger Station compound is comprised of the Ranger District office and numerous housing units, warehouses, corrals, pastures, and worksites around which the District’s operations are centered.   Many amenities are provided on-site, including laundry, garbage pickup, and snow removal of Ranger Station compound roads in winter.  r4 HOUSING & AMENITIESType: Trailer/RV PadsDescription: Government housing is available for this position at Blackrock in seasonal housing units, or if individual has a travel trailer, the District has full RV hook ups to accommodate camper units.