Volunteer
Job Description
ADDRESS: Guadalupe District; 5203 Buena Vista Drive; Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220
DEPT: Forest Service
DATES: 4/1/2021 – 12/31/2021
DESCRIPTION:
Full-Time hosts are needed for our day use recreation area Sitting Bull Falls and Last Chance Canyon. Sitting Bull Falls is truly a hidden desert oasis and gem that attracts both local and out of state visitors.
Description: The Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area is a rare gem in the hot desert; an oasis offering cool pools of water and beautiful Sitting Bull Falls. This is a day-use area only; however, there is an undeveloped campsite nearby at Last Chance Canyon. Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area offers pavilions, picnic tables, water, and restrooms for the public. Many trails can be accessed from this site. Sitting Bull Falls is a high use recreation area attracting visitors from local communities, nearby cities in Texas and Mexico, and around the world to experience the cooling waters, history, geology, and beauty of nature found at Sitting Bull Falls.
Hosts are needed from March through October for Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area and Last Chance Canyon on the Guadalupe Ranger District of the Lincoln National Forest; however, hosts may be needed throughout the year. The Last Chance Canyon campsite is located approximately 6/10th of a mile from Sitting Bull Falls.
The Guadalupe Ranger District, located in the Chihuahuan Desert, can have daytime temperatures that exceed 100 degrees in summer and dip down to 20 degrees or lower in winter. Rainfall is sporadic with the majority of the 12 inches of annual precipitation falling during monsoon season which typically occurs late July through early October.
Host Responsibilities: As a Recreation Day Use Host, you will often be the first point of contact for visiting public providing information regarding the area and the National Forest. Public relations and customer service skills along with a positive attitude are essential. Visitation from May through September can reach 1,000 visitors or more daily. During other months, only a handful of visitors access the recreation site.
The Volunteer Host Program is an integral part of the District’s recreation program providing a quality experience and safe environment to the visiting public. Campground Hosts, as with all Forest Service employees, have the responsibility of representing the Forest Service in carrying out the mission “Caring for the Land and Serving People”.
Campground Hosts serve as Forest Service “eyes and ears” in designated day-use recreation sites and where camping is permitted in a high-use forest setting. Greeting forest visitors with pertinent area information and recreational opportunities, providing information on Forest Service rules and regulations, answering questions, and reporting any compliance or maintenance problems to appropriate Forest Service personnel are all key aspects of the position. The ability to conduct light maintenance, such as monitoring restrooms, picking up litter, general painting, and tree trimming/vegetation control is required of all host positions. Daily operating tasks include opening and closing gates, cleaning bathrooms, and performing lawn care maintenance using a variety of tools and equipment. Other responsibilities include informing visitors of rules and regulations, assisting visitors with entrance fee compliance, and cleaning grills and picnic tables.
Hosts are provided electricity, water, sewer, and wi-fi service as well as reimbursement for propane at the Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area host site. Forest Service keys, radio, hat, and vest may be provided (if required) along with any tools, personal protective equipment, and supplies necessary for maintenance of the recreation site.
Training: Volunteers will be briefed on relevant Forest Service policies and will be included in formal and other specialized training sessions (when available) at the district office or at the site, whichever is appropriate. Volunteers must attend all mandatory safety trainings related to their volunteer position.
Host Site: You must provide your own RV. Electric, sewer, landline phone service and Wi-Fi are available at the Sitting Bull Falls host site. Electric, water, and sewer are provided at the Last Chance Canyon host site; however, Wi-Fi and landline service are not available at Last Chance Canyon. Laundry facilities are located at the Forest Service Administrative Site in Queen, New Mexico, approximately 25 minutes from Sitting Bull Falls and Last Chance Canyon. Cell phone coverage is very poor in the area.
Setting: The closest town with amenities is Carlsbad, New Mexico, located roughly 50 miles from Sitting Bull Falls and Last Chance Canyon. Larger cities within a three-hour drive of Carlsbad include Roswell, New Mexico; El Paso, TX; Midland-Odessa, TX; and Lubbock, TX.
Schedule: A commitment of 30-40 hours per week, which includes weekend hours during high visitation months, is required. Preference will be given to volunteers committing to a 60-day contiguous stay. Sitting Bull Falls is open from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm in fall/winter and 8:30 am – 6:00 pm in spring/summer.
DUTIES
- Hosts represent the Forest Service as “eyes and ears” in designated recreation sites in a high-use forest setting and report any questionable or illegal activity to the immediate supervisor.
- Hosts greet forest visitors with pertinent local information and reminders of Forest Service rules and regulations.
- Hosts are expected to encourage fee compliance and relay fee information to visitors.
- Hosts are expected to be able to conduct light maintenance activities, such as cleaning restrooms, picking up ground litter, general painting, and conduct tree trimming and other vegetation control measures to promote an enjoyable recreation experience.
- Hosts maintain a positive and helpful attitude towards forest visitors and other volunteers that you may be assigned to work with.
- Hosts accept full responsibility for personal actions and any inappropriate behavior unbecoming to a Forest Service volunteer.
- Hosts set a positive example to other forest visitors by keeping a clean and presentable host site and encouraging common courtesy throughout the day-use site.
QUALIFICATIONS
Be a U.S. citizen and provide a permanent mailing address.
Volunteer a minimum of 32 hours weekly, including weekends when use of the recreation sites is at peak, and commit to 60 days consecutive service as a host.
Provide your own personal camping accommodations that are maintained to be welcoming and approachable by the public.
Be in good physical condition and have a positive and helpful attitude.
Be able to work safely without daily supervision.
Be prepared to work under varied conditions, including inclement weather.
Represent the Forest Service to the public in a respectful manner.