The Forest Stewards Guild, a national organization of foresters and allied natural resource professionals, is dedicated to practicing and promoting responsible forestry as a means of sustaining the integrity of forest ecosystems and the human communities dependent upon them. The Guild has approximately 700 members, over half of whom are professionals who manage over 42 million acres of forestland in the United States and Canada. The Guild maintains regional offices in New Mexico, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon, and Wisconsin. 

Forest Stewards Guild (Guild) invites college-level students in a forestry program or related natural resource field and early career individuals with equivalent work experience to apply for a paid summer internship based in southern Vermont/western Massachusetts. The three positions will be full-time and seasonal, with work extending from early May through late August 2024.  The interns are being hired through the NextGen Forest Program, a partnership between the Forest Stewards Guild and The Nature Conservancy, to apply climate-smart forestry practices focused on developing a healthy understory of native tree species on several properties across the region.  

The NextGen Interns will support the work of the Guild and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in the Northeast by implementing treatments on forest lands aimed at improving the ecological condition of forests that are threatened by invasive plant species and/or an overabundance of deer. Interns will be based at Long View Forest in Westminster and Hartland, VT. Long View Forest will oversee intern training and provide supervision in developing site treatment plans and implementing practices on FFCP properties. As part of this apprenticeship, interns will: 

• Become licensed pesticide applicators in VT and MA.  

• Learn plant ID, workflow planning and logistics, herbicide use reporting, and invasive plant control techniques and approaches. 

• Complete Game of Logging Levels I and II.  

• Gain related skills, such as successful tree planting, forest-typing for carbon project eligibility, and deer-browse prevention techniques. 

• Learn Harvest App and Survey 123 to track time on all projects and draft reports for TNC for each property treated as part of the project.   

The ideal candidates will be college students pursuing a career in forestry, natural resources, or conservation in the northeastern U.S. or early-career individuals with equivalent work experience. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to work independently and with a team, experience in northeastern forest ecosystems, and strong written and verbal communication skills. Candidates should have a valid driver’s license and be prepared to work outside in varied weather conditions using hand tools, applying herbicide, and operating power tools (e.g., chainsaws, brush saws).   

The position is full-time, 40 hours per week, from early May-August. There is some flexibility in start and end dates. Although based with and directly supervised by Long View Forest, the interns will be Guild employees based out of our Northeast office. Interns will be in regular (weekly-biweekly) communication with Northeast Guild staff, with periodic site visits by TNC and Guild staff.  The summer work will require travel (work vehicle provided) to properties in southern Vermont and western Massachusetts. 

Compensation: 

• The position pays $18.65 per hour  

• Paid holidays occurring during pay period  

• Workers' compensation 

• Accrued sick time (1 hour per 30 hours worked) 

• Equipment/PPE allowance 

The Forest Stewards Guild is an equal opportunity employer. 

The Guild is dedicated to providing an open, transparent, and just organization and workplace. We strive for clear, open, and kind communication and are committed to recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and supporting practitioners from underrepresented communities. We are dedicated to building a work culture that recognizes the inherent value of our employees, supports a healthy work-life balance, and provides an environment that supports personal growth. 

Interested students should upload a one-page cover letter and resume to Smart Recruiters by Wednesday, January 31 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Questions can be directed to Erika at 406-640-1204 or erika (at) forestguild.org.