WWOOFing in the Netherlands to sow seeds for the future

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Environmental Studies majors take part in a unique 3-quarter Capstone experience combining professional development, a built-in internship (locally or abroad) and a public presentation tying in their academic research with their practical on-the-job work. Students gain valuable hands-on experience exploring potential career paths and they build communications, research and analytic skills that serve them well beyond their time at college. 

Read more about what the student experience is within our Capstone, in this first post in our Student Capstone Q&A Series.

Carly Lester

Capstone Internship Focus: Direct Farm Marketing
Capstone Organization: Worldwide Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF)
UW Faculty Member: Dr. Beth Wheat

Farm sign in Netherlands
Carly Lester
This sign at n’ Groene Kans farm reads, “Welcome to our Organic Company”, and is only hung on Saturday during the farm’s on-site market day.

Why did you choose this internship?

During Winter quarter (2018) I asked Beth Wheat if she knew of any programs that involved working on a farm in a study abroad format. I was highly interested in going abroad for my Capstone, and she suggested the program WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). I looked into the program before Spring Quarter started as I wanted to get a jump start on planning for my Capstone. I explored a few options in India, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, but decided on the Netherlands because I had heard a lot about their agriculture sector. The Netherlands is ranked second in the world, next to the United States, in exporting agricultural goods. This is pretty remarkable, considering the Netherlands is just 41,500 km^2 with around 18 million people; it shows that small countries can pack a large punch on the world market if they optimize their growing space.

What environmental challenges are you addressing? Why is this important?

The environmental challenge I chose to focus on is sourcing local food products. Sourcing locally, as opposed to transporting mass quantities of food vast distances, has been linked to benefiting the environment, economy, and human health. I believe that sourcing locally is also important because it re-establishes a relationship with consumers and their food; we as a society are accustomed to walking into a grocery store, picking out some vegetables or fruit, and leaving the store without knowing where and who that produce is coming from.

Carly Lester
Carly tending to a container of seeds she sowed during her first week at n’ Groene Kans (broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, and curly kale). She sowed over 300 seeds during her stay.

What are the goals of this internship, and what are your expected deliverables?

My goal for this internship was to gain an abundance of knowledge about organic farming, and the struggles and opportunities that farmers encounter when selling directly to consumers. The internship aligned with my research question(s), which were: How do direct farm marketing strategies vary by region, and what are the struggles and opportunities that farmers encounter when directly selling to consumers?

My deliverables included a written document to my host family (the owners of the farm that I lived and worked on while in the Netherlands) summarizing the farm’s operations and suggestions for how to improve their operations. I also was a part of the brainstorming session for re-designing the farm’s website layout and web-shop format. The web-shop attributes more than 50 percent of the farm’s income, so it was important to design a website that will continue to contribute to the web-shop’s success.

What does a day in the life of your internship look like?

I spent 4 weeks in Groenekan, Netherlands working on a farm, and am now back in the United States interviewing farmers in Colorado and Washington for the other half of my Capstone. While I was in Groenekan, a typical day began with waking up at 5:30am and working in the greenhouse until 8:00am before taking a break for breakfast. We began with work in the greenhouse because in the late mornings and early afternoons it would become too hot to work comfortably. After breakfast we usually prepared beds for planting, sowing seeds, weeding, watering, etc. until 1:00pm when our work day ended with lunch.

What skills have you learned throughout this internship?

Although I only stayed for 4 weeks, the amount of knowledge and set of skills I gained was extensive. My hosts Floor and Jan treated me as an intern, – as opposed to past WWOOFers who only stay for 2 weeks to volunteer for fun – so they took their time teaching me how the farm operates and trusting me with more tasks than normal. In fact, one weekend my host family left for a family reunion and I was entrusted with taking care of the farm, delivering produce to the organic food store, and taking care of the animals.

I learned how to use a flame burner to burn away small weeds after sowing seeds, install a sprinkler system in the greenhouse, prune different types of vegetables, and so much more! The most important thing that I learned though, is just how hard farmers work. I’ve always known that farmers are hard workers, but it never dawned on me just how hard they work until I was working alongside my hosts.

What is the most memorable moment of this internship so far?

One of my most memorable moments happened after farm working hours. My hosts had a plethora of black and red currants growing – more than what they could sell in their web-shop or their Saturday shop – so we made a huge batch of jam. We stayed up until almost midnight making jam, even though we knew we had to wake up early the next day to begin work. We laughed a lot, shared stories, and I was able to ask more questions about farming that I wasn’t able to have answered during our working hours.

What are your career aspirations once you graduate?

My long term goal is to open a farm-to-table restaurant in Washington where I locally source food from Washington farmers. My goal is what inspired me to work on a farm for my internship, and it’s why my Capstone question looks at the struggles and opportunities that arise from direct farm marketing because, one day, I will be buying directly from the farmers and aiming to pay them fairly for their work.

Student research reveals barriers to bike riding in one Seattle neighborhood

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Program on the Environment student Ziyi Liu interned with Seattle Neighborhoods Greenways for his Capstone project, to learn why so few people bike in Seattle’s Chinatown International District, and what factors prevent people from traveling on two wheels.

Ziyi’s research question asked: “How does bike infrastructure affect cycling safety in the Chinatown-International District?”

His findings revealed that safety was a huge concern, and that in the International District there are very few protected bike lanes, compared to other busy neighborhoods in Seattle. With added infrastructure and smarter design, biking could become more accessible to residents.

“A protected bike lane is not only for cyclists, but it’s for everybody—it’s about the community and community happiness.” – Ziyi Liu

Ziyi’s findings indicate that building a connected network of protected bike lanes encourages more people to bike, and gives better transportation choices to individuals of all ages and abilities especially in parts of the city with lower car ownership. Ziyi also looked at the demographics of who bikes in Seattle and found some upward trends.

Read more about Ziyi’s research findings in the post below by International Examiner and see his Twitter presentation explaining his Environmental Studies Capstone experience.

http://www.iexaminer.org/2018/07/why-dont-more-people-bike-in-the-chinatown-id-lack-of-bike-infrastructure-makes-them-feel-unsafe/

Join us for the Spring 2018 Capstone Symposium

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The Program on the Environment will host our Spring 2018 Capstone Symposium on May 23 at the Fisheries Sciences Building. We welcome all to attend and support students as they present on the culmination of three quarters of hard work.

The Capstone Course Series is a highlight for many students, and serves to catapult some into their first jobs or even their dream careers. Through internships, research, social media training, students come out of the experience well-equipped to communicate about the problem they sought to solve, and to tie their academic learning with specific research questions.

See below for the schedule and some sneak peeks from each session!

This event is open to the public and we encourage students interested in learning about the Capstone, as well as members of our community, to join us. There will be beverages and snacks. For those who can’t attend in person, follow our live tweets on Twitter: #POEcap.

Spring 2018 Symposium Schedule

Wednesday May 23

4:30PM Welcoming remarks/housekeeping

Session A – Poster I: Agriculture & Food systems, Green business & Sustainability, Natural Science & Conservation

4:35 – 5:15PM
Summer Cook – Full circle in the remote tropics: 5 ways to optimize permaculture in unconventional settings
Lexie Gray – Greening sports: How athletic facilities can implement change to save money and the environment
Nazmah Hasaan – Improving accessibility of the UW Sustainability Climate Action Plan website
David Hedin – Visions of restoration at Daybreak Star Cultural Center
Elena Hinz – Contaminants, comparisons, and consequences: The three c’s of a water quality assessment
Shunxi Liu – Community engagement programs can align with the co-creation mission in higher education sustainability
Carla Marigmen – Improving the efficiency of operations and behaviors within athletics facilities
Staci McMahon – Predicting the effects of climate change on flatfish distributional shifts into the Chukchi Sea
Jennifer Mitchell – Achieving campus sustainability: What practices universities are doing to become leaders in campus sustainability
Colin Piwtorak – From top to bottom and back again: How citizen science at all levels can be used to its greatest potential
Clyzzel Samson – How low income food bank clients’ concern for the environment and food waste is underestimated
Lex Savanh – Developing an alternative to cable ties for bird tagging
Uyen Tran – Sustainable finance and investment in higher education institutions: Reasoning and best practices
Brandon Wech – Trees aren’t just for the Lorax anymore: Measuring Northwest permaculture efficiency
Yunbo Xie – Promoting sustainable moves in a citizen science project and correlating volunteers’ motivations with their ongoing status
Hualian Xu – Endangered species “summer chum”: A way to save them

Sneak peek: Uyen Tran interned with UW Sustainability to examine sustainable finance and investment in higher education institutions. She conducted a competitive analysis along with two other students of the STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) ranked colleges and looked into which higher ed institutions use SRI stocks and why that’s significant.

Session B – Capstone lightning talks

5:20PM Introduction 
Danielle Elizabeth Bogardus – E.W.W!! Education, Waste, and Water: A case study in the Las Piedras Region of Peru
Frieda Elise Luoma-Cohan – From the lab to the classroom: The use of non-traditional teaching tools in science communication
Samantha Anne Orcutt – The dirty side of business: How communication is key to streamline waste management practices
Yushan Tong – Value and use of Discovery Park by Chinese communities in Seattle
Tyler Sing Ung – Raising environmental awareness in a digitized world: The effectiveness of visual art and photography
Ha Young Yoo – Returning to the roots of sustainable ecotourism: Indigenous Knowledge is power rooted in ecology

Sneak peek: Danielle Bogardus has spent 4 years conducting work in a remote area of Peru, with an alumna’s non-profit, Hoja Nueva, on assessing and developing a waste management toolkit for remote native and migrant communities in Peru’s Las Piedras region that don’t have systems in place to dispose of waste. Danielle will seek to replicate and scale this toolkit in other communities after she graduates. 

Session C – Poster II: Education & Outreach, Policy & Regulation

6:15 – 7:00PM
Sean Adair – Assessing the impact of environmental education on childhood awareness and relationship to nature
Maggie Brown – Benefits to food recovery: Improved resource conservation through effective outreach methods
Sungkun Choi – Back to the science
Sara Clark – A necessary evil? Various perspectives towards salmon hatcheries
Saruul Delgerbayar – Hazardous waste generators in tribal communities of Alaska
Marlee Grasser – Puget Sound high-risk facilities in relation to environmental justice
Bridget House – Bluff erosion mitigation: Should it be incorporated into restoration strategies?
Katie Hunger – Sorting trash, there’s gotta be a better way!
Soondus Junejo – The need for mandatory environmental screening in daycare settings in order to minimize the health risk for children
Ziyi Liu – How does bike infrastructure affect cycling safety in the Chinatown-International District
Shelby Logsdon – Park or ride? An analysis of Washington State park transit accessibility
Chance O’Neal – The age of information: Improving the reliability of environmental websites
Rachel Pemberton – Underserved and overlooked: The roles of race and income in environmental advocacy
Gloria Piekarczyk – We’re all part of the problem, but who wants to be part of the solution?
Ellen Short – What’s gender got to do with it? How ecofeminism could save the planet
Chelsy Sirnio – Early outdoor education: Reconnecting children with nature

Sneak peek: Saruul Delgerbayar worked with the EPA on hazardous waste generators in rural villages of Alaska. Saruul assisted with EPA’s pilot program to backhaul hazardous waste from tribal communities lacking waste management systems and conducted interviews to identify the types of hazardous waste generated, to inform regulations that would benefit the communities’ overall health.

 

A snapshot of Saruul's Capstone research findings.
A snapshot of Saruul’s Capstone research findings.

UW’s Shelby Logsdon Sets Out to Collect and Analyze State Park Data

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How does funding affect access to state parks in Washington? How can more people get to the parks using public transportation? Environmental Studies major Shelby Logsdon is on a mission to find out, through her senior Capstone project.

Shelby is interning with Washington State Parks Foundation to collect and analyze data comparing Washington’s state parks to parks in other states, looking at how funding plays a part in facilitating community access and keeping parks well managed.

Read on to learn more about Shelby’s project and WA State Parks Foundation.

 

UW’s Shelby Logsdon Sets Out to Collect and Analyze State Park Data

Environmental Studies Capstone winners skillfully cover food security, urban waste design, fishery certification and plant-microbe partnerships.

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Last week’s Capstone Symposium presenters did not disappoint. With an array of oral and poster presentations showcasing work with business, campus, nonprofit and government partners on topics ranging from global conservation to implementing sustainable practices in corporations, choosing winners was tough.

Riley Smith, Shruti Parikh, Sydney Barnes-Grant and Lola Behrens with Capstone Instructor Sean Mc Donald.
Riley Smith, Shruti Parikh, Sydney Barnes-Grant and Lola Behrens with Capstone Instructor Sean Mc Donald.

The results are in though (thanks to faculty and alumni judges), and the winning presenters have bragging rights for life. Congratulations to Riley, Shruti, Sydney and Lola!

The Environmental Studies Capstone highlights students work resulting from a three quarter long course series that encompasses an internship with partner organizations at UW and across Seattle.

Here’s a look at the four winning Capstone projects.

Lola Behrens

Project Title: Cultivating Food Security
Best Poster Presentation

Lola’s Capstone internship with Good Cheers Food Bank & Thrift Stores focused on learning how to mitigate food insecurity. Good Cheers is located on South Whidbey Island and is committed to providing healthy locally sourced food to residents in need. The organization provides resources to sustain healthy eating habits and contribute towards the long-term health outcomes of its community.

Through her research Lola learned that in 2016, 12.3% of households in the United States were food insecure, (these households were unable to obtain enough food to adequately feed every member of the family). She observed and interviewed food bank users, and supplemented her research with a review of relevant literature:

“I found that three important factors (pillars of Good Cheers) in mitigating food insecurity include: the adoption of health-oriented point systems by food banks, the advocacy and facilitation of food sovereignty, and a deliberate effort to develop a sense of community within local food systems.” 

Lola Behren's Capstone poster.
Lola Behren’s Capstone poster.

Sydney Barnes-Grant

Project Title: Optimization of urban waste design
Best Oral Presentation

Sydney worked with the U.S. EPA, Region 10 to address the issue of aquatic trash. During her research, Sydney found that most people take less than two seconds to determine where they dispose of their trash and that land sources are responsible for 80 percent of trash in oceans.

A snapshot of Sydney's Capstone work.
A snapshot of Sydney’s Capstone work.

As part of her internship for the EPA’s Trash Free Waters program, Sydney wanted to build a public waste management tool to deal with land-based trash. She created a protocol based on California’s Urban Rapid Trash Assessment methodology to locate and track urban litter hotspots. Using ArcGIS technology, Sydney mapped litter hotspots in three water adjacent neighborhoods in Seattle, WA.

This type of monitoring can be used to inform city planning to optimize waste receptacle locations, using smarter design and strategic placement near litter hotspots. Sydney will continue her good work with the EPA in ongoing efforts to keep trash out of our waterways.

Riley Smith

Project Title: Greener than thou: Impacts of environmental and social sustainability certification on the Alaska fishery
Honorable Mention Poster Presentation

Riley worked with the Pacific Seafood Processor’s Association to examine the impacts of environmental and social sustainability certification on Alaska fisheries. He researched the effectiveness of eco-labels as marketing tools to ensure equitably grown food, and identified side effects that certifications can have.

Riley found that in fisheries, the leading eco-label is that of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which focuses on fisheries management and environmental sustainability, yet excludes human rights and labor standards for certification. This revealed to him a gap that needed addressing.

“The issues of human rights and sustainability in fisheries is what catalyzed my Capstone research!” stated Riley, who measured the adherence of the Alaska Salmon and Pollock fisheries to the environmental, human rights and labor standards of the Responsible Fishing Scheme. His research and review of governing regulations found third-party certification is often biased towards industrialized, large-scale fisheries and places the burden of cost for certification on the producers.

Riley graduates this quarter and will work as a contract researcher on a grant with the Alaskan Fisheries Development Foundation and NOAA on the topic of socially responsible practices on vessels.

Riley Smith's Capstone poster.
Riley Smith’s Capstone poster.

Shruti Parikh

Project Title: Using plant-microbe partnerships to help salt-impacted crops
Honorable Mention, Oral Presentation

Shruti knows a lot about endophytes (beneficial bacteria that live in plants) and has been working in Sharon Doty’s UW Lab for two years to test the potential of the microbes to reduce plant stress caused by high salinity.

A snapshot of Shruti's Capstone work.
A snapshot of Shruti’s Capstone work.

High salinity is a type of abiotic stress that effects crop productivity and quality. Through her research, Shruti found that in 2010, about half of the world’s cropland was facing salinity stress. There are very few plants that can tolerate high levels of salt however, the Doty Lab looks at endophytes that live within plants as potential allies to help plants tolerate these stressors in a more natural way.

The goal of Shruti’s study was to isolate and test endophytes to determine whether they colonize other plants and help the plants cope with high salinity conditions. She tested the initial stress tolerance of various crop plants, and performed plant studies to demonstrate whether the endophytes improve plant growth. The results showed visible signs of higher stress tolerance in poplar plants inoculated with a certain endophyte, SSP8. Big picture potential: by improving plant growth, these bacteria will help promote sustainable agricultural practices and bioenergy production.

Shruti received a Mary Gates Scholarship earlier this year for her research on using plants to purify air and reduce pollutants such as arsenic. Her research interests continue to expand!

April Info Sessions: WA State Legislative Internship

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Come learn about the Washington State Legislative Intern Program! This is a paid, for-credit internship opportunity for college students of any major to work as staff at the State Capitol during the Legislative Session (January through March or April). About 70 students are hired each year from colleges around the state. Political experience is not necessary.  Students from diverse backgrounds who are active leaders, engaged in campus communities, and excited to learn about government and gain practical job skills are encouraged to apply. 

Information Sessions with the internship coordinators (Paula Rehwaldt and Emily McCartan) and some past interns will be held on the UW-Seattle campus in Gowen Hall, room 1A on April 24th and 25th.  Any students who are interested or just curious are encouraged to come to the sessions to ask questions and get a good idea of the whole experience and application process.

Monday, April 24th sessions in Gowen 1A:

  •    10:30-11:00AM
  •     2:30-3:00PM
  •     3:00-3:30PM
  •     4:00-4:30PM

Tuesday, April 25th sessions in Gowen 1A:

  •     9:30-10:00AM
  •     10:30-11:00AM
  •     1:00-1:30PM
  •     1:30-2:00PM
  •     3:30-4:00PM

The 2018 internship will run from January 3, 2018, through March 8, 2018.  Applications for the internship will be due in October, 2017. Students must be enrolled juniors or seniors, in good academic standing, and receiving academic credit for the internship.  Students of all majors are welcome and the internship provides amazing opportunities for networking, shadowing, and real-world experience in a wide variety of fields, from state government and politics to business, law, criminal justice, communications, social work, environmental policy, education, and public health. 

More information about the Legislative Internship Program is available on their website at www.leg.wa.gov/internships or on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.  Students are also welcome to contact the UW liaison (Mark Weitzenkamp) or set up an appointment with him at the POL S Advising Office:  http://depts.washington.edu/polsadvc/signup.php to learn more about the internship and the related credits at UW-Seattle.

Communications Internship with Wild Forests & Fauna

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Wild Forests & Fauna, a conservation non-profit working Peru and Uganda, is looking for an Environmental Studies intern! Work virtually and learn to develop a communications strategy for the Future Leaders youth project. See PDF or details below.

Apply by: August 26, 2016 

Work Location: Virtual

Interviews Scheduled: September 6-10, 2016

Desired Start Date: September 12, 2016 (flexible)

Commitment: Average five (5) hours/week, for Three (3) Quarters — Fall 2016, Winter & Spring 2017

Compensation: $600 stipend per quarter — Paid in December, March, June — Total $1,800

Background

Wild Forests and Fauna (WildFF) is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring threatened forests through local leadership of community based projects. Over the last three years, this small nonprofit has launched four successful projects in Peru and Uganda.

With the organization’s foundation set and projects initiated, WildFF is ready to enhance its communications strategy and increase its exposure to a wider audience. To this end, WildFF is searching for a proactive and engaging communications intern to support our Future Leaders project team.

Future Leaders is a multiyear youth leadership program that provides aspiring young individuals with skills in sustainable business, innovation, and leadership. Programs are hosted in globally important, endangered forests that have significant opportunities for conservation, currently in the Madre de Dios region of the Peruvian Amazon. We invite local youth (aged 18-30) who want to conserve their natural resources and be successful entrepreneurs.

In this position, you’ll codevelop and implement a digital communications strategy—including blogs, social media and newsletter content—to educate and inspire the public and prospective donors about the Future Leaders project (currently prepping for its 4th Summit). This is an opportunity to work directly with WildFF’s Communications Team—made up of board members who are currently working in the marketing & communications field—while also gaining firsthand  experience working with a young and growing international conservation organization.

Objectives/Scope of Work:

● Strategy & Planning – Work with the WildFF Communications Team and the Future Leaders project team to cocreate the design, focus, and strategy of the communications plan for the upcoming year

● Content Creation – Develop content for the Future Leaders program. May include, but not limited to, blog posts, social media posts, images, infographics, videos, etc.

● Social Media Posting – Submitting blog & social media posts to communications team for review and approval and then publishing live to WildFF accounts

● Meetings & Checkins – Regular email communication as needed; biweekly checkin meetings.

The WildFF & Future Leaders team are spread across the globe and regularly meet via Skype. Occasional in-person meetings are an option in Seattle, Baltimore, and New York if desired.

Desired Qualifications & Skills:

● Genuine Excitement & Interest in our work! Passion for environmental conservation, youth empowerment, capacity building and/or wild forests and fauna is paramount for our organization.

● Excellent communication (listening, verbal, written) in English. The ability to communicate clearly and professionally in a virtual and online environment is necessary for success in this role. English fluency is required; Spanish proficiency is not required, but will be considered a major plus as our Future Leaders program operates in Peru.

● Initiative & Resourcefulness – This intern will report to and work with the WildFF Communications Team and the Future Leaders project team throughout the internship. That said,the ideal candidate will have strong time management and organization skills, as well as the initiative to get things done on their own time with limited oversight.

● Multicultural Sensitivity & Awareness – As an international organization working with diverse constituents in other countries, it is imperative that our Communications Interns can develop an understanding and empathy for multicultural audiences.

● ProblemSolving, Reasoning & Creativity – This role is an opportunity to help shape the future of our communications process and internship program. The ideal candidate will be prepared to push boundaries, suggest new ideas and move our organization forward in new and exciting ways.

To Apply:

Apply by Friday, August 26, 2016. Send the following to ryan@wildff.org with the subject line Future Leaders Communications Internship Application.

● Cover Letter – Show us that you have the qualifications and skills noted above and include responses to the following questions:

○ Why are you interested in this internship with Wild Forests & Fauna?

○ What excites you most about the Future Leaders Program?

● Resume – Be sure to include any relevant experience.

● Writing Samples – Include 1-3 samples of writing and/or social media posts that you have done within the past year.

Questions: If you have any questions about this position, please feel free to ask! Send them via email to ryan@wildff. org with the subject line Future Leaders Communications Internship Questions.

Environmental Ed Internship with the EPA

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The Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 (Seattle Office) has a digital eInternship teaching environmental education (ECOLEARN) lesson plans at elementary schools.

As an eIntern, you will get to teach exciting, already prepared environmental education lesson plans at local elementary schools. We are testing the lesson plans, expanding our outreach and make necessary revisions to the materials as a prelude to sharing them on a national stage. Lesson topics include: Animals, Air, Water, Ecosystems, Energy, Waste, Food, and Climate. See the internship description: http://vsfs.state.gov/projects/view/448.

Apply for the Digital Internship – deadline July 26

The Virtual Student Foreign Service (VSFS) is the largest virtual internship program in the world! This year there are more than 900 vacancies with more than 30 federal agencies. VSFS offers unique mentoring and recruitment possibilities.

Applications for the 2016-17 VSFS program are open between July 2 and 26 on USAJOBS.gov. Real work is waiting for students with more than 30 federal agencies including NASA, the Smithsonian, the State Department, National Parks Service, and others. You can see the projects offered at http://vsfs.state.gov/! To apply, students must log on to USAJOBS, create an account, build a resume, and upload a transcript. The specific project description and project is at http://vsfs.state.gov/projects/view/448.

VSFS

eInterns play an important role in moving the government forward.  There’s something for everyone: design, research, mapping, videography, history, analysis, writing, calculation, policy planning, app development , and more! 

eInterns spend ten hours a week from September through May. Although this is unpaid, volunteer work, eInterns make connections that make a difference, gain valuable experience, and sometimes get course credit. 

All applicants must be U.S. citizens enrolled in at least one university level course in the U.S. or abroad. 

Learn more at our website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter!

Community Stewardship Partner at Sound Salmon Solutions

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Sound Salmon Solution is seeking long-term volunteers to help with salmon habit restoration work. Read on for more details!

Context

Chinook Salmon and Steelhead populations are at less than 5% of historic levels in the Puget Sound region. Without dramatic habitat restoration and community awareness, these fish populations are at risk of collapse which would negatively impact tourism, recreational fishing, commercial fisheries, and the 137 other species that directly rely on these fish.

Sound Salmon Solutions (SSS) is a 26-year-old, volunteer-based, 501 (c) 3 non-profit, Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group whose mission is to restore and enhance salmon populations through habitat restoration, community engagement and education. Habitat restoration includes: invasive species removal (plants), planting native trees along salmon streams and creeks, constructing in-stream structures, removing fish passage barriers and maintaining habitat along current project sites. Education programs engage over 1,000 students each year through in-classroom and field based learning programs, teacher workshops, science kits and custom curriculum.

Volunteer Description

SSS is seeking two or three Community Stewardship Partners for a long-term volunteer opportunity to raise public awareness about the decline of salmon populations, water quality problems and solutions, and personal best management practices.

Community Stewardship Partners will be asked to attend 5-10 community outreach events per year ranging from 4-8 hours per event, including farmer’s markets, festivals, conferences, and science fairs at local schools. Community Stewardship Partners build community awareness and support for salmon recovery as well as provide information about how individuals can make a difference by getting involved with SSS through our volunteer and education programs.

SSS will provide training, all of the needed supplies (event registration, outreach materials, brochures, display board), and coordinate all of the logistics (mileage reimbursement, parking/event fees, etc.) for attending events on our behalf. In addition, SSS Staff would attend the first one or two events with the outreach volunteer. The outreach volunteer would attend subsequent events on behalf of SSS independent of staff. For larger events, the CSP would be supported by SSS Staff or another trained SSS CSP. CSP direction and training will be provided by our Education & Engagement Program Coordinator, and our Membership & Volunteer Coordinator.

Qualifications

  • Enjoy talking to people with a diversity of backgrounds, interests
  • Knowledge or willingness to learn about the salmon recovery and water quality issues in Washington
  • Willingness to volunteer at 5-10 events throughout the year, many will be during the summer months outdoors, and some during the fall/winter/spring months indoors
  • Willingness to volunteer during the week or on the weekends: event times and dates vary
  • Volunteers will be asked to sign-up for events at least 2 weeks in advance. SSS will accommodate volunteer scheduling needs
  • Must have reliable transportation that can be used to travel to/from sites with some limited reimbursement from SSS for mileage
  • Hold a clean driving record and at least 2 years of driving experience
  • Able to carry or use hand truck to move outreach materials (including 25 pound trifold board, and box of event materials)
  • Can effectively work as an individual or in a team on tasks

Impact

By attending 5-10 events per year, Community Stewardship Partners will raise awareness by directly speaking with 200-400 community members about the critical need for salmon recovery efforts in the Puget Sound region. Through our online publication, the Watershed Review, SSS provides important updates and announcements. Each Community Stewardship Partner will serve to increase the distribution of this publication by signing up at least 10 new people to our distribution list. With additional distribution comes additional volunteer and mission support. Community support and stewardship is critical to the conservation of our vital natural resources.

Location: Events throughout King & Snohomish County

Ideal Number: 2 or 3 outreach volunteers

Supervisor: Lisa Syravong

Application Process

To apply, please contact Lisa Syravong, Membership & Volunteer Coordinator for Sound Salmon Solutions at lisa@soundsalmonsolutions.org or by calling (425) 252-6686 to complete the application process.

Waste Zero Coordinator at Recology – Seasonal position

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Interested in promoting waste reduction and working with businesses and the community to do so? Check out this seasonal position (May and June) at Recology, shared by two Environmental Studies alums who work there and would love to have students from this program apply!

Recology CleanScapes mission is to inspire a zero waste lifestyle and are helping the county has a whole reach waste diversion goals. 

APPLY NOW

Description

This position is a 12 week temporary, seasonal position starting in May/June 2016.  This position will be required to work weekends.

Under close supervision, responsible for the coordination and administration of recycling programs involving education, communication of community-wide services, and audits of recyclable materials from residential, industrial and commercial customers.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF WASTE ZERO COORDINATOR

  • Oversees the Staff outreach booth and represents Recology at regional community events.
  • Educates customers and the general public about Recology’s resource recovery services and programs.
  • Works with businesses, residents and community stakeholders to promote recycling, composting and waste reduction.
  • Tracks and records outreach contacts and activities.
  • Collaborates with the Government Relations and Waste Zero Team on a variety of community outreach projects.
  • Completes waste audits for customers.
  • Creates and maintains a file system for customer information.

QUALIFICATIONS 

Education and Experience:

  • High school diploma or GED required.
  • Bachelor’s degree preferred.
  • Six months of related experience and/or training.
  • Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

IDEAL CANDIDATE – The qualifications listed are typical of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of successful employees within this classification.

Knowledge of:

  • Computer programs, including Microsoft Office suite of applications.

Skill and / or Ability to:

  • Promote the WASTE ZERO philosophy by making the best and highest use of all resources.
  • Demonstrate ability to use computers and technology capabilities. Demonstrate proficiency and knowledge in area(s) of expertise.
  • Communicate well both verbally and in writing; listen to and understand various viewpoints; share relevant information timely; provide constructive feedback; maintain professionalism.
  • Effectively and productively engage with others and establish trust, credibility, and confidence.
  • Promote collaboration and assist others with their initiatives and efforts.
  • Consistently build knowledge and expertise about current job.
  • Listen to and build customer relationships; increase customer satisfaction and ensure commitments are met.