Preserve Stewardship Technician

We are an accredited, 50-year-old, land trust serving a three-county area near Ann Arbor, MI.  We are managed by a dynamic Executive Director with a dedicated board of directors and staff of fun, diverse, but professional conservationists!

Job Overview

About Legacy Land Conservancy (Legacy):
Legacy Land Conservancy is an accredited land conservancy founded in 1971 to protect the forests, fields, wetlands, and rivers of southern Michigan. Serving Washtenaw, Jackson, and Lenawee counties, Legacy’s mission is to secure for current and future generations a land base for nature, agriculture, fresh water, and recreation today and forever. More information: www.legacylandconservancy.org.

Legacy Land Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Legacy recognizes that opportunities in the conservation and environmental fields have historically excluded and continue to disproportionately exclude Black and Indigenous people, as well as Asian, Latino/a, and Hispanic people, people from working class backgrounds, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ people. We strongly encourage individuals with these, and all other identities to apply.

Legacy is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. We embrace people from all backgrounds, experiences and viewpoints, because we value the collective sum of our individual differences, unique capabilities and talents. We encourage and support our employees’ differences in age, race, color, ability, ethnicity, family or marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, political affiliation, socioeconomic status, veteran status and any other characteristics that make our employees unique.

Core Values:
Legacy seeks to embrace these core values in all our actions: Justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, trust, relationships, integrity, perpetuity, responsibility, honor, collaboration, science, sustainability, history.
Position Overview: Legacy Land Conservancy’s Preserve Stewardship Technician works closely with the Preserve Stewardship Manager and Preserve Stewardship Associate to assist in Legacy’s Preserve Stewardship Program. Legacy’s Preserve Stewardship Program focuses on the care and stewardship of Legacy’s eight publicly accessible preserves. The aspects of the Preserve Stewardship Program that this position assists with are: implementing preserve stewardship field operations, leading and co-leading volunteer preserve workdays, and other tasks needed to nurture Legacy’s public lands. This position requires engagement with other land department staff, development and communications staff, volunteers, preserve caretakers, preserve neighbors, and external partners.

Reports to: Preserve Stewardship Manager

Hours: Approximately 20 hours per week for 16 weeks. Legacy embraces a work remote culture, flexible schedule to be determined with supervisor. This position is field-work oriented, and will require daily
travel to Legacy’s Preserves. Evening and weekend work will be required to meet the goals of this position.

Start Date: The ideal candidate would start May 5, 2025, but we are willing to work with the right candidate’s schedule.

End Date: Approximately August 29, 2025.

Compensation:
• Your position is considered a Part-time Temporary, hourly position with a starting rate of $17/hour. Legacy sets a nonnegotiable salary to ensure all employees are compensated equitably.
• Accrued paid time off of 16 hours over the term of the position.

Responsibilities:
• Assist in coordination and management of a growing portfolio of ten fee properties, including eight preserves.
• Implement stewardship activities such as ecosystem restoration, habitat management, and invasive species removal.
• Maintain and improve public accessibility at preserves in accordance with approved plans.
• Assist in routine maintenance of preserve infrastructure, such as a caretaker residence, board walks, signs, parking lots, etc.
• Work with Legacy staff to administer and operate public engagement opportunities on preserves with events such as educational programming, hikes, invasive species removal workdays, or other activities. Lead or co-lead preserve events.
• Occasional public speaking related to educational events, partner presentations and public relations events.
• Complete annual monitoring for Legacy preserves in accordance with organizational policies and Land Trust Alliance Accreditation Commission standards and practices.
• Guide and inspire volunteers in completion of aforementioned stewardship activities as well as other tasks as needed.
• Other tasks as needed.

Required Qualifications:
• Knowledge of local flora and ecosystems
• Must be able to work efficiently outdoors in varying conditions and terrains

Desired Qualifications:
• Commercial pesticide applicator license
• Experience operating and maintaining various types of equipment in a safe and efficient manner (e.g.; brush cutter, herbicide sprayers, lawn mower, chainsaw, etc.)
o Although not required, candidates with S-212, OSHA chainsaw safety, or similar relevant certifications are encouraged to apply.
• Familiarity with ArcGIS or similar mapping software
• Experience with habitat management, ecosystem restoration, and invasive species treatment

Other Requirements:
• Valid Michigan driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Flexibility, enthusiasm for work and mission, and a sense of humor are the key traits of the perfect candidate.
• Comfortable in the safe operation of basic hand and power tools, with an emphasis on familiarity with chainsaws for preserve maintenance and invasive species treatment.
• Knowledge and prior experience with GPS, Microsoft Office Suite, and Adobe Suite

How to Apply:
Interested candidates should send their cover letter and resume to [email protected] with the job title and where you heard about the position in the email subject line (e.g., “Preserve Stewardship Technician – Idealist”). Qualified candidates will be emailed for an initial interview. Applications may be submitted until February 28, 2025, with an anticipated start date of May 5, 2025.