Easement Program Stewardship Specialist

The Watershed Agricultural Council works with farm and forest landowners in the New York City Watershed region to protect water quality on behalf of nine million New York residents.

The Council uses land conservation techniques such as Whole Farms Plans, Forest Management Plans and Conservation Easements to help farmers, forest professionals and private landholders address water pollution concerns on properties located in the Croton and Catskill/Delaware watersheds.

Position Overview:

Working under the direction of the Easement Program Stewardship Coordinator, the Stewardship Specialist stewards assigned conservation easement properties and projects and ensures that landowners are following the terms and conditions of their conservation easements.  

Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with landowners who have easements.
• Work with the Stewardship Coordinator and the Program Director to develop and implement conservation easement stewardship program standards and practices.
• Work closely with landowners in the stewardship and the implementation of stewardship activities on their conservation easement encumbered properties.
• Effectively communicate any potential conservation easement issues from individual properties to the Stewardship Coordinator.    
• Assist in the development of the annual monitoring calendar with the Stewardship Coordinator used to determine assigned properties.
• Maintain or develop (when applicable) Baseline Documentation Reports (BDR), stewardship files, and stewardship property records in databases for all assigned properties, including mapping.
• Conduct annual monitoring of 40% of the easement portfolio as assigned.
• Process and implement reserved right requests from assigned properties, including development and implementation of stewardship plans (forestry, stream work and other relevant plans).
• Process and implement amendments requests from assigned properties.
• Process and manage violations and notifications from assigned properties.
• Coordinate stewardship activities for assigned properties with Stewardship Coordinator DEP, DEC, WAP, Ag and Forestry Programs and other agencies as necessary.
• Provide assistance to landowners regarding ongoing easement issues.
• Assist in the development of stewardship Policy, Guidelines and SOP's with the Program Director and Stewardship Coordinator.
• Provide input to Acquisition Specialists regarding development of land plan maps and easements.
• Coordinate with Program Executive Assistant to ensure proper administration, documentation and filing of all stewardship activities.
• Complete and record all necessary stewardship program reports.
• Other duties or projects as assigned by the Stewardship Coordinator. 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in supporting/related field
• Strong written/verbal communication skills
• 3 years related experience in land conservation or natural resource management
• High degree of computer literacy
• Outstanding human relation skills
• Must have a valid and current driver's license

Specific Skills:

• Knowledge of the legal and technical aspects of Conservation Easements  
• End User experience with GIS.
• Knowledge of regional agriculture and forestry 

Compensation: Salary will be in the high $40,000s.

To Apply:

Please email your resume and cover by clicking "Apply Here Now." Address your application materials to:

Amy Hawk
Watershed Agricultural Council
33195 State Highway 10
Walton NY 13856-2159 

~ An Equal Opportunity Employer ~