Internships in Restoration Ecology

~ The Prairie Enthusiasts (TPE) is a private organization committed to the protection and management of native prairie and savanna of the Upper Midwest. We have an incorporated, nonprofit status and are a grass roots organization operating primarily through volunteers. ~

TPE differs from other conservation groups in its sole dedication to the preservation of the last remaining pieces of the once vast, now endangered, prairies and savannas of the Upper Midwest through land protection and management.

The Prairie Enthusiasts evolved from small prairie preservation organizations in the mid-1970's to more than 11 chapters in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Internships Overview

Four internships in restoration ecology will be available through The Prairie Enthusiasts (Empire-Sauk Chapter) in the summer of 2019.  Work will be carried out at several outstanding Wisconsin prairie and savanna sites in western Dane County and eastern Iowa County.

These are full-time positions for 12 weeks (8 hours a day, 5 days a week, except for July 4th) from Tuesday, May 28, through Friday, August 16, 2019.  Pay is $11.50 per hour.  Applicants should be in college, at the sophomore level or higher, and have a demonstrated interest in restoration ecology or the conservation/management of rare species and ecosystems.  Also desirable is a major in ecology, biology, botany, conservation, forestry, environmental studies, environmental engineering, zoology, wildlife, or soils. Applicants must be able to perform sustained physical work outdoors. A valid driver’s license is required.

Sites:  The work will take place at a number of high-quality nature preserves in western Dane County and eastern Iowa County near the villages of Mount Horeb, Mazomanie, Blue Mounds, and Barneveld.  These are sites owned or eased by The Prairie Enthusiasts.  They include remnant and restored prairies, oak savannas, oak woodlands, streams, and wetlands.

Work:  The interns will be working together as a team lead by an experienced restoration ecologist. As an intern in this practical experience, you will spend the summer outdoors where you will learn by doing a number of tasks in broad-scale landscape restoration and management, including work in prairie, savanna, woodland, wetland, and cold-water stream habitats. The primary focus of activities is the control of invasive species, but time will also be spent on seed collecting and planting, plant ecology and identification, seed orchard maintenance, fencing and boundary posting, and endangered species monitoring. The internship will give you the opportunity to become familiar with both native and alien plants, and many specialized grassland and savanna insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.  You will also learn from professional ecologists and experienced practitioners in restoration about the conservation significance and goals of the various preserves, the habitat needs of rare and declining species, and a variety of restoration techniques, strategies, and philosophies that are employed at these sites.  Some use of power tools and herbicides will be involved.

Interns are responsible for their travel, housing, and other living expenses, and are encouraged to carpool to worksites. Sturdy work boots, gloves and clothing, as well as sun, rain, and insect protection are required.  All tools will be provided.  Academic credit may be available for participation in this program; each intern is responsible for making academic credit arrangements with her/his university.

How to Apply:      The application deadline to ensure consideration is Friday, February 22, 2019. Apply by email to Rich Henderson.  Please include a cover letter describing your background and interest in this position, plus a resume which contains details of relevant college course work and previous work and volunteer experience.  Be as detailed as necessary to describe your background, interests, and what you wish to gain from this internship.  Your application should consist of a single electronic file with your last name as the first word of the file name.