Contact:

Mary Penney, NY Sea Grant, Oswego, 315-312-3042
 
Oswego, NY, February 24, 2010 – Looking for a great summer job? The Eastern Lake Ontario Dune and Salmon River Stewardship and Habitat Program offers the opportunity for college and graduate students to enjoy the outdoors promoting ecologically responsible use of Great Lakes ecosystems along the Eastern Lake Ontario Dunes & Wetlands Area and Salmon River corridor. The Steward responsibilities include blogging about habitat restoration, public educational and conservation efforts.

Students are encouraged to contact New York Sea Grant now. Up to 8 students will be paid to work with the Eastern Lake Ontario Dune and Salmon River Stewardship and Habitat Program during summer 2010; additional employment opportunities may be possible in fall and winter.

In 2009, New York Sea Grant created the Eastern Lake Ontario Dune and Salmon River Stewardship Blog. Stewards post weekly content and vibrant photos to the site. They also write and publish articles in partnership with local media.

“The stewards promote environmentally-sound recreational use of the vital and unique natural resources along Eastern Lake Ontario and the Salmon River. Through public education and direct contact with residents and visitors, the Stewards encourage willing compliance with guidelines designed to protect the resources,” says Stewardship and Habitat Program Coordinator Mary Penney of New York Sea Grant, Oswego, NY.

Up to five Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Stewards will spend their summer on the beaches of Eastern Lake Ontario providing public education programs, patrolling properties that provide public access to a 17-mile stretch of fragile sand dune, beach and wetlands areas in Oswego and Jefferson counties, and conducting habitat maintenance and restoration. Assignment areas include El Dorado Nature Preserve, Black Pond Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Lakeview WMA in Jefferson County, and the Sandy Pond Beach Natural Area, and Deer Creek Marsh WMA in Oswego County.

Up to three Salmon River Stewards will monitor properties that provide public access to the Salmon River corridor from Salmon River Reservoir (Redfield, NY) to Port Ontario in Oswego County. Venues include public fishing access sites, New York State Unique Areas, and State Forest lands. Additional Salmon River Steward positions are available during the fall academic semester.

Students are encouraged to speak to faculty about whether these positions meet academic internship requirements. Penney says, “Working as a Steward is excellent experience for students interested in careers in environmental and natural resource education and management.”

Penney is recruiting applicants with a minimum of two years combined education and experience in environmental education, natural resources management, biology, environmental studies or a related field. Students must be enthusiastic about protecting the ecosystem, have interpersonal and writing skills, and be willing to work weekends and holidays. Dune stewards must be prepared to walk up to 8 miles a day.

Interested applicants may send or email a cover letter, resume and references to Eastern Lake Ontario Dune and Salmon River Stewardship and Habitat Program Coordinator Mary Penney, New York Sea Grant, SUNY Oswego, Oswego, NY 13126 or email mp357@cornell.edu.

The Eastern Lake Ontario Dune and Salmon River Stewardship and Habitat Program is managed by New York Sea Grant in partnership with local partners.