Background:

Southwest Colorado’s San Miguel County is home to some of Colorado’s signature landscapes including the ski town of Telluride and spectacular wilderness lands.  However, the last time wilderness areas were designated in San Miguel County was in 1980. 

The Lizard Head Wilderness and Mt. Sneffels Wilderness designated the core portions of their namesake mountain groups, but left significant, adjacent wilderness-quality lands unprotected.  A local citizen’s group, Sheep Mountain Alliance, identified several additional areas worthy of wilderness protection and has steadily been building support for a new county-wide wilderness package.  In June of this year, the San Miguel County Commission sent a letter to Representative John Salazar (D-CO), urging him to introduce wilderness legislation for six areas.

Support for the wilderness proposal has continued to grow as San Miguel County was joined by the towns of Telluride, Mountain Village, and Ophir, as well as many other local stakeholders. 

There is another proposed addition to the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness, on the opposite side of the wilderness area, in Ouray County, Colorado.   Members of the Ridgeway-Ouray Community Council have conducted a series of meetings with local stakeholders, and have been steadily building support for adding this additional land to the wilderness proposal.

It is hoped that wilderness legislation will be introduced in early 2008.

Update:

On November 5th, the Ouray County Commission unanimously endorsed the proposed Whitehouse Addition to the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness, which is located on the northeast side of the existing Mt. Sneffels Wilderness. 

The proposed Whitehouse Addition includes the high peaks of Teakettle Mountain and Potosi Peak as well as Blaine Basin, the northern basin approach to the Mt. Sneffels range.  The Town of Ridgeway has also endorsed the wilderness proposal. 

Ouray County residents and local officials place high value on the protection of local public lands, as evidenced by the language in Ouray County’s resolution, “WHEREAS, the designation as wilderness of the Whitehouse Addition of the Sneffels Wilderness Area will make this special place part of a system of places wild and free for the permanent good of all.”

Read the entire Ouray County Commission Resolution.

News Article:

Telluride Watch, November 15, 2007, “Ouray County Endorses Sneffels Wilderness Area Expansion Plan”

Contact:

Jeff Widen, The Wilderness Society, Wilderness Support Center, 970-247-8788, jeff_widen@tws.org

Amber Clark, San Juan Citizens’ Alliance, 970-259-3583, amber@sanjuancitizens.org

Background:

Wyoming's Adobe Town area – part of the greater Red Desert region - covers almost 200,000 acres of wild and pristine country, a spectacular landscape of jagged rims, fascinating spires and hoodoos, and windswept desert. A little under half of the area has been under interim protection as a "Wilderness Study Area." Extensive herds of antelope and wild horses roam across the untouched desert landscape, and the area provides important habitat for rare wildlife species like the burrowing owl, ferruginous hawk, prairie falcon and mountain plover. The Park Service evaluated this area in the 1970s and concluded that it was a landscape of National Park quality.

Today, the wilderness of Adobe Town is a hideaway for visitors looking to experience a last remnant of the Wild West. As drilling rigs and oil well field roads spread across Wyoming's open spaces, it is becoming harder to find a place to experience the Red Desert in its entire wild splendor.

Update:

On November 28, the Wyoming Environmental Quality Council (EQC), a citizen board appointed by the governor, approved a resolution to protect 180,000 acres in Wyoming’s Adobe Town by designating the area as ‘Very Rare or Uncommon’. In addition to the currently protected Wilderness Study Area, this designation expands protections to include the Haystacks, Willow Creek Rim and Badlands, the Flats at the Base of Skull Creek Rim, and a portion of Powder Rim. The resolution will be forwarded to Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal for his approval.

The ‘Very Rare or Uncommon’ designation protects these areas in Adobe Town from non-coal surface mining under state law and prevents mining permits from being issued. It will protect the area from oil shale mining and uranium mining, both of which are looming threats in the southern Red Desert, and is part of a broader effort to protect all of Adobe Town from heavy industry. Although this designation does not affect oil and gas leasing and development, which is under the purview of the Bureau of Land Management, it sends a strong message that Adobe Town needs to be prioritized for conservation and public enjoyment, not industrial use.

By granting this designation, the EQC recognized the extremely rare and world-class variety of giant mammal fossils from the Eocene epoch; spectacular array of fragile geological features, including spires, arches, multi-colored badlands, pillars and window rocks; the wealth of sensitive wildlife habitats found here, including important nesting habitat for golden eagles and prairie falcons, mule deer and pronghorn crucial winter range and rare species such as sage grouse and mountain plover; historical importance of the area for prehistoric archaeological sites and areas used by Butch Cassidy and other vestiges of Wyoming’s outlaw past, and the areas spectacular scenery.

Council Chairman Richard Moore remarked about Adobe Town, “It’s a real diamond among all the gems in Wyoming,” and Councilman Dennis Boal commented, “If you live in Wyoming, it’s hard to escape feeling that all of our places are subject to impact from industrial use. We need to do some things to provide protection for areas that are unique and uncommon.”

View the Very Rare or Uncommon Petition.

News Article:

Casper Star-Tribune, November 29, 2007, “Adobe Town vote stirs debate”

Contact:

Erik Molvar, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, 307-742-7978, erik@voiceforthewild.org  

Grassroots organizers building public and political support in their localities and states are the life blood of wilderness campaigns.  Earlier this month, a group of grassroots organizers from across the country gathered in Ben Lomond, California to discuss the current state of organizing in the wilderness movement.  The event was sponsored by The Wilderness Society's Wilderness Support Center, Campaign for America's Wilderness, and Training Resources for the Environmental Community (TREC).  During the four day Forum, participants learned about one another’s regional place-based wilderness campaigns, shared best practices and success stories, and discussed strategies to address grassroots organizing challenges facing the wilderness community.

The primary goal of the Grassroots Organizers’ Forum was to provide an atmosphere completely focused on the needs of grassroots organizers working on wilderness campaigns.  There were several sessions where participants lead the presentations and tailored the event to meet their needs.  Topics covered at the Forum included Working with Diverse Allies, Dealing with Opposition, Working with Volunteers, and Developing Leadership Skills.

During the Forum, a strong support network for wilderness organizers was created among the participants, thus, providing a venue for sharing information about working on wilderness campaigns in the future.  Participants left with a sense that they are not alone in the work that they do and the challenges that they face. 

Overall, the inaugural Grassroots Organizer’s Forum was a success.  Organizers are the foundation of the wilderness movement and are leaders within the movement.  Many participants expressed the responsibility to ensure that this sector of the wilderness community is healthy, adequately rewarded, operating in a sustainable way, growing, and having fun.  One wilderness advocate in attendance noted, “Having the opportunity to meet others in the same situation has helped to make the overall community more powerful.”

1- The National Conservation System Foundation, Office Manager/Program Assistant (Durango, CO)
2- Gifford Pinchot Task Force, Conservation Coordinator (Portland, OR)
3- Patagonia, Environmental Grants Manager (Ventura, CA)

The Wilderness Classifieds run at no cost and are available to any group hiring a wilderness-related position.  Please send your job advertisement to wsc@tws.org.  The deadline is the Thursday prior to each Wilderness Report.  If you have any questions, please call Melissa Giacchino at 970-247-8788. 

THE NATIONAL CONSERVATION SYSTEM FOUNDATION
Position: Office Manager/Program Assistant (Durango, CO)

General Description

The National Conservation System Foundation is a national non-profit organization with offices in Durango, Colorado and Bozeman, Montana.  The Foundation was created to ensure that the Bureau of Land Management is able to provide long-term protection for the lands and waters within the National Landscape Conservation System. Our mission is to protect, restore and expand the Conservation System through education, advocacy, and partnerships.

The National Conservation System Foundation is seeking an organized and skilled individual to join the staff at the Durango office.  This person will be responsible for the overall administrative operations of the organization and assist with some programmatic priorities. This person will be a key member of a dynamic, creative, and skilled team working to help establish America’s newest system of protected public lands.  This is an exciting opportunity to help shape a new conservation organization.

Administrative Responsibilities:

• Performing detailed financial accounting, recordkeeping and reporting; paying office expenses; administering office and internal control policies; filing necessary government documents.
• Assisting in preparation of budgets, grant proposals and reports.
• Assisting staff and board members with administrative needs including scheduling, travel planning, and internal paperwork (time sheets, expense reports, etc.) as needed.
• Ensuring daily operations of office run efficiently including maintenance of office equipment; maintaining filing system; and acting as liaison with building management.

Program Related Responsibilities:

Providing program-related support to National Conservation System Foundation staff and, occasionally grassroots partners including the following:

• Assisting with grant making and grants management
• Researching and disseminating information on conservation related issues
• Assisting with the development of educational/conservation campaign related materials, including brochures and reports.
• Providing logistical help in planning meetings/events/trainings.
• Assisting grassroots partners in the creation and maintenance of office, membership and financial systems.
• Creating/updating website content.
• Coordinating production and editing of organization’s newsletter.
• Assisting the Executive Director in fundraising and major donor relations.
• Other administrative/programmatic tasks as needed.

Qualifications:

Commitment to the long-term protection for the lands and waters within the National Landscape Conservation System is a must.  Experience with conservation organizations, understanding of public lands management and grassroots organizing is a plus.

The ideal candidate has office administrative experience, understands accounting and bookkeeping principles, is familiar with non-profit organizations, and is able to travel occasionally. 

Candidates should be:

• Highly motivated, well-organized and detail oriented.
• Able to work effectively and diplomatically under pressure with a wide variety of personalities.
• Excellent communicators with strong verbal & written communication skills.
• Team players, willing to respond quickly and flexibly to changing events and work assignments in a dynamic and challenging work environment.
• Proficient with Microsoft Windows 98/XP, Microsoft Office (MS Word and Excel), electronic mail, database and internet applications. Experience with Power Point and/or computer layout/design, graphics, HTML a real plus.
• Self starters willing to take initiative to perform and prioritize a variety of work assignments.
• Friendly and maintain a positive attitude.

The National Conservation System Foundation offers a very competitive salary and benefits package, including health insurance. The National Conservation System Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and actively works to ensure fair and equal treatment of its employees regardless of differences based on culture, socioeconomic status, race, marital or family situation, gender, age, ethnicity, religious beliefs, physical ability, or sexual orientation.

Submit resume, cover letter, and references via e-mail with the subject line “Office Manager/Program Assistant” to:

Brian O’Donnell, Executive Director
National Conservation System Foundation
brian@ourconservationlegacy.org.
No phone calls, please.

GIFFORD PINCHOT TASK FORCE
Position: Conservation Coordinator (Portland, OR)

General Responsibilities: The Conservation Coordinator is responsible for tracking projects and implementing campaigns on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest (GPNF) and elsewhere in southwest Washington to protect and restore the area’s forests and ecosystems. A special component of the Conservation Coordinator’s role is to advocate for and implement the GP Task Force’s restoration plan for the GPNF. Our vision is to turn the GPNF into a model of restored Northwest forest ecosystems and a source population for species recovery elsewhere in the Cascades.  For more information about the GP Task Force’s work visit our website www.gptaskforce.org.
 
Supervisor: Executive Director

Specific Duties

Project Review and Restoration

• Track, research and provide substantive comments on major projects on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
• Lead campaign to stop 3,000 acre copper mine at Mount St. Helens.
• Advocate for implementation of GP Task Force’s restoration plan for the GPNF including funding, project development and on-the-ground implementation.
• Recruit allies to support or oppose projects on the GPNF.
• Maintain and continue building relationships with Forest Service.
• Engage congressional delegation as needed.
• Engage members in project advocacy, review and implementation.
• Assist in developing outreach materials including project fact sheets, post cards and letters.

Communications

• Work with media to educate public about projects on the GPNF.
• Contribute to quarterly newsletter.
• Develop material for website.

Administration

• Work in a team to accomplish organizational objectives.
• Assist in other tasks as assigned by the Executive Director.

Qualifications

The Conservation Coordinator should have at least three years of experience in conservation advocacy or related conservation work. In addition, the Conservation Coordinator must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree. Experience with or interest in GIS is a bonus. The Conservation Coordinator needs to be well organized and able to work independently, and he or she must have good research, writing, public speaking, and interpersonal skills. A good sense of humor is an important bonus. In addition, the Conservation Coordinator should have a good working knowledge of Pacific Northwest ecology, policy and law. The Conservation Coordinator should demonstrate an interest in working for a small conservation group dedicated to protection of native ecosystems.

This position requires regular domestic travel and applicant must have access to an automobile for local business travel.

Salary commensurate with experience. Benefits include a health stipend and a generous annual vacation policy. 

Interested applicants please reference Conservation Coordinator in your subject line and submit a letter of interest, along with resume to: emily@gptaskforce.org

Emily Platt
Executive Director
Gifford Pinchot Task Force
emily@gptaskforce.org
(503) 221-2102 x 100

PATAGONIA
Position: Environmental Grants Manager (Ventura, CA)

Reports to: Director of Environmental Programs

General Summary:

The Environmental Grants Manager is responsible for the management, marketing (internally and externally) and successful implementation of the Company’s environmental grants program. S/he coordinates all aspects of the US grants program, including: grant giving, creation of annual Environmental Initiatives Booklet, and implementation of non-cash services, such as the Tools for Grassroots Activist Conference and the employee environmental internship program. S/he will assist the Director of Environmental Programs with the development and implementation of corporate environmental campaigns and programs, environmental advertising, and public affairs related to the Company’s environmental efforts.

Essential Job Functions:

Leadership Responsibilities
o Manage and develop the structure of the Company’s Environmental Grants Program, strategy and mission.
o Develop, foster and market the various Enviro campaigns to better educate the Company's customer base on the Grants Program and other such Company initiatives related to environmental activism.
o Help develop and implement the Enviro department’s strategic yearly campaigns.
o Perform research for the Company’s external environmental efforts and ensure that such initiatives are in line with the goals of the Company, its branding initiatives and those of the Enviro department.
o Provide research on controversial environmental issues to the Director.
o Provide judgment related to controversial environmental issues and how they may impact the Company.
o Manage and develop the employees understanding of the Company’s environmental programs through activism and outreach.
o Serve as spokesperson and advocate for the Grants Program and the enviro. dept.
o Foster staff’s general understanding of the Company’s funding parameters, general environmental activism, the broader funding climate and the general state of the environmental movement.
o Responsible for maintaining and fostering a high level of focus on and awareness of the Company’s core values and how they may inter-relate to the work performed by the Enviro department.
o Network and strategize with other foundation and corporate grantmakers.
o Plan and execute the Tools for Grassroots Activist Conference every 18 months
o Coordinate publication of annual Environmental Initiatives Booklet

Administrative Responsibilities
o Responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Grants Program.
o Ensure that the Grants Program provides the highest quality customer service to non-profit organizations, employees, customers, other companies in the outdoor industry and the general public.

Inter-Company Responsibilities
o Ensure that grants, non-cash services, clothing donations, campaigns and advertisements parallel the philosophy of the Company.
o Work with a myriad of other departments in the Company to encourage and support environmental activism and involvement.

Physical Requirements:
o Must be able to sit for extended periods of time.
o Ability to look at a computer screen for extended periods of time.
o Ability to maintain a composed and professional demeanor within a flexible (and at times noisy) work environment.
o Must be able to travel domestically and internationally utilizing various transportation methods.

Minimum Job Qualifications:
o Degree in Environmental Studies, Science or comparable area of expertise.
o Minimum 6 years experience in working in environmental movement including responsibility for campaign development and strategy.
o Leadership experience as a project or program manager or director, including off-site staff or participants.
o Minimum 3 years project management experience including budgeting, fundraising and proposal writing.
o Extensive public speaking and public relations skills.
o Proven experience as an initiator or organizer of a project or program.
o Understanding of political process and experience in shaping public policy.
o Excellent writing skills with experience as a ghostwriter.
o Demonstrated ability to handle controversial issues with comfort, subtlety and finesse.
o Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Windows, Excel and Access.
o Comfortable with team-based work structure; ability to demonstrate flexibility on the job.
o Demonstrates initiative, is conscientious and provides complete follow-through on areas of responsibility.

Employee Conduct:
It is the responsibility of every employee to contribute to a positive work environment through cooperative and professional interactions with co-workers, customers and vendors.

To apply, send resume with cover letter to:

Patagonia
Attention: Recruiting
P.O. Box 150
Ventura, CA 93002-0150
venturajobs@patagonia.com