Chesapeake Conservation Corps 2023 – 2024
Host Applicant: Center for Watershed Protection
Looking to break into the environmental field and launch your career? Looking to make a difference and create change? Or know a young person who is? Young professionals gain experience, crucial career skills, a support system, and key connections within the environmental field through the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps.
The Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps is a one-year term of paid service that places young adults with nonprofits or government agencies to work fulltime in the environmental field. Throughout the year young professionals receive experience managing projects and programs, leadership and professional development training, mentorship, a support network of young professionals, and other skill-building opportunities including networking and grant writing. Positions offered by the host organizations are in the fields of environmental restoration, climate change, community engagement, environmental education, sustainable agriculture, energy conservation, and forestry.
This year, the Center for Watershed Protection is one of the many potential Host Organizations for the 2023-24 Chesapeake Conservation Corps service year. If successfully matched with The Center for Watershed Protection, you would work on a variety of different projects related to watershed restoration, climate change and/or education. Most of the work will be in the office, with some opportunities for field work or attendance at in-person trainings and conferences. Duties may include:
1. Restoration: Stream Monitoring
The Corps member will be monitoring the impacts of construction on the sediment load in a stream by installing weirs and monitoring equipment and collecting water quality data in the field. Equipment used may include water quality sondes, pressure transducers, ISCO automated samplers, and velocity meters.
2. Restoration: Green Infrastructure
The Corps Member will assist CWP staff with identifying potential green infrastructure (GI) project sites. The Corps Member can also assist CWP Staff with green infrastructure design and construction inspections at job sites. Lastly, the Corps Member may assist CWP with different aspects of a grant to increase the use of biochar in stormwater management across the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
3. Climate Change: Modeling
The Corps Member will have the opportunity to learn about current climate models and assist CWP staff on using climate projections to evaluate the implications for stormwater management at the local scale.
4. Education & Community Engagement: Curriculum Development
The Corps Member will have the opportunity to develop training content, engage the larger network to participate in training opportunities, and assist with training delivery.
5. Education & Community Engagement: Workforce Development Training
CWP’s nationally accredited workforce development training program, the Clean Water Certificate program prepares individuals for entry-level jobs in construction and maintenance of green infrastructure. The Corps Member will assist CWP Staff in adapting the curriculum for different communities with stakeholder input, assist in maintaining the national accreditation, develop marketing materials and social media content, and support the delivery of the in-person training. The Corps Member may have the opportunity to take part in the training and receive a Clean Water Certificate.
6. Education & Community Engagement: 2024 National Watershed & Stormwater Conference
CWP provides a forum for watershed and stormwater professionals throughout the nation to learn how to increase the resiliency of our communities in response to emerging and persistent threats to our water resources — from headwaters to coasts. The Corps Member will coordinate and attend technical presentations, panel discussions, and workshops.
The Chesapeake Bay Trust anticipates placing around 50-55 Corps Members, young adults 18-25, with nonprofit organizations and government agencies throughout the Chesapeake Bay region for a paid year of service ($31,200) beginning on August 15, 2023.
Applications for the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps must be submitted through the Trust’s online system by March 9, 2023 at 4:00 pm. To learn more and apply go to https://cbtrust.org/chesapeake-conservation-corps/apply/.
For any questions about the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps contact Program Coordinator Carlton Burns cburns@cbtrust.org or 410-974-2941, ext. 125.
For more information about the CCC Role at the Center, please email Carol at ckw@cwp.org