My name is Monica Depies and I am a Coordinator for the Chicago Botanic Garden's Conservation and Land Management (CLM) Program. The CLM program centers on providing early-career professionals opportunities to get hands-on experience and training in the fields of conservation and land management through partnerships with Federal Agencies.
Through a cooperative agreement with the US Forest Service, in 2024 the CLM program will hire and train interns to assist National Forests/Grasslands with their native plant materials development program, primarily through seed collection. These positions are really great for building plant identification and botanical expertise, navigation skills in the field, as well as networking opportunities and experience working at a federal agency.
We will be hiring 49 intern positions across the following National Forests/Grasslands:
- Alaska: Tongass and Chugach NFs
- Arizona: Tonto and Coronado NFs
- California: San Bernardino, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Lassen, El Dorado, Sierra, and Plumas NFs
- Illinois: Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
- Montana: Bitterroot, Beaverhead-Deerlodge, Flathead, and Helena-Lewis & Clark NFs
- New Mexico: Lincoln NF
- Oregon: Malheur, Willamette, and Umpqua NFs
- South Dakota: Dakota Prairie Grasslands
- Utah: Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF
- Wyoming: Bighorn NF
These are 19-23-week paid positions, some with FS bunkhouses possible, where interns will receive hands-on mentorship and training from FS staff. Positions will start from mid-May to early June 2024, and we’ll also host a workshop at the Chicago Botanic Garden where interns will receive training in the Native Plant Materials Process, as well as other professional development opportunities.
Our hope in the 2024 field season is to, when possible, hire from local communities and organizations like yours that are already invested in these landscapes. Applications for this position, along with our other partnerships, will be opening shortly. Those who are interested in learning more and signing up for our 2024 position interest form list can do so on the CLM Website Home Page (under the 'Interested in Applying' section). This list will be notified as soon as these positions are posted.
I am available to answer questions via email - mdepies@chicagobotanic.org - or through setting up a call!
Thank you, and have a great rest of 2023-
Monica Depies (she/her)
CLM Program Coordinator
Chicago Botanic Garden
