The Maryland Veteran Conservation Corps consists of 1 Leader and 4 Members. This team of military veterans will work in Merkle Natural Resources Management Area and other nearby state parks, and on projects which may involve some travel.
This position will give team members the work skills needed to enter into the conservation workforce. Work-skills training is provided through Maryland Park Service. Training may include chainsaw, emergency medical responder, introduction to search and rescue, small craft safety, interpretive skills. Other training opportunities are available through Maryland Park Service and will be identified once program begins. Additional training in trail maintenance, minor construction, and park specific skills are provided on site in a hands-on setting.
Members are expected to use their personal vehicle to commute to worksite daily. Daily work schedule is 7AM – 3PM. Bi-weekly, members will be paid a living allowance of $580/week. Members are eligible for medical, dental, vision, short term disability, and retirement benefits through SCA.
The COVID-19 pandemic has required SCA to implement several safety protocols and policies to help our teams manage the risks associated with the pandemic. Please review the documents below for SCA’s organizational response plan and participant agreement form to learn more how our teams will be operating in the field:
– SCA COVID-19 Response Plan
– SCA COVID-19 Participant Agreement Form
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Merkle NRMA, with other nearby state parks, and on Maryland Conservation Corps projects which may involve some travel.
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Work-skills training is provided through Maryland Park Service. Training may include chainsaw, emergency medical responder, introduction to search and rescue, small craft safety, interpretive skills.
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In additon to trainings listed above, leader and members will learn:
- Basic carpentry
- Basic tool identification, use, safety, and PPE
- Trail construction and maintenance
- Landscaping and site restoration training
- Proper tree/sapling/seed planting techniques
- Dendrology/botany that provides background for using keys to identify tree/plant native and invasive species
- Seed collection/stratification methods
- Proper limb pruning using collar cuts
- Certified applicator training for herbicides/pesticides
Team will also work to:
- Remove hazardous trees along all trails and developed areas.
- Perform general trail maintenance, bridge and stream stabilization, re-routing, and blazing on trails.
- Establish MPS Trail Wayfinding Standards with new signage on trails.
- Take part in park facility maintenance and beautification projects (roofing, grounds maintenance, campsite renovations).
- Remove invasive plant species.
- Operate heavy equipment.
- Plant trees and pollinator plantings.
- Complete carpentry projects including construction of footbridges, kiosks, and routered signage.
