Croatan Vegetation Management Crew Leader II

Start Date:

01/25/2027

End Date: 04/21/2027

(Season end dates may vary depending on crew assignment, project timelines, and organizational needs. Final service dates will be confirmed upon placement)

Conservation Legacy is a nationwide non-profit. The Corps programs within the organization engage participants in diverse conservation and community projects that serve public and private lands. These projects provide opportunities for personal and professional development and strive toward a high priority of needs for public land managers and community partners. Through the mission of engaging future leaders who protect, restore and enhance our nation’s lands through community-based service;
Conservation Legacy works toward a world with healthy lands, air and water; thriving people and resilient communities.

Conservation Corps North Carolina empowers young adults through meaningful outdoor work that benefits North Carolina’s land and water and fosters healthy communities. A program of Conservation Legacy, CCNC partners with public land managers and community organizations across the state to engage motivated individuals—typically ages 15–30—in challenging and impactful conservation service projects. These projects may include trail construction and maintenance, habitat restoration, hazard fuel reduction, invasive species removal, and other technical conservation work.

CCNC crews and individual placements gain hands-on experience, professional development, and the opportunity to positively impact North Carolina’s natural resources and communities.

This position, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, will assist the crew in completing projects within the Croatan National Forest. During the planting season, the crew will focus on native tree/shrub planting, site preparation, and seedling protection to support ecosystem restoration efforts across the forest. Following the planting season, the crew will transition to vegetation management work using hand tools such as loppers, hand saws, brush cutters, and herbicide application tools to control invasive or competing vegetation and maintain planting sites.

The crew leader and ACL for this crew will be responsible for any major chainsaw operation and the crew may assist in minor chainsaw operation. Crew members should expect to work on rugged terrain in inclement weather, performing repetitive and physically demanding tasks in a fast-paced outdoor environment.

The Crew Leader II position is an opportunity to make a difference in young peoples’ lives while completing conservation projects on public and private lands. Leaders will be mentors, educators, and facilitators for young adults, working to promote the health and resiliency of our land, air, and water.

Standard schedule generally consists of 9 days on-hitch (out in the field as a crew unit) and 5 days off with some exceptions. Crew Leaders may also be required to come in for an additional day each hitch cycle to complete administrative duties and check-ins with program staff. On-hitch, crews camp together, prepare all meals together, and work together as a group to complete all projects and chores.

The Crew Leader II position requires patience, a consistently positive mental attitude, mentorship, technical aptitude, focus on efficiency, and a high level of competence in the outdoors. It also involves an administration role, where weekly paperwork is due…