USDA-FS Berry Phenology Subsistence Use in Alaska

USDA Forest Service Fellowship – Pacific Northwest Research Station

Opportunity available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) within the Pacific Northwest Research Station (PNWRS) in Juneau, Alaska.

The USDA Forest Service’s mission is to sustain forests and grasslands for present and future generations. The fellowship supports this mission by advancing research and management of understory vegetation for subsistence and cultural use in Southeast and Southcentral Alaska.

A fellowship will focus on harvesting non‑timber forest products—primarily blueberry (Vaccinium ovatum, Vaccinium alaskaense) and salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)—and their ecological and cultural importance. The project will use repeat photography, forest structure measurements, and environmental data to monitor phenological stages (leaf burst, flowering, fruiting) and forecast shifts due to changing environmental conditions.

• Understand the cultural and subsistence importance of harvesting non‑timber forest products in Southeast and Southcentral Alaska.
• Identify key understory species in temperate rainforests, especially blueberry and salmonberry.
• Recognize the ecological role of these species as forage for Sitka black‑tailed deer and their connection to community food systems.
• Explain how shifts in environmental conditions and weather variability influence plant phenology.
• Analyze how changes in phenology may affect plant productivity and subsistence harvest timing decisions.
• Apply methods to monitor phenology, including repeat photography, forest structure measurements, and environmental data collection.
• Use phenological forecasting to improve management of understory vegetation for subsistence and cultural uses.

Kellen Nelson

Anticipated start:
April 2026 (flexible). Initial term: six months, with potential extension based on USDA Forest Service recommendations and funding availability. Full‑time participation.

Monthly stipend of $3,200–$3,500, commensurate with educational level and experience.

U.S. citizen only.

Proof of health insurance is required for participation. Insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

Must be currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as environmental or biological sciences.

• Knowledge of environmental or biological sciences.
• Familiarity with Alaska, its ecosystems, and local plant species.

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen only.
• Degree:
  Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree.