Part-Time Stream Restoration Technician, Bergen SWAN – New Jersey

Organization: Bergen Save the Watershed Action Network

Position Title: Part-Time Stream Restoration Technician

Location: Westwood, New Jersey

Hours and Compensation: 10 hours per month (flexible hours), 8 months per year; two years

 Application Deadline: Open until filled

Responsibilities: For an existing stream restoration project along a waterway traversing the Emerson Woods Preserve, Emerson, NJ, installed in October 2013. Working independently, or with the assistance of other professionals (naturalists, engineers, watershed ecologists)

and volunteers:

• Establish a thorough knowledge base of the project and the surrounding circumstances – tour the project, study diagrams and file documents, observe the landscape in and around the work site, talk with past and present key players.

• Maintain healthy plantings – hand water, mulch, add soil amendments as necessary. Determine a viable regular source of water for the site. Replace sick or expired plants with the same or similar native species. Compile a list of recommended plants for the site with an emphasis on diversity and the best choices for erosion control and wildlife needs. Create a database of local sources for native plants and develop a relationship with the nursery owners.

• Control invasive species – identify the range of invasives; create an action plan for eradication; weed out garlic mustard, stilt grass, violets, pachysandra and other problem plants. Orchestrate volunteer pulls on pre-determined dates.

• Maintain site integrity – note and address any issues with regard to compromised fencing, intrusion by wildlife or vandals.

• Document conditions at the site – regularly compare current plantings to the original planting list; record overall health of plants individually and collectively, noting any signs of disease, dieback, encroachment, or loss. Identify causes. Keep an eye on the flow and clarity of the stream. Photograph conditions and changes.

• Prepare preliminary quarterly reports – Using the above documentation, prepare a quarterly report for submission to and editing by the Bergen SWAN Director, who will in turn submit it to the NJDEP Land Use Regulatory Program.

• Optimize the stormceptor system – gain a technical understanding of how this system operates and how it should be periodically cleaned. Work with the Emerson DPW to implement twice yearly clearing out of debris. Report any system malfunctions.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have prior experience with planning, implementing, and managing ecological landscapes along waterways in the northeast, as well as a working knowledge of stormwater issues and practices, and familiarity with the Hackensack River Watershed. They should know native vs. invasive flora and fauna of the region. Good writing, speaking, and photographic skills are a must. They will need expertise with PC software necessary to produce professional looking reports. An ability to interact cooperatively with a wide range of key players – municipal representatives, naturalists, and volunteers, and Bergen SWAN staff – is key, as well as the facility for supervising a small group of volunteer workers.

The candidate must have stamina and a strong back as a good deal of physical work is required. Candidates must carry their own medical and workers’ compensation insurance as an independent contractor or via their employer, school, or other institution.

How to Apply: Please email your resume and any questions to [email protected], or call 201-666-1877.