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Internships with the
Arc of Appalachia Preserve System
Who are We ? The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System is located in southern Ohio and has three primary missions. One. To acquire and preserve land with the goal of restoring large blocks of defragmented forest lands (and associated river corridors, prairies and wetlands) in order to preserve the rich biodiversity of America's Eastern temperate forest. Our restoration work is accomplished in southern Ohio, in a five county region in southern Ohio known as the Arc of Appalachia. In this area the Arc manages over 4000 acres of land in fourteen separate preserve regions. The Highlands Nature Sanctuary, where the internship program is headquartered, is the Arc's largest preserve at 2,000 acres. Its central feature is the spectacularly beautiful Rocky Fork Gorge.
T wo.To honor and preserve the cultural history of the Eastern Woodland Native Americans, the peoples who sustainably lived in the unbroken Eastern Forest for an unbroken span of at least sixteen thousand years. Truly, it is their landscape and their homeland that we endeavor to preserve today. The Arc believes that by attempting to understand the philosophies, skills, values and artistic expressions of our landscape's native cultures, we can discover time-honored wisdom that can serve to inspire our work in the fields of conservation and restoration today. Today the Arc is honored to steward three Native American earthwork and ceremonial sites, beginning with the miraculous saving of Spruce Hill in 2007, and the acquisition of the day by day management of Serpent Mound and Fort Hill in 2009 on behalf of the Ohio Historical Society. Three. Our final mission is to cultivate forest literacy in the citizens of Eastern United States. We offer education to the general public at our Appalachian Forest Museum. We also sponsor the Appalachian Forest School, a program that offers in-depth forest education courses at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary, and field trips across the Eastern Forest to study the forest's regional ecological expressions. We hope you will choose to be a part of our incredible grassroots endeavor! Read on to find out about becoming an intern at the Arc of Appalachia.
The Arc's internship program trains individuals in many aspects of the daily
running of a non-profit land trust, both on the front lines and
behind-the-scenes. The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System is a lofty endeavor
fueled by a very small full-time staff. Interns therefore play a pivotal
role in maintaining and furthering the mission, accumulating a large number
of practical, physical and administrative skills in the process. Interns are
not peripheral to our organization -- they are integral to Arc r operations,
While they are on board they work as an integrated team with the full-time
staff.
Perhaps because of our small size, there is very little hierarchy in this organization -- everyone pitches in to do what is required and each person gives the best of what their personality and biography offers to advance the mission. An intern's work here tends toward the tangible, and interns thrive in our program who naturally enjoy an active committed work environment. Interns work a maximum of forty hours a week, and have two days off each week. Two additional vacation days are given for each three month intern commitment.
Two Intern Positions to Choose From:
Museum & Visitor Services Position  Two interns are selected each year to work primarily in
visitor services, assisting with the operation of one or more of our three
visitor centers: the Appalachian Forest Museum at the Highlands Nature
Sanctuary, and the Museums at Fort Hill and Serpent Mound. This position is
ideal for people who are interested in natural history, public relations, nature
interpretation, education, and non-profit infrastructure. Specialization at one
museum or time spent at two or more will be decided by intern preference and
availability.
Museum Work - Interns greet
and orient visitors, answer questions, and maintain the facilities and displays
at the Appalachian Forest Museum and Serpent Mound Museum. Both museums are open
to the public daily through the summer and on weekends in spring and fall.
Some training and self-study materials in museum interpretation and public
relations will be provided. Non-profit Administration - Interns perform administrative and office tasks that further the organization's cause. Sometimes research on the eastern deciduous forest is included among the tasks. Computer software literacy and computer-communication skills are always a plus and are greatly helpful to our organization, but are not absolutely required. Educational Events -
Museum interns occasionally assist with the operations of the Arc
of Appalachia's in-house educational events, helping with registration,
working with school groups, and helping prepare healthy and
environmentally-responsible meals for overnight courses--while at the same
time enjoying the curriculum.
See our
Field Steward Position One to two interns are selected each year to work primarily in the position of field stewards for the Arc of Appalachia. This is a versatile job for active people who LOVE being outside, doing physical taks, getting hands-on a job. For three days a week, Field Stewards will really get "out there," performing the outdoor work necessary to maintain and develop a huge preserve system, including occasional physically demanding tasks. On weekends, field stewards staff the Appalachian Forest Museum or the Fort Hill Museum, while working on indoor projects as time permits. Please read the paragraphs above for a description of Museum duties. Trail Maintenance & Development - The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System offers over 20 miles of back country trails in its 14 preserves. Field Stewards keep the trails accessible by removing fallen trees and gently trimming back the plant growth along trail corridors. As a growing organization, the Arc also adds trails to new preserve lands, and Field Stewards are the driving force behind the creation of new trails. Natural Habitat Maintenance, Restoration Work and
Land Protection - Maintenance and
restoration work is a big part of the Field Steward's contribution, and the
work Throughout the year we work on non-native shrub removal, including privet and bush honeysuckle. In the fall season, field stewards work in Arc preserves that have been set aside for native prairie habitat, special eco-systems that need a degree of natural disturbance to stay vital. Most of this work involves removing juniper trees so that the prairie grasses and forbes don't get shaded out, and so the grasslands can get occasionally mowed. Also in the fall, Field Stewards are involved in protecting the colonies of native ginseng and goldenseal that grow naturally in the preserve system. Farm fences are removed, trail signs are repainted, and sometimes trail bridges and steps are constructed. Although this describes some of the stewardship work, the fact is, staff,
assisted by Field Stewards, do whatever comes up. Sometimes a windstorm hits
and we suddenly we need to spend the next five days on the trails. Sometimes
a thoughtless person dumps a pick-up load of trash and furniture in one of
our ravines by the road, and we have to jump to a solution. Sometimes
ginseng hunters hit our trails and begin illegal harvesting for personal
profit. Sometimes things happen....that we never have happened before! Every
season brings new experiences and
Facility Upkeep and Restoration - To restore wilderness in a region as populated as the Eastern U.S. requires a master plan that favorably deals with not only reuniting forested tracts, but the houses that inevitably come with them. As part of the over sixty purchases of separate tracts of land that we have acquired to date, we have also procured over a dozen human residences that must be blended into our mission to maintain control of the road frontages. Some of the houses we tear down. Some we rent monthly to local residents with the plan of tearing them down in the far-flung future. Some buildings are developed as educational centers that offer preserve visitors overnight lodging accommodations and educational workshop space. Interns assist with facility maintenance -- everything from mowing grass to staining decks.
Community Living in a Natural Setting.
Interns co-house in modern, furnished facilities provided
by the Highlands Nature Sanctuary and can partake of the joys and life lessons
gained from community living. Interns benefit from living in a beautiful, rural
setting within walking and biking distance of the Appalachia Forest Museum, and
within close proximity to a large number of hiking trails. Currently most of our
interns live at TES Farm, the residence of intern director, Tim Pohlar. At T$S
Farm interns may opt to contribute to a community garden or help care for Tim's
chickens, goats, and other farm animals. Interns should be prepared to co-house
with several of Tim's indoor/outdoor dogs and cats. Interns are either assigned
to a private bedroom, or share a bedroom with one intern of the same gender.
Interns may choose to bike the 8 miles of rural roads to JR's, a bountiful
Mennonite-run grocery & pantry. JR's has enough of a selection of bulk foods,
deli items, and fresh produce that conceivably an intern could spend their
entire season at the Sanctuary without ever having to take a car into town.
However, if city life allures, the small town of Bainbridge (with a pharmacy and
an IGA) is five miles away and can also be easily accessed by bike.
Individual Studies Interns will find themselves immersed in a singular opportunity for rapid learning of natural history skills, if they choose to benefit from the human and natural resources available to them. In addition to the available curriculum, described below, interns have access to one of the finest outdoor classrooms in the East, and and may request mentorship by the Sanctuary's naturalist staff -- who are always willing to give a guiding hand to those who have a sincere interest in outdoor studies. A large nature library is at your disposal from which you may borrow books, and you are naturally immersed in nature just by virtue of your living environments. Interns fall asleep to the chanting of katydids and rose each morning to the phoebe's dawn song. Nature invites you to step into its embrace. You need only to meet her half way with your willing heart and earnest effort.
Curriculum
Interns may attend any of the Arc's on-site Appalachian Forest School
courses free of charge if interns sign up for at least three months of work
and the courses are offered concurrently with their stay.
See list of AFS events.
Intern may also be invited to attend occasional interpretive hikes,
archaeological lectures at nearby Hopewell Culture National Historical Park,
and other educational programs as time permits. Interns who stay the full
season can, with a bit of effort, have the opportunity to learn most of
their forest trees, recognize the various spring wildflower species, learn
their birds by sight and sound, and receive a broad and sound education in
temperate forest ecology.
 A Stipend & A Peaceful Environment A stipend of $300 a month will be issued to each intern to help support their living expenses. Interns need to provide their own linens, pillow and blanket; towels, food, and personal care items. A bike with a bike lock is recommended to assist in transportation. While living at the Sanctuary, interns are expected to maintain a clean and peaceful atmosphere at their residence, and share house duties and chores, including the daily care of the goats and barn cats. The Sanctuary is an alcohol and drug-free environment.
The Internship program is available from March through the first week of December. Average terms are 3-6 months. Minimum length of participation is ten weeks but interns who can work longer are given first preference. Maximum length is 9 months. Priority is given to early applicants, applications from returning interns, and applicants who can work a spring or fall term in addition to the summer season. NOTE: Because internships are such an important part of our operations, we ask from all interns who apply and accept a position with our organization to sign a contract of commitment. Once the contracts are received for all available positions, we will turn away all future applicants.
Expectations for
Internships
This internship program is best suited for people who love group work, but have sufficient individuality and initiative to stay connected to their unique inner drive and personal goals. In all cases, what an intern gets "out" of the program is proportional to the passion and self-discipline poured in. This program is for people who like to work hard, who have a deep and abiding love for nature, have a natural curiosity in life, have a moderate or high level of physical energy, and have a natural sensitivity and respect toward people. It is available to anyone who fits this description regardless of age, race, or gender. Choices of interns are mostly based on their availability and passion for our goals. The intern is expected to perform at a level expected in a standard employment situation for the duration of the internship, at 40 hours per week. Although opportunity for extra volunteer time is available it is never required. Interns typically work five days in a row, and then have two days off. Each intern will have sufficient opportunity beyond the work week to enjoy unstructured time that can be spent in education, recreation, personal chores and rest. Interns have access to the Sanctuary’s extensive environmental library, including many natural history reference books, as well as a connection to a community of like-minded people. Expenses borne by the intern include food and personal care items, transportation, long-distance phone calls, and recreation. Interns are expected to take a team-approach to the Museum and their co-housing residence -- being willing to share all tasks evenly -- whether administrative or physical. As primarily an intern and volunteer run business, interns should prepare themselves to take the challenge of maintaining the business seriously and professionally.
Applications for the 2010 season are now being accepted! Apply now
to ensure a spot in the
program.
For questions
and to find out the status of current internship openings, please call:
Tim Pohlar: Internship Coordinator, Cave Canyon Manger Tim found his way to the Sanctuary by a string of fortunate “coincidences” and became an intern in the spring of 2004, an experience that changed the course of his life. He now has a solid foundation of the ways of nature, including recognizing most plants and animals by name, and a story to go along with them. Time has now come for Tim to help others walk the path of the Naturalist and anchor a life of greater environmental sustainability. Tim graduated from OSU in 2006 with a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. He loves caring for animals, both wild and domestic, and is devoted to his "girls" (three dogs named Kayla, Usipho and Raven) and his two cats (Azure and Jasper). Tim is an outdoors-guy. He loves being busy and purposeful, learning new skills and accomplishing tangible challenges that advance the land preservation mission, protecting the natural world that he loves. His hobbies include gardening, and hearthside cooking - in which he excels and the rest of us benefit.
Nancy Stranahan, Director Nancy began her career in the Ohio State Parks, working as a naturalist and eventually becoming chief naturalists of the interpretive program. In 1995 shed founded Benevolence Café in Columbus – a back-to-earth eatery featuring fresh whole grain breads and vegetarian soups that were served at large community tables. Nancy founded a popular intern program at Benevolence Café in 2001, which became the predecessor of the current intern program at the Sanctuary. Perhaps her most important life-legacy was the co-founding of the Highlands Nature Sanctuary with Larry Henry in 1995, which eventually grew to become the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System. Nancy, a naturalist at heart, has an interest in all things living. To her, the greatest miracle in the world is the “seed,” and she likes planting and nurturing seeds of all kinds. After working as sustainable gardener for twenty five years, she has recently turned her physical garden under and is now concentrating her last third of her life on the flowering of seed-ideas. Always the philosopher, she is constantly seeking always to merge science with the spirit, curiosity with ethics, lifestyle with responsibility. Nancy is best known for her writing and storytelling skills, which, with Larry's photography, is the foundation of what has made the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System a success. Nancy is also an excellent cook, specializing in vegan and vegetarian fare and the artistic combinations of herbs. Her soup recipes at Benevolence were unusual in that often 8-10 herbs are used to create complex memorable flavors uncommonly found in vegetarian fare. Nancy attributes this skill to her many years of gardening, in which she tended a large variety of herbs from seed to mature plants. Similarly, she loves to watch other people grow to their fullest potential.
Larry Henry, Director  s
deeply concerned at the diminishing numbers of trained naturalists in a world in
which nature is universally becoming a mental abstraction, a mere “backdrop.”
Studying environmental worldly events for several hours each evening, he brings
a wide planetary view to every person that he mentors, encouraging others to
strive for personal empowerment and a commitment to the earth’s healing. He is
passionate about passing the torch to a small but significant number of people
belonging to the “next generation".
Crystal Marvin A life-long Girl Scout
from rural New England, Crystal has always been close to nature. Just like
Tim Pohlar a few years earlier, she found her way to the Sanctuary firstly
through the intern program. In Crystal's words, she came secondly out of a
desire to help mend her heart over what she sees as the mindless destruction
of her beloved Earth. Crystal graduated from OSU in 2005 with degrees in
Linguistics and Japanese, and has studied 6 foreign languages. She is very
interested in sustainable living, and keeps a vermiculture composting bin in
her kitchen. She has a wide variety of interesting but nominally unrelated
skills, including writing HTML and playing the penny whistle! Underestimate
Crystal's modest demeanor at your own peril! We Sanctuary folks think she is
one of the most brilliant people we have ever met. She single-handedly
manages our office systems, our infrastructure, and nearly all of our
visitor services. The rest of us have to work overtime twenty hours a week
just to keep up with her brisk
Bruce Lombardo Bruce
began his work for the Arc as the Museum designer for the interpretive
displays at the Appalachian Forest Museum. He has distinguished himself in
his last museum design position in Zimbabwe, where he worked for the
non-profit Painted Dog Conservation Project. There he designed a Museum
whose mission was to raise awareness of the endangered conservation status
of the painted dog, placed in the ecological context of its native
landscape. In 2009 Bruce accepted the job of site manager at Serpent Mound
and Fort Hill. Bruce has a varied global biography. He worked as regional
naturalist for Ohio State Parks for five years, an interpretive park ranger
for several U.S. National Parks, a wilderness guide in Southeastern United
States and Central & South America for six years, as a biology schoolteacher
in Columbia and Zimbabwe in international schools, and developed an
educational eco-bush camp for rural children in Zimbabwe in association with
the Painted Dog Conservation Project that continues to operate today. Bruce
is author of a book anthology of nature stories inspired by the Southeast
called Chew Toys of the Gnat Gods.
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Connecting is the first step to
saving the forest.
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organization dedicated to reuniting and restoring wilderness to the East, and
serving as voice of the temperate forest biome in the world.
varies from season to season. In May, field stewards join our volunteer
effort to remove the Garlic Mustard plants, an English immigrant, from where
it is rapidly multiplying in our preserves. This is a fulfilling job that
takes place in a beautiful time of the year, and we are always pleased
to witness our ever-improving progress in this field. Garlic Mustard
"Plucking" takes place for a duration of two weeks each spring, to work in
the short time window afforded by the plant's natural cycle.
challenges. 
skills
in vegan soups and stews, mastering herbs and spices, making breads from
scratch, ethnic cooking, and making kitchen standbys from scratch (salad
dressings, mayonnaise, sauces, etc) and more. They are happy to share their
recipes and skills. Community potlucks at the Arc headquarters, the Highlands
Nature Sanctuary, are common and frequent affairs.
efficiency. She's a computer whiz and is savvy with even tricky software
programs. If that list isn't enough skills for one person, she's kind
hearted, too! She currently lives with her two cats, and opens her house
regularly to visiting guests and volunteers.