Thank you to Rachel Branch, producer of the television show Solutions Rising for including a “BEAT” series for people to learn more about the fracked gas pipelines proposed to bring gas from the fracking fields of Pennsylvania across New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire to a gas hub in Dracut, MA. The show interviews many people providing information about the proposed pipelines as well as the many alternatives to these pipelines.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren calls for Kinder Morgan to be denied permit for pipeline work in Otis State Forest
Massachusetts U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren last week wrote a strongly worded letter to Wendi Weber, Regional Director of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, urging the agency to stop Kinder Morgan from cutting trees beyond the agency’s October 1 to March 31 cutting period, noting the potential effect on migratory birds and bats and other federally protected species that roost in a large swath of Otis State Forest, a preserve protected under Article 97 of the Massachusetts State Constitution. By Heather Bellow, The Berkshire Edge, April 7, 2016.
Tree of life gets a new look
It may be more fun to read about biologists discovering a new type of walking fish, or even a spider named after Johnny Cash, but bacteria is where biology is booming. After discovering more than a thousand types of bacteria and Archaea over the past 15 year, scientists at UC Berkeley have taken a new stab at depicting the tree of life. Reported by Christine Lepisto in Treehugger.
MassParks Pass available to residents
The Pittsfield Recreation Program has received a 2016 MassParks Pass from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Parks and Recreation MassParks Pass creates a free parking opportunity for residents utilizing one vehicle (excluding buses or vans) to visit over 50 facilities in the Massachusetts state parks system that charge a day-use parking fee.
Tesla’s Model 3 Is Already Shattering Expectations
“Will Tesla be the next Apple … or will Apple be the next Tesla?” I asked back In September. For now it’s clear Tesla has pulled off an Apple-style product launch with the remarkable pre-sales success of their Model 3 electric car. Demand for the Model 3 was so great that Tesla’s $1000 pre-sales downpayment brought the company $276 million in its first weekend. That’s bigger than the mere $248 million in salesbrought in by “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in its opening weekend! The staggering pre-sales of the Tesla Model 3 electric car seems to have caught everyone by surprise, including CEO Elon Musk, who arguably should have asked for more than $1000 down — especially since that money is refundable until Tesla starts building your car. By Joe Romm, Climate Progress online, April 6, 2016.
Climate Change And Energy Reserve Values: Real Numbers Tell The Story
The investigation against ExxonMobil XOM +0.57% for possibly defrauding shareholders by not divulging the financial risks from climate change, and particularly the threat to the value of their oil and gas reserves, no doubt cheered many environmentalists and climate change activists. What few realize is that a frisson of joy spread through many economists: not environmental economists, but resource economists. The investigation, and many claims that fossil fuel resources will become worthless, are an amazing demonstration of the ignorance of basic economics among most of our society, and economists are probably salivating at the potential for legal consulting in an easy-win case. By Michael Lynch, Forbes Magazine, April 2, 2016.
Jobs
Laborer I – MA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (Pittsfield) – SIX POSITIONS AVAILABLE
Seasonal Ranger I (West) – MA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (Pittsfield)
Seasonal Forest And Park Supervisor III (West) – MA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (Pittsfield)
Seasonal Forestry Assistant – MA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (Pittsfield)
Laborer II – Long Term Seasonal – MA Dept. of Conservation and Rereation (Pittsfield)
Environmental Justice Job – Arise for Social Justice
GIS Developer / Analyst – Housatonic Valley Association
Landscape Design Assistant, Garden Installation Manager & Crew, Fine Garden Maintenance Crew – Helia Native Nursery and Land Design
Camp Counselors – Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary of Mass Audubon
Sen. Elizabeth Warren calls for Kinder Morgan to be denied permit for pipeline work in Otis State Forest
By Heather Bellow
The Berkshire Edge
April 12, 2016
Massachusetts U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren last week wrote a strongly worded letter to Wendi Weber, Regional Director of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, urging the agency to stop Kinder Morgan from cutting trees beyond the agency’s October 1 to March 31 cutting period, noting the potential effect on migratory birds and bats and other federally protected species that roost in a large swath of Otis State Forest, a preserve protected under Article 97 of the Massachusetts State Constitution. (See a reproduction of the letter HERE.)
Warren also said Kinder Morgan’s request for an extension beyond March 31 should be denied since it is still unclear whether it and subsidiary Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company will be able to take state owned land by eminent domain, land protected by the state constitution under Article 97. The entire matter got the attention of the state Attorney General’s Office, and goes back to Berkshire Superior Court in Pittsfield this Friday (April 15) 1 p.m. Even the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) put the brakes on Kinder Morgan’s rushing forward, and said it needed to know that the company was not in violation of local and state rules.The gas pipeline goliath wants to put a third pipeline along an established route in Sandisfield. To do so would involve clearing a 6-mile section of forest for the company’s Connecticut Expansion Project, a storage loop that would serve Connecticut, and would be part of the larger, also controversial, Northeast Direct (NED) pipeline system.
Kinder Morgan lawyers say if the cutting doesn’t happen by June 1, the entire expansion project is threatened or doomed.
“I am troubled by Kinder Morgan’s attempts to circumvent federal and state requirements and demand hasty approval of tree clearing and other potentially damaging activities,” Warren wrote.
Warren further expressed concerned over species considered “threatened under the Endangered Species Act” that “rely on trees in the area for habitat during the warmer months.” And, she wrote, “Massachusetts has experienced a warm spring, and allowing tree clearing outside of the specified timeframe would likely disturb protected species that have already roosted in the area.”
Tree of life gets a new look
It may be more fun to read about biologists discovering a new type of walking fish, or even a spider named after Johnny Cash, but bacteria is where biology is booming.
After discovering more than a thousand types of bacteria and Archaea over the past 15 year, scientists at UC Berkeley have taken a new stab at depicting the tree of life.
The gorgeous image that arises from the project may make you feel less special — humans belong to the Eurkaryotes, occupying the small green tail descending from under the wings of colorful bacteria that make up the majority of species inhabiting our planet. In fact, most all the life we see around us, all the plants and animals, are out there on that small bit of the chart.
Most of the progress in identifying the hordes of new bacteria vying for a space in the diagram of all life forms can be credited to new techniques in analyzing DNA. Read more in Nature: A new view of the tree of life
MassParks Pass available to residents
The Berkshire Eagle
04/11/2016
The Pittsfield Recreation Program has received a 2016 MassParks Pass from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.
The Parks and Recreation MassParks Pass creates a free parking opportunity for residents utilizing one vehicle (excluding buses or vans) to visit over 50 facilities in the Massachusetts state parks system that charge a day-use parking fee.
The hangtag is available to be signed out at the Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Ave. Library circulation policies and procedures apply. Contact the Athenaeum at 413-499-9480 for circulation questions.
For more information about Massachusetts parks and facilities, visit www.mass.gov/dcr.
Tesla’s Model 3 Is Already Shattering Expectations
By Joe Romm
Climate Progress online
April 6, 2016
“Will Tesla be the next Apple … or will Apple be the next Tesla?” I asked back In September. For now it’s clear Tesla has pulled off an Apple-style product launch with the remarkable pre-sales success of their Model 3 electric car.
Demand for the Model 3 was so great that Tesla’s $1000 pre-sales downpayment brought the company $276 million in its first weekend. That’s bigger than the mere $248 million in salesbrought in by “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in its opening weekend!
The staggering pre-sales of the Tesla Model 3 electric car seems to have caught everyone by surprise, including CEO Elon Musk, who arguably should have asked for more than $1000 down — especially since that money is refundable until Tesla starts building your car.
“Tesla’s Model 3 Preorder Numbers Are Way Bigger Than Anyone Expected,” explained Gizmodo, noting that one “survey said that conventional wisdom was on 55,000 pre-orders in the first 72 hours.” It was 276,000 — and Bloomberg reports that, ultimately, “reservations might exceed 500,000.”
Certainly those are amazing numbers for any car, let alone one that you can’t test drive, won’t be available for over a year, and is made by a start-up company that hasn’t even built 100,000 total vehicles yet.
The Model 3 could end up as the best-“selling” vehicle this year — or at least the most ordered.
Even so, it’s been obvious for a while that an affordable, long-range electric car would be a game-changer. As I discussed in February, for instance, analysis by Bloomberg New Energy Finance made clear that the key price point for a 200-mile range electric vehicle is to get it as far below $60,000 as possible: (See article for charts and graphs)
And so both the Model 3 and the Chevy Bolt — 200+ mile range electric vehicles (EVs) priced respectively at $35,000 and $37,500 before tax incentives — were major game-changers of serious interest to perhaps one-third of new car buyers in this country alone.
As the first two affordable and practical (i.e. long-range) EVs ever brought to market, high demand should not have been a surprise — much as the remarkable success of the 2004 Prius should have been no surprise since, as I’ve written, it was “arguably the world’s first truly practical and affordable (i.e. mass market) green car.” Interestingly, Toyota famously “did not make enough Priuses because they simply underestimated the car’s appeal.”
The fact is any game-changing green product — one that is practical, truly green and affordable — is going to achieve huge marketplace success. That’s a major reason why rooftop solar exploded when “ferocious cost reductions” of that practical and super-green product made it cost competitive in a critical mass of markets, as Climate Progress explained in 2011.
Why didn’t the Chevy Bolt didn’t generate the excitement and pre-orders the Tesla Model 3 has? Well, aside from the fact it does not actually appear you can preorder the Bolt at the vast majority of dealers, you might as well ask why Samsung doesn’t generate the buzz Apple does.
There is another more mundane reason why no one should have been surprised pre-orders were going to go through the roof. The $7500 federal EV tax credit is supply-limited. It starts to phase out after an automaker hits 200,000 cumulative sales of all its EV models.
“Tesla crosses the 200,000 mark around June 2018, and the subsidy begins to decline in October 2018,” as Bloomberg estimated last week (based on a “sales growth rate of 50 percent for the projections”).
Since current Tesla owners have first dibs on the Model 3 — and sales start with priority buyers in California and then go east — it doesn’t seem like many non-Tesla owners outside of California are going to be able to get the $7500 subsidy. That’s another reason Musk should have asked for a bigger downpayment.
NOTE to math geeks and would-be Tesla Model 3 buyers: You may wonder why 276,000 pre-orders times the listed price of $35,000 for the Model 3 does not result in $9.66 billion of cars for Tesla, but rather $12 billion. That’s because, as Elon Musk tweeted last week, Tesla expects that “selling price w avg option mix prob $42k.”
That means early buyers who get the full tax credit and want the stripped down version will be dishing out maybe as little as $27,500 — or even less in states like California with its own $2500 tax credit. Later buyers who want the average option mix will be paying a whole lot more.
Finally, I think one reason everyone underestimated the demand for the Model 3 is that the media had been focused on the fact that U.S. EV sales had appeared to stall in 2015. “Electric Cars are Losing the ‘Battle’ to Low Oil Prices,” as U.S News & World Report put in in December. The Washington Post has been predicting the demise of the EV industry for years, and was almost gleeful that 2015 sales had dipped slightly from 2014 levels.
But in fact while the EV market while did drop 3 percent in this country, it doubled in Europe and tripled in China.
So why did the EV market stall in the U.S. starting around January 2015? Certainly many in media believe it was low oil prices — and that no doubt has played a role especially since, with our low gas taxes, a drop in crude oil prices has a bigger impact on consumer preference here than it does in places like Europe.
But it is also true that in January 2015, Musk began talking up the Model 3 to automotive reporters, leading to stories like “Elon Musk Says Tesla Model 3 Will Cost $35,000 Before Incentives.”
Certainly everyone I knew interested in an EV was starting to realize that Tesla was for real and that the Model 3 was the long-range, affordable EV they should wait for. Coincidentally (or not), Chevy was also getting headlines in January 2015 like “The Chevy Bolt Promises 200 Miles EV Range For $30,000.”
So it is entirely possible that 2015 U.S. demand growth for EVs stalled in part because lots of people decided to put off their EV purchase until the Model 3 or Bolt were available — something that happens to sales at Apple and many other companies who announce a next-generation killer product.
Either way, the EV naysayers were wrong, and the electric vehicle revolution has finally begun in earnest. And this is a more evidence that oil demand will may well peak by 2030.
Climate Change And Energy Reserve Values: Real Numbers Tell The Story
By Michael Lynch
Forbes
April 2, 2016
The investigation against ExxonMobil XOM +0.57% for possibly defrauding shareholders by not divulging the financial risks from climate change, and particularly the threat to the value of their oil and gas reserves, no doubt cheered many environmentalists and climate change activists. What few realize is that a frisson of joy spread through many economists: not environmental economists, but resource economists. The investigation, and many claims that fossil fuel resources will become worthless, are an amazing demonstration of the ignorance of basic economics among most of our society, and economists are probably salivating at the potential for legal consulting in an easy-win case.
A few basics first. Money tomorrow is worth less than money today, because if you have a dollar today and put it in a bank at 5%, the money you have grows by 5% per year. Calculating the value of something in the future yields what’s called the net present value (NPV), or how much you need to have a dollar in five years. The annual stream of revenue is called discounted cash flow (DCF), and if the interest rate (also called discount rate) is 5%, then the revenue stream (DCF) will decline 5% per year compared to an undiscounted flow of revenue.
Thinking of the point value for an asset (either a dollar in the bank or a barrel in the ground): With simple compounding and assuming 5% interest, if you invested 78 cents today, you would have $1 in five years. Similarly, something worth $1 in five years would only be worth 78 cents today. The same holds identically for fossil fuel reserves as for bank accounts.
What this means is that the value of a barrel of oil in the ground in fifty years is almost nothing today. At a 5% discount rate, a barrel of oil in fifty years would be worth about 8% of what it is worth now. So, if you thought the end of the oil era would make oil reserves worthless in fifty years, you are missing the point. The value of a barrel in the ground in fifty years is already almost worthless, and climate change policies will have little additional impact.
But reserve value to an oil company are also strongly affected by the depletion rate, that is, the production trend of existing reserves. Fields can decline anywhere from 5% to 20% per year depending on the deposit (geology, equipment, chemistry all play a part), and more in shale wells, assuming no additional investment.
In a simplistic measure, most companies maintain a reserve ‘life’ of about ten years, implying that in order for their stock value to be affected by events fifty years from now, they would have to produce and replace the oil five times over. The current reserves shouldn’t be devalued because they won’t be around that long. No climate change policy is likely to reduce oil consumption so rapidly that companies won’t be able to respond by selling off their reserves and not replacing them.
Oll Depleted at different decline rates and periods
Years in Future | |||
Decline Rate | 10 | 20 | 50 |
5.0% | 40.1% | 64.2% | 92.3% |
8.0% | 56.6% | 81.1% | 98.5% |
12.0% | 72.1% | 92.2% | 99.8% |
15.0% | 80.3% | 96.1% | 100.0% |
20.0% | 89.3% | 98.8% | 100.0% |
And the revenue stream that this production generates would decline even more sharply, if you discount the value. Essentially, the revenue stream has its own “decline rate” so that if you assume a discount rate of 12%, common in industry, it’s the same as increasing the production decline rate by 12%. So that in the table above, a field with an 8% decline rate would have a revenue stream that declined at 20% per year. 90% of the money (discounted cash flow) is earned in the first decade.
Arguing that climate change policies will have a significant impact on the value of fossil fuel reserves and thus the companies that own them, and that they should disclose this to shareholders, is thus shown to reflect a severe ignorance of basic economic concepts. The media deserves some of the blame for this, as most reporters do not understand economics and tend to ignore it. For many years, the only network reporter who could be described as, shall we say, less than TV-star handsome was Irving R. Levine, quite possibly because so few journalists studied economics that the network had to settle for someone who was lacking Barbie/Ken doll looks. (Steve Liesman would be my candidate for the current equivalent; and despite the disrespect, I admire both men.)
It’s understandable if lamentable that college students and many environmental activists would not know that the claims about fossil fuel reserve values being misrepresented are specious, but for public officials like the attorneys general of New York and Massachusetts to so blithely ignore fundamentals of economics which completely discredit their complaints is a dereliction of duty. If only there was someone to whom you could complain, like an attorney general.
Jobs
Laborer I – Dept. of Conservation and Recreation, Pittsfield
(six positions available)
Please excuse the short notice, but DCR now has 6 positions open for Laborer 1 positions working with Greening the Gateways in Pittsfield. These are short-term seasonal positions, meaning the work is from (late) April – June with the possibility of coming back for our Fall season Sept – Nov. The hours are 7:30am – 4pm with a 1/2 hour unpaid lunch. The pay is $13.45/hour. This job is manual labor intensive; digging holes, carrying saplings, loading and unloading rack truck with saplings, carrying buckets of soil and mulch, etc.
Because of the short turnaround time, interested candidates should call Jacklyn Beebe directly to talk more about the position:
Jacklyn Beebe
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Greening the Gateway Cities
Forester 1
(857) 930-6042
October Mountain State Forest
317 Woodland Rd
Lee, MA 01238
Please CLICK HERE for a blank application or use the link below to access the pdf version.
http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/
Important Dates:
We are holding interviews next Monday, April 11.
Anticipated start date is Tuesday April 19th since Monday 4/18 is a State Holiday.
Environmental Justice Job Opening – Arise for Social Justice
Applicants should be familiar with environmental issues, have strong writing skills, and at least some organizing experience. Bilingual abilities strongly preferred. Half-time position.
Please submit a cover letter and resume to Ariseforsocialjustice@gmail.com or mail to Arise, 467 State St., Springfield MA 01105.
GIS Developer / Analyst – Housatonic Valley Association
Summary: The Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) seeks a skilled and motivated Geographic Information Systems (GIS) professional with strong geospatial analytical and developer skills and demonstrated expertise with ESRI’s ArcGIS desktop, mobile and server technology for the full-time position of GIS Developer / Analyst. For 75 years, HVA has been dedicated to the health and vitality of the Housatonic River, a nationally recognized, 1,245,000 acre watershed located in western Connecticut and Massachusetts and portions of eastern New York. GIS is an HVA core competency. It is essential to the work we and our partners undertake to set conservation priorities, conserve the natural character and environmental health of our communities, and protect and restore the lands and waters of the Housatonic Watershed for this and future generations.Position Description: Working out of our Cornwall Bridge, CT main office, the incumbent works closely with HVA colleagues and acts as the GIS Manager for the organization. This is a full-time position with a competitive salary commensurate with experience. The incumbent is responsible for maintaining and enhancing HVA’s natural resource and parcel-based GIS data, developing geospatial models to perform spatial and tabular analysis, and publishing cartographic products as static paper maps and dynamic web-based applications.Required Qualifications:
- Proven capabilities with ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Server
- Experience building interactive web-based applications using Arcgis Online and/or ArcGIS FlexViewer
- Familiarity with ArcGIS Story Maps
- Enthusiasm to remain current in GIS technologies
- Passion for Environmental Protection and Land Conservation
- Willingness to assist with non-GIS related activities
- Effective communicator in written and spoken language
- Valid Driver’s License
Desired Qualifications:
- Familiarity with GIS data sources for CT, MA and NY
- Familiarity with Amazon Web Services and managing ArcGIS Server on Amazon EC2
- Experience with GPS and mobile GIS data collection
- Experience using Data Driven Pages, ModelBuilder
- Experience managing ArcGIS Online Organization Account
To apply: Email cover letter, resume, examples of recent work using ArcGIS Desktop and ArcServer, and links to Facebook and Linkedin pages to: Tim Abbott tim.abbott@hvatoday.org. The position will remain open until it is filled.
Landscape Design Assistant, Garden Installation Manager & Crew, Fine Garden Maintenance Crew – Helia Native Nursery & Land Design
We specialize in Native Plants, Ecological Landscape Design, Wildflower Meadows, Site Restoration, Edible and Fine Gardens. We are expanding and currently have full time openings in the following positions:
Landscape Design Assistant – The right candidate will have a strong background, full knowledge and experience in site surveying, base mapping and design, autoCAD and SketchUP, with a good knowledge of plants, especially natives. You must be energetic, hardworking, physically fit and a positive team-oriented person.
Installation Manager & Crew – We are looking for full time, energetic, hardworking, physically fit, positive, and team-oriented people to join our landscape installation team and manage installation jobs. Experience with native plants, garden installation, small machinery, stone work and maintenance is preferred.
Garden Maintenance Crew – Come join our full time fine garden maintenance team. We are looking for energetic, hardworking, physically fit, positive, and team-oriented people to join our team.
Please call 413-274-1400 to apply or email your resume to helialanddesign@gmail.com.
Seasonal Ranger I (West)–(1600026F)
DescriptionAbout the Department of Conservation and Recreation: The Department of Conservation and Recreation manages one of the largest and most diverse state parks systems in the nation and protects and enhances natural resources and outdoor recreational opportunities throughout Massachusetts. DCR is a dynamic agency, and is one of the largest park systems in the nation. The DCR system includes over 450,000 acres of parks, forests, water supply protection lands, beaches, lakes, ponds, playgrounds, swimming pools, skating rinks, trails and parkways. The Department of Conservation and Recreation seeks qualified applicants for the position Seasonal Ranger I. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is seeking Park Rangers to patrol facilities to promote compliance with rules and regulations, protect natural and park resources, and enhance visitor experience through providing a presence and being available for visitor information; coordinate with law enforcement officials for appropriate regulatory action; and perform related work as required. Park Rangers normally work a forty-hour week (which includes nights, weekends, and holidays). April-early June will be Monday-Friday day shift. Mid June to August will require include week-end days and may include some evening shifts. Uniforms and training are provided; park housing is not. Successful candidates must attend the Seasonal Ranger Academy.Conducts patrols, either in a vehicle, on a bicycle or on foot, effectively utilizing techniques and available resources, to enforce applicable laws and regulations, provide visitor services, assess facility resources, assist visitors with first aid, and other public services as required.Perform the crossing of school-aged pedestrians on DCR roadways twice daily in accordance with the school’s schedule.Maintain an inventory of and maintain the condition of issued equipment.Complete Bureau records, reports, files, and logs.
Attend seminars, workshops, training sessions, etc., in order to maintain proficiencies.Participates in search and rescue operations in accordance with agency policy.Provide informal and, occasionally, formal information/educational programs, demonstrations, and materials for schools and civic groups as requires, in areas such as Ranger programs, park activities and services, outdoor skills, natural and cultural history and search and rescue.Respond and assist park staff at major incidents, assist at special events, and occasionally assist at statewide incidents or functions.Position Information: Seasonal Ranger I (00137682)Location: Mohawk Trail State Forest Complex, CharlemontStart Date: 4/24/16End Date: 11/5/16Position Information: Seasonal Ranger I (00182451)Location: Tolland State Forest Complex, OtisStart Date: 4/24/16End Date: 11/5/16Position Information: Seasonal Ranger I (00137661)Location: Moore House, AmherstStart Date: 4/24/16End Date: 12/30/16Preferred Qualifications:Knowledge of the standard procedures and techniques followed in foot, auto or other types of patrols.
Knowledge of the principles and practices of park or resource management.
Knowledge of the principles and practices of recreational programming.
Knowledge of general ecology and cultural history study, practice and principles.
Knowledge of the methods and techniques for presenting media productions, and drafting brochures and exhibits.
Ability to understand, explain and apply the rules, regulations, policies, procedures standards and guidelines governing assigned unit activities.
Ability to communicate effectively in oral expression.
Ability to give written and oral instructions in a precise, understandable manner.
Ability to speak effectively before the public
Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
Ability to gather information by examining records and documents and through observing and interviewing individuals.
Ability to accurately record information provided orally.
Minimum Entrance Requirements: Applicants must have at least (A) two years of full-time, or equivalent part-time experience in park or resource management, environmental education, water resources or water supply management, or natural/cultural history interpretation or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.
1. Possession of a current and valid Massachusetts motor vehicle operator’s license.
2. Possession of a current and valid CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) certificate from the American Red Cross or the American heart Association.
3. Possession of a current and valid standard first aid and personal safety certificate and first responder certificate issued by the American Red Cross.An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Official Title: Ranger IWork Locations: Pittsfield – 740 South Street 01201Primary Location: United States-Massachusetts-Pittsfield-Pittsfield – 740 South StreetJob: Community and Social ServicesAgency: Department of Conservation & Recreation
Schedule: Full-timeShift: MultipleJob Posting: Mar 21, 2016, 12:43:07 PMNumber of Openings: 3Salary: 1,429.24 BiweeklyIf you have Diversity, Affirmative Action or Equal Employment Opportunity questions or need a Reasonable Accommodation, please contact Diversity Officer / ADA Coordinator:: Agatha Summons-Maguire – 617-626-1282Bargaining Unit: 02-AFSCME – Service/Institutional
Seasonal Forest And Park Supervisor III (West) – (160001XB)
DescriptionAbout the Department of Conservation and Recreation: The Department of Conservation and Recreation manages one of the largest and most diverse state parks systems in the nation and protects and enhances natural resources and outdoor recreational opportunities throughout Massachusetts. DCR is a dynamic agency, and is one of the largest park systems in the nation. The DCR system includes over 450,000 acres of parks, forests, water supply protection lands, beaches, lakes, ponds, playgrounds, swimming pools, skating rinks, trails and parkways.The Department of Conservation and Recreation seeks qualified applicants for the position of Seasonal Forest & Park Supervisor III. The Seasonal Forest & Park Supervisor is responsible for supervising the maintenance and operations of parks, recreation areas, parkways, roadways, pedestrian ways and parking lots for public use. The incumbent of this position determines work priorities and resources, assigns and supervises staff, compiles and reviews data concerning park maintenance effectiveness and provides reports of all activities and incidents.SPECIFC DUTIES:
Supervises the maintenance of assigned recreational areas, including such activities as roadway and parkway maintenance, grounds maintenance, building and equipment maintenance and the repair and/or removal of hazardous conditions such as unsafe trees or limbs. Determines manpower and equipment resources necessary to accomplish assigned tasks.Maintains records and prepares reports concerning assigned work to provide information and make appropriate recommendations.Coordinates the activities and work of volunteers, court-referred individuals, etc.May prepares budgets for assigned areas by projecting resource needs and preparing required documentation for agency’s budget request.Monitors the activities involved in park and roadways maintenance work.Compiles and reviews data concerning effectiveness of park maintenance activities to prepare reports for supervisorProvides on-the-job training for new employees.Prepares reports as required; maintains records and logs on such matters as time and attendance of assigned personnel; performs routine vehicle maintenance inspections; and operates motor vehicles and other park machinery and equipment as required.Inspects damage to park areas, roadways, parking lots, equipment, etc. as a result of storms, vandalism and accidents to estimate the cost of labor and materials required for repairs and/or replacementsDetermines work priorities and assigns staff to specific tasks such as spraying, watering, planting trees, cleaning catch basins, trash removal, etc.Performs related work as assigned. Ability to work in a team setting. Ability to exercise sound judgment. Required to work outdoors in all types of weather. Work varied shifts and/or irregular hours; and stand for prolonged periods of time.POSITION INFORMATION: Position: Seasonal Forest & Park Supervisor III
Location: Pittsfield State Forest, Pittsfield
Start Date: 5/1/16
End Date: 11/12/16Salaries are based upon full-time/40 hours worked per week. Work schedules and days off are at the discretion of the Supervisor. This position may require working weekends and/or holidays.Qualifications
This requisition will remain open until filled; however, first consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days.
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Applicants must have at least (A) four years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, technical or professional experience in the field of forestry, parks or recreational management and (B) of which at least two years must have been in a supervisory capacity, or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.
Substitutions:
I. An Associate’s or higher degree with a major in forestry, natural resources management or parks and/or recreation management may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required (A) experience.*
*Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.
NOTE: No substitutions will be permitted for the required (B) experience. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Based on assignment, possession of a current and valid Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Operator’s License.
An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Official Title: Forest And Park Supervisor III Work Locations: Pittsfield-Cascade Street 012010000 Primary Location: United States-Massachusetts-Pittsfield-Pittsfield-Cascade StreetJob: Community and Social ServicesAgency: Department of Conservation & RecreationSchedule: Full-timeShift: MultipleJob Posting: Mar 11, 2016, 12:18:15 PMNumber of Openings: 1Salary: 1,758.24 BiweeklyIf you have Diversity, Affirmative Action or Equal Employment Opportunity questions or need a Reasonable Accommodation, please contact Diversity Officer / ADA Coordinator:: Agatha Summons-Maguire – 617-626-1282Bargaining Unit: 02-AFSCME – Service/Institutional
Seasonal Forestry Assistant – MA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (Pittsfield)
About the Department of Conservation and Recreation: The Department of Conservation and Recreation manages one of the largest and most diverse state parks systems in the nation and protects and enhances natural resources and outdoor recreational opportunities throughout Massachusetts. DCR is a dynamic agency, and is one of the largest park systems in the nation. The DCR system includes over 450,000 acres of parks, forests, water supply protection lands, beaches, lakes, ponds, playgrounds, swimming pools, skating rinks, trails and parkways.The Department of Conservation and Recreation seeks qualified applicants for the position Seasonal Forestry Assistant. Seasonal positions may be subject to the recall process and will be filled in accordance with collective bargaining agreements, positions not filled using this process will be interviewed for.Duties: Forestry Assistants work outdoors in all types of weather; work in isolated areas; may be exposed to the hazards of power tools and equipment such as chainsaws and hoists and travel for job related purposes.Assists in the preparation of forest management plans designed to provide water supply protection; assists in the interpretation of aerial photos, GPS and GIS data, and other cartographic work regarding forests; assists in the inventory of natural resources and the establishment and maintenance of state forest boundary lines.Assists in planning and supervision of timber stand improvement work by state forest crews and private contractors.Assists in the sale of wood products including preparing silvicultural prescriptions, minimizing adverse environmental impacts of harvesting, and ensuring contractual compliance by private contractors.Cooperates with state and municipal authorities during emergencies and natural disasters such as forest fires, wind or ice storms, and insect infestations.Performs related duties such as maintaining records and attending staff meetings.Specific Duties:
- Collecting forest inventory data (CFI) including tree measurements, forest assessment, forest understory assessment, and coarse woody debris measurement.
- Processing forest inventory data with a computer.
POSITION INFORMATION:Position: (2) Seasonal Forestry Assistant
Position 1 Location: Pittsfield Regional Office, 740 South Street Pittsfield, MA 01202
Position 2 Location: Amherst Field Office, 40 Cold Storage Drive, Amherst, MA 01004
Start Date: April 3, 2016
End Date: November 4, 2016Qualifications:Minimum Entrance Requirements:Applicants must have at least (A) one year of full-time, or equivalent part-time experience in forestry or natural resource management, or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.Substitutions:
- An Associate’s or higher degree with a major in forestry or forestry management may be substituted for the required
experience.**Education toward such a degree will be. prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.Special Requirements: Possession of a current and valid Massachusetts Class D Motor Vehicle Operator’s LicenseThis requisition will remain open until filled; however, first consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 dayMinimum Entrance Requirements:Applicants must have at least (A) one year of full-time, or equivalent part-time experience in forestry or natural resource management, or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.Substitutions:
- An Associate’s or higher degree with a major in forestry or forestry management may be substituted for the required experience.*
*Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.Special Requirements: Possession of a current and valid Massachusetts Class D Motor Vehicle Operator’s License.An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.Schedule: Full-time
Number of Openings: 2
Salary: 1,547.60 BiweeklyIf you have Diversity, Affirmative Action or Equal Employment Opportunity questions or need a Reasonable Accommodation, please contact Diversity Officer / ADA Coordinator:: Agatha Summons Maguire – 617-626-1282Bargaining Unit: 09-MOSES – Engineers/Scientists
Laborer II – Long Term Seasonal (Pittsfield) – (160001F6)
DescriptionAbout the Department of Conservation and Recreation: The Department of Conservation and Recreation manages one of the largest and most diverse state parks systems in the nation and protects and enhances natural resources and outdoor recreational opportunities throughout Massachusetts. DCR is a dynamic agency, and is one of the largest park systems in the nation. The DCR system includes over 450,000 acres of parks, forests, water supply protection lands, beaches, lakes, ponds, playgrounds, swimming pools, skating rinks, golf courses, trails and parkways.The Department of Conservation and Recreation seeks qualified applicants for the position of Seasonal Planting Laborer II.The Seasonal Planting Laborer II will work outdoors in all types of weather and performs various manual labor tasks in support of the effort to plant trees in Massachusetts’s gateway cities to increase tree canopy cover for the purpose of reducing heating and cooling energy costs to residences and businesses.Seasonal staff dig and backfill tree planting holes and levels earth to grade; plant trees according to DCR Bureau of Forestry standards; load and unload tree stock from delivery vehicles; load and unload tools and equipment; maintain vehicle and equipment cleanliness.The basic purpose of this work is to perform manual tasks requiring specialized skill and the use of hand tools to support reforestation efforts.Performs various manual labor tasks, which may require some specialized skills, to plant trees.Digs holes for tree planting and plants trees according to DCR Bureau of Forestry standards.Loads and unloads trucks, physically or by use of dollies; unpacks and stores tools and supplies and equipment in stockrooms, storerooms or warehouses; and takes periodic inventories of supplies and equipment.Performs preventive maintenance on assigned equipment and tools by washing, inspecting, tightening, lubricating and by sharpening edges on all cutting tools.Performs related duties as assigned.Start date is March 20, 2016 and end date is November 19, 2016.
Preferred Qualifications: Possession of a current and valid Massachusetts Class D Motor Vehicle Operator’s License.Ability to speak and write Spanish and translate materials for homeowners who speak Spanish.Skill in using hand tools such as shovels, mattocks, pry bars, bolt cutters, clippers, etc. Ability to follow oral and written instructions. Ability to work in a team setting. Manual dexterity. Physical stamina and endurance for full time, hard manual labor. Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds. Willing to work in all weather conditions.
Qualifications: This requisition will remain open until filled; however, first consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days.
Minimum Entrance Requirements: Applicants must have at least six months of full-time, or equivalent part- time experience in performing manual labor in connection with general construction or maintenance work.An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Official Title: Laborer II Work
Locations: Lee-Woodland Road
Primary Location: United States-Massachusetts-Lee-Lee-Woodland Road
Job: Equipment, Facilities & Services
Agency: Department of Conservation & Recreation
Schedule: Full-time Shift: Day
Job Posting: Mar 22, 2016, 4:09:37 PM
Number of Openings: 2
Salary: 1,220.36 Biweekly
If you have Diversity, Affirmative Action or Equal Employment Opportunity questions or need a Reasonable Accommodation, please contact Diversity Officer / ADA Coordinator:: Agatha Summons-McGuire – 617-626-1282
Summer Internships – Williams College
Summer Internships on Campus, Berkshire area & U.S. – Also: Summer Internship Funding: Check out dozens of campus and local environmental internships, all eligible for summer funding: Campus Emissions Research, Hopkins Forest Caretakers, Environmental Education, Sheep Hill environmental education, Farm Market/Ag research, Clark Art landscape internship, Environmental Analysis Lab, Hoosic River Watershed Association, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, and more…http://ces.williams.edu/category/summer-jobs/National/Global Summer Internships: Dozens of enviro internships and research positions in the US, many developed specifically by CES alumnae for Williams students HERECES Summer Funding for internships and research information and application form here.Deadline: March 10 (second deadline: April 8).Position required to apply for funding.
Camp Counselors – Pleasant Valley
Pleasant Valley Nature Camp is celebrating its’ 67 th year. We are seeking caring, committed, and enthusiastic staff to lead campers for their best summer ever! Our counselors:
- Plan, develop and implement a variety of outdoor activities utilizing Pleasant Valley’s 1300+ acres of forests, fields, streams and ponds;
- Are responsible for supervising the health and safety of campers;
- Maintain communication with parents and other staff;
- Must be able to work and learn together, have outstanding communication skills, and be willing and able to share their interests and talents with children aged 5-14;
- Provide leadership and mentor Leaders in Training (LITs).
Qualifications
- Must be at least 18 years old;
- College experience preferred;
- Should have knowledge and interest in the nature of the Berkshire region;
- Applicants with a background in Environmental fields, education, or the arts are strongly encouraged to apply;
- Experience working with children;
- Willingness to obtain certification in CPR/First Aid are required-training is provided;
- Some positions also require lifeguard/water safety certifications;
- Successful candidates will pass a background records check (CORI and SORI);
- And…of course, flexibility and a sense of humor is a must!
Compensation and Benefits
Rate of Pay: $10.00- $12.00 per hour – depending on experience and position.
Additional Comments
Camp Session: June 9 – August 19 Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 3:30 pm or 8:30 am – 4:00 pm.
Camp Counselors are required to work at least one camp overnight during the summer.
How to Apply
Please send (email preferred) your cover letter and resume to:
Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
472 West Mountain Road
Lenox, MA. 01240
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