NATURAL AREAS CONSERVANCY
Urban Forest Community Engagement Fellow
Job Announcement
ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW
Through its visionary leadership and high impact staff, the Natural Areas Conservancy (NAC) champions urban natural areas in New York City and across the nation through innovative research, partnerships, and advocacy. We increase the health and resilience of urban forests and wetlands, catalyze connections between people and nature, and strengthen the environmental workforce.
Started in 2012, the Natural Areas Conservancy is the first park conservancy dedicated exclusively to New York City’s natural areas–20,000 acres across all five boroughs. Since 2019, we have also worked on a national scale, leading a network of representatives from cities across the U.S. to strengthen research, information sharing, and communication efforts to enhance the field of urban forest management.
We want all people to feel welcomed, inspired by, and connected to the natural world.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The NAC has created a Fellowship program to support the development of a local workforce for natural resource management jobs in NYC by bridging the gap between college and employment for CUNY students. This program is a curated year-long program for CUNY students eager to pursue an environmental career by focusing on four pillars: hard skill/field work training and certifications, independent project development, professional development, and stewardship.
This fellow, starting Winter 2025, will dive into an exciting project closely linked to the NAC’s Citywide Trails team and recent NYC urban areas management initiatives (more details on the Urban Forest Plan below). During Spring and Summer 2025, this fellow will receive training in research, monitoring and management of natural areas in NYC to then actively apply those skills with field-based activities such as data collection, restoration, or trail improvement projects. Following these on the job skill building opportunities as well as working closely with the Citywide Trails team, this fellow will have the chance to learn additional information about the city’s environment to gain knowledge in urban ecology, environmental justice, and environmental policy through engaging workshops, lectures and events.
The Urban Forest Plan Community Engagement Fellow will report to the Trails Program Manager and support community engagement efforts highlighting the intersection between people and nature to develop New York City’s first ever Urban Forest Plan (UFP). The UFP will outline the city’s strategy to equitably expand the urban tree canopy in NYC to 30% by 2030. The Fellow will engage in analysis of infrastructure and histories, identification of stakeholders and other preliminary activities to inform engagement. The fellow will then support implementation of engagement in priority parks (which could be Inwood Park, Van Cortlandt Park, Pelham Bay Park and/or Marine Park), with a focus on natural areas.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the supervision of the NAC Trails Program Manager, create maps detailing community demographic information, including community histories to help inform community engagement strategy
Support outreach to existing community members and groups to participate in focus groups and interviews to inform the urban forest plan
Collect data from park goers via visitor surveys, community board meetings and public events to better understand user behavior and perceptions of parks
Support documentation and synthesis of focus group, interview, and survey data
Under the guidance of the NAC Trails Program Manager, create reports and presentations to share findings of outreach initiatives with community members
Actively participate in fellowship lectures, professional development, group stewardship, and certification activities offered
Participate in occasional outdoor trail maintenance workday activities
Interact with NAC staff, Parks staff and members of the public in a courteous, professional and timely manner
REQUIRED SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS
Current CUNY student (ideally rising senior or graduate student) or recent graduate from a CUNY institution in the last two years
Interest in sociology, ecology, community engagement and/or urban policy/planning
Field data collection experience
Excellent organizational, analytical, and written communication skills
Ability to travel/work independently
Computer/Microsoft Office/GSuite skills
PREFERRED SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS:
Spanish communication fluency (written and spoken)
Graduate student at CUNY
Experience with ArcMap Desktop or ArcGIS Online
Experience in community organizing
Experience leading volunteers
ELIGIBILITY:
Fellows must be a rising senior at a CUNY institution enrolled in an undergraduate program, a current graduate student at CUNY, or a recent graduate from a CUNY institution (within two years of graduation).
JOB LOCATION:
Reporting locations are possible in all five boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Staten Island). While working from home, access to a computer and stable internet connection is required. There is access to office space at NYC Parks Arsenal North, Queensbridge and the Transit Center. See below for more information on travel accommodations.
DURATION:
This position will start the week of February 3rd, 2025 and end Friday, December 19th, 2025. This is a full-time fixed position where the fellow will work 35 hours a week over a five day work week typically Monday through Friday. This fellow will also attend the occasional weekend and evening events such as community board meetings, volunteer engagement as a representative of the NAC, and general outreach where the work week will adapt to a Tuesday - Saturday schedule.
COMPENSATION/BENEFITS
The NAC is offering a salary of $18.50/hour for this position and is non-exempt, eligible for overtime pay. The position is not eligible for medical, dental, or vision insurance. Position is eligible for 401K in adherence with company policy. Sick/safe leave will be accrued in accordance with company policy. Fellows will receive travel stipends or be granted access to a Zipcar to commute to job sites as needed.
APPLICATION
To apply for the Urban Forest Community Engagement Fellow role at the Natural Areas Conservancy, apply online at our Career Center. In this application, you will include your resume, cover letter, unofficial transcripts from your CUNY institution, and a report sample highlighting your application and experience with data analysis, synthesis of information and visual presentation of findings (i.e. a thesis or capstone project) in the format listed below. You may be asked to provide the contact information of two references later during the interview process.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position closes at 11:59pm on Monday, January 13th. Please address any questions to jobs@naturalareasnyc.org.
Please upload all materials as PDF files with each labeled as follows:
A. Cover letter → 2025_last name_first init._CL (i.e. ‘2025_Jones_J_CL.pdf’);
B. Resume → 2025_ last name_first init_R (i.e. ‘2025_Jones_J_R.pdf’);
C. Unofficial transcript → 2025_ last name_first init_UOT (i.e. ‘2025_Jones_J_UOT.pdf’)
D. Report sample → 2025_last name_first init_RS (i.e. ‘2025_Jones_J_RS.pdf’)
SECTIONS OF ONLINE APPLICATION
Personal Information
Uploading resume, cover letter and unofficial transcript
Eligibility and skills assessment questions
Voluntary self ID
Review, Self-Attest, and Submit
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
