Are you interested in a paid opportunity to work with the public in the Bankhead National Forest that does not require hiking? Are you a student over 18 years of age or a retired person?
Supporting a positive and safe experience to visitors in the Bankhead National Forest while offering interesting and relevant information is the mission of the Forest Ambassador program with Wild Alabama. Forest Ambassadors offer information and guidance as they interface with visitors at trailheads in the forest. Their tables are stationed at popular trailheads where they interact with the public during 4-5 hour shifts. The stipend for each shift is $100. Stipends are tax exempt up to $600 each year.
Duties of the Forest Ambassadors include the following:
Basic training sessions (4-5 Hours)
Share the mission of Wild Alabama with visitors.
Speak to visitors about Leave No Trace ethics.
Educate visitors about the Sipsey Wilderness area, our federally designated Wilderness area and how it differs from other areas in the Bankhead National Forest.
Help guide visitors to make the best decisions according to the skills and capabilities of their group.
Inform visitors about standard ordinances such as group size limits, campfire bans or other restrictions that may apply to the area.
Encourage and remind visitors to pay their day use fee, if applicable.
Record visitor contact information on a form, and report major violations to law enforcement.
Welcome visitors to the forest by offering maps and guidance.
The ideal Forest Ambassador commits to the following:
Honesty
Reliability - especially able to stick with scheduled shifts
Conscientiousness
Excitement about interfacing with visitors to the Bankhead National Forest
Promoting the mission of the Forest Ambassador program
The Forest Ambassadors program is grant-funded service project. It's a collaborative effort between the Sierra Club, the US Forest Service, and Wild Alabama. The Sierra Club provides the Forest ambassador stipends while Wild Alabama manages the program, the ambassadors, and provides data to the US Forest Service. The forest service then uses this data to improve accessibility and conditions in the Wilderness. For more information, contact Forest Ambassador Program Director Lindsay Madison at [email protected]