OUTREACH NOTICE
Forestry Technician (Recreation) GS-462-06/07
Newport and Sullivan Lake Ranger District
The Newport and Sullivan Lake Ranger District on the Colville National Forest is seeking interest in filling a permanent seasonal GS-0462-06/07, Forestry Technician (Recreation) position. All potential applicants who respond to this outreach will be sent the link to the vacancy announcement when the position is advertised. For more information on this position, please contact:
Kevin Walton, Recreation Staff Officer at 509-447-7313,
orGayne (guy-na) Sears, District Ranger at 509-447-7316,
Position Information
The Colville National Forest is looking for a dynamic individual with great organizational skills to assist in managing a diverse and busy recreation program. This position will be responsible for implementing special recreation projects funded through cooperative partnership agreements. The work will be primarily focused in developed campgrounds and day use sites along the scenic Pend Oreille River. However, the selected candidate may also assist with planning and implementing Trails, Wilderness, and other recreation projects on the district.
The selected candidate will assist with planning, obtaining environmental clearances, hiring seasonal crews, scheduling projects, ordering supplies, updating operating/safety plans, and preparing year-end reports for proposed projects. They will also serve as an inspector or Contracting Officer Representative (COR) on recreation contracts. This position may also assist with seeking new recreation grant opportunities on the Forest.
The Forest works with numerous partners to providing a great diversity of recreation opportunities for the public. The Forest’s recreation program is growing with expected increases in visitation over the next several years due to the construction of the National Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT), continued development of the newly designated Pend Oreille River Water Trail, and other proposed future recreation development plans. This position is critical in managing and supporting the workload associated with the growing number of partnerships and projects.
The ability to work in all weather conditions, operate a variety of power tools/equipment (including chainsaws), communicate effectively, organize workloads, be a team player, and provide excellent leadership are essential skills for this position.
About the Colville National Forest
Tucked into the northeastern corner of Washington State and nestled at the foot of the northern Rockies, the Colville National Forest is an exquisite landscape of forested mountains, clear mountain streams and fertile valleys. The 1.1 million acre forest was shaped over 10,000 years ago by Ice Age glaciers that carved three major valleys: the Columbia, Sanpoil-Curlew, and Pend Oreille River valleys. The mountains and valleys that comprise the lush northeast corner of Washington roll like waves on the high seas. Three waves of mountains run from north to south, separated by troughs of beautifulvalleys. These ranges,the Okanogan, Kettle River and Selkirk are considered the eastern edge of the Okanagan highlands and the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
The Forest has four Ranger Districts and three District Rangers: Three Rivers Ranger District, Newport and Sullivan Lake Ranger Districts and the Republic Ranger District. Each unit tends to have distinctly different zones, each with its unique climate, topography, and vegetation. Each district office is located in one of the major river drainages: the Sanpoil-Curlew River Valleys, the Kettle-Colville-Columbia River Valleys, and the Pend Oreille River Valley. Topography is varied, ranging from rounded mountain slopes at low elevations to high peaks and basins above 7,300 feet in elevation.
The ecology of the Colville is highly diverse with forests ranging from ponderosa pine and Douglas fir on drier sites to western red cedar, western hemlock, western white pine and a variety of deciduous species on wetter sites. The Forest also has a significant expanse of lodgepole pine andthe famously beautiful western larch. Approximately 25% of the Forest was burned in the infamous wildfires of 1910. The Colville ishome to a tremendous variety of wildlife including whitetail and mule deer, elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and black bear. Rare sightings are also possible of the threatened grizzly, Canada lynx, and endangered woodland caribou. Another amazing site is the large number of bald eagles that winter along the major rivers and nest in the vicinity.
About the Ranger District
The Sullivan Lake Ranger District office is located south-east of Metaline Falls in the extreme northeast corner of Washington State. The Newport Ranger District office is located at the south end of the Pend Oreille County in the town of Newport, Washington. The district is bordered to the north by British Columbia, Canada, to the east by the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, and west by the Three Rivers Ranger District. The Sullivan Lake District office is located on the north shore of Sullivan Lake. The majority of the District lies within Pend Oreille (pon-da-ray) County with the remainder within Steven's County. The nearest communities to the Sullivan Lake Ranger Station are: Metaline Falls (pop. 260), nine miles;Metaline (Pop. 170), ten miles; and Ione (Pop. 500), 15 miles from the Ranger Station. The town of Newport has a population of about 2,000 people and is the county seat. The large metropolitan area of Spokane is located 45 miles south of Newport.
The elevation of the districts ranges from 1,725 feet where the Pend Oreille River enters Canada, to 7,318 feet at Gypsy Peak (the highest in eastern Washington). Topography ranges from moderate to precipitous with characteristically narrow valleys rising to steep, high ridges.Vegetation is dominated by general forest zones, the wildfires of the 1920s and 30s left in various stages of succession. Low elevation south and west slopes support many areas of browse suitable for wildlife winter range.The Salmo-Priest Wilderness offers a spot where hikers can see all kinds of wildlife and few people. Located on the wet, west slopes of the Selkirk Mountains, this wilderness contains huge old red cedar, Douglas fir, and western hemlock. Living in the old growth and in the meadows and crags above are grizzly and black bear, cougar, caribou, elk, deer, lynx, pine marten, and wolverine.The 49 Degrees North Ski Area, near the town of Chewelah, operates privately on national forest land under a special use permit. Billed as a comfortable, family ski area, it offers several chairlifts and more than twenty ski runs. Cross-country ski and mountain bike trails near here provide alternatives to downhill skiing.
Both areas offer four distinct seasons. Average annual precipitation in Pend Oreille County ranges from 24 to 28 inches in the valleys to 30 to 40 inches at higher elevations. Winter and spring are the wettest months of the year with convectional thunderstorms providing most of the summer precipitation. Summer temperatures typically exceed 100 degrees for 1 to 5 days and winter minimum temperature can fall below zero degrees Fahrenheit for 5 to 12 nights each year. Normal summertime temperatures range from the upper 80’s and low 90’s during the day down to the 50’s and 60’s at night. Elevations in the surrounding area range from around 2100 feet along the Pend Oreille River (Albeni Falls Dam) to over 7000 feet on the Selkirk ridge tops. The climate reflects the elevation.
For more information on each community please go to the following link:
OUTREACH RESPONSE FORM
If you are interested in applying for this position and want to receive updates of the position’s status, please complete the attached outreach form and send electronically to fax to 509-447-7301. Please respond by January 31, 2013.I am interested inthe following position:
Position Title/Series/Grade: / Forestry Technician (Recreation), GS-462-06/07
Location: / Newport, Washington or Metaline Falls, Washington
PERSONAL INFORMATION: / Date:
Name:
Address:
e-Mail Address:
Phone:
Are you currently a Federal employee? / Yes / No
If yes:
Current title/series/grade:
Current agency and location:
Type of Appointment:
Permanent / Term / Temporary
If you are not a current permanent (career or career conditional) employee are you eligible for appointment under any of the following special authorities:
Person with Disabilities: / Veterans Readjustment:
Former Peace Corps Volunteer: / Disabled veteran w/30% Compensable Disability:
Pathways Program (formally Student Career Experience Program or SCEP): / ______/ Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1988:
Other: