Description

Adirondack Land Trust 
Internship for the Future of the Adirondacks (free housing provided)

2026 Project: Environmental Education 

Project Description: This year’s intern will help us align our conservation work with community interests and growing and diversifying our audience. In addition to developing a wide range of educational materials and representing us at events throughout the summer, the intern will help identify potential opportunities to partner with organizations already working in the educational space as well as opportunities to reach more audiences through education. This internship is primarily focused on researching and developing a collection of educational materials for staff use, rather than teaching classes or workshops.

 Responsibilities:

•        Research the range and scope of nonprofit environmental education programs across the Adirondacks
•        Survey local educators in schools, camps and other organizations to gain a sense of need for and interest in partnering for educational programs
•        Develop lesson plans and curricula that can be used in classrooms, libraries and camps
•        Develop interactive display materials for tabling events focused on hands-on activities
•        Develop tabling kits that staff can use for staffed and un-staffed sponsorship events
•        Update materials for our birding backpack program with  libraries 
•        Represent Adirondack Land Trust at events throughout the park by staffing a table, usually along with another staff member 
•        If desired (not required), intern will be invited to offer one field workshop based on their area of expertise.

Additional project: Our intern will learn about each facet of our organization including stewardship, land protection, communications, philanthropy, event planning and finance. They will serve as a member of the land trust’s events team and will have the opportunity to meet with each staff member to gain an understanding of the scope of land trust work and further hone their interest in a career in conservation.

General Learning Outcomes: Over the course of the summer, the intern will

•        Gain a deep awareness of on-the-ground conservation work, which can be applied to their environmental career or graduate school search in the future
•        Gain practical experience translating our conservation work into educational presentations and materials for a wide variety of audiences
•        Understand the variety of professional roles within the field of conservation 
•        Gain insight into working with a board of directors and other advisors
•        Learn how a nonprofit organization functions

 Dates, Compensation and Benefits:

       Pay: $16.75/hour, plus mileage reimbursement for job-related travel (if using personal vehicle)

       Dates: Flexible start and end dates to correspond with college summer break, 35 hours/week. The work week will be flexible, given that weekend work is likely as the intern represents us at events throughout the park.

       Housing: A shared apartment (two bedrooms, one bathroom) is provided free of charge in Au Sable Forks, NY. The intern is not required to live there, but ALT does not reimburse the cost of other housing.

       A NYS driver’s license is necessary to travel the vast geography of the Adirondack Park. 

       Other benefits: Intern will be encouraged to use this project in future internship, job or graduate school applications. The intern will be included in ALT staff meetings, spend time with other staff, and learn how a professional land trust applies conservation and land protection tools. Budget is provided for virtual or in-person professional development opportunities. At the conclusion of the internship, an evaluation will be conducted to review performance and provide the intern with an opportunity to share feedback to help improve the experience for future interns. 

What our intern will bring to our team:

•         Minimum of two years of college completed, or relevant alternative experience
•        Proficiency in writing lesson plans and curricula for environmental topics
•        Strong research and writing skills
•        Comfortable being outdoors in all kinds of weather while representing us at events
•        Ability to travel throughout the Adirondack Park
•        Comfortable working and traveling alone
•        Desire to offer nature-based interactive table activities, often in an outdoor setting
•        Desire to engage with people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences

 Helpful personal traits:

•        Enjoy interacting with the public
•        Enthusiastic, positive, well-organized and flexible 
•        Motivated self-starter, able to work independently with minimal direction 
•        Efficient time management

 ORGANIZATIONAL STATEMENT                                                                                                                              

Data show that some candidates do not apply for a job because they don’t feel that they meet all the qualifications listed. Our job descriptions are general overviews, not a mandatory comprehensive list. As a small and growing organization, we appreciate a diverse set of skills and candidates eager and willing to grow and learn with our organization. If you feel passionate about our efforts and believe that you have the skills to succeed in this role, we want to hear from you. 

We strive for a collegial environment of people who generate innovative ideas and work hard to implement them. We value diversity, equity, inclusion and access as essential to all aspects of conservation work, and to ensuring that the Adirondack Park welcomes and provides benefits for all people. We also understand the value of work/life balance.

ALT affirms its commitment to equal employment opportunity for all individuals. Decisions about recruiting, hiring, training, promotions, compensation, benefits, and all similar employment matters are made in compliance with all federal, state and local laws and without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ethnic or national origin, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, familial status, military status or any other classification protected by federal or state law. Any discrimination in the workplace against persons protected by equal employment opportunity laws is illegal and against policy.

Accessibility note: While the Adirondack Land Trust office can be entered by wheelchair, the bathrooms do not meet ADA accessibility standards and the second floor is not accessible. The land trust is in the process of searching for a new office space that will be universally accessible. The timeline for relocating is uncertain. We welcome discussions about how we can support applicants through the application process and in performing essential functions of the internship

Requirements

What our intern will bring to our team:

        Minimum of two years of college completed, or relevant alternative experience
       Proficiency in writing lesson plans and curricula for environmental topics
       Strong research and writing skills
       Comfortable being outdoors in all kinds of weather while representing us at events
       Ability to travel throughout the Adirondack Park
       Comfortable working and traveling alone
       Desire to offer nature-based interactive table activities, often in an outdoor setting
       Desire to engage with people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences

Helpful personal traits:

       Enjoy interacting with the public
       Enthusiastic, positive, well-organized and flexible 
       Motivated self-starter, able to work independently with minimal direction 
       Efficient time management