The Nature Conservancy - Flat Ranch

The Nature Conservancy’s Flat Ranch Preserve is a 1600 acre working cattle ranch that straddles over 4 miles of the Upper Henrys Fork River. Located 15 miles west of Yellowstone National Park in Island Park, Idaho, the ranch is the hub for a community based conservation effort focused on restoring and protecting the biodiversity values of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and specifically the upper Henry’s Fork region. A visitor center is located on the Ranch that provides educational information and events to the visiting public. The management goals of the Ranch demonstrate that habitat restoration and conservation can be integrated into a viable cattle operation.

The Flat Ranch Intern will be responsible for a wide range of tasks including visitor education, ranch management, and habitat restoration. The following is a general list of duties:

  • Work closely with the Flat Ranch Preserve Manager and volunteers to inform and educate visitors about the natural and cultural heritage of the area and The Nature Conservancy’s effort to protect and restore wildlife habitat.
  • Assist the Flat Ranch Preserve Manager and volunteers with a diversity of ranch management tasks including flood irrigation, barb wire and electric fence maintenance and construction, facilities maintenance, ecological restoration, scientific research, invasive species mapping and control.
  • Assist the Flat Ranch Preserve Manger in monitoring and documenting the results of Flat Ranch restoration activities.

Applicant Qualifications

Candidates for the position should have the following:

  • Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
  • Enthusiasm and ability to work well with others and independently in a remote setting.
  • Interest in conservation, education, restoration and ecology.
  • Interest in and/or knowledgeable of the flora and fauna of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
  • Ability to accomplish tasks that includes strenuous manual labor, walking, and operating ranch equipment.
  • Willingness to work a flexible schedule in a fairly remote area.