Intern, Forest Conservation

The National Audubon Society is hiring a Forest Conservation Intern for summer 2026 in Huntington, VT. Candidates should be pursuing or have recently completed a degree in conservation or related fields. Responsibilities include assisting with outreach to landowners and foresters, bird monitoring, and developing educational materials. The position allows remote work for office tasks and requires travel to field sites. Compensation is $19/hour for 35 hours per week.
About Audubon

The National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet's health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come. Learn more at www.audubon.organd on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @audubonsociety.

Position Summary:

Audubon Vermont seeks applicants pursuing, or having recently completed a degree in conservation, natural resources, forestry, ecology, ornithology, and related fields to serve as a Forest Conservation Intern. The person in this position will work, both independently and in a team setting, with Audubon's Healthy Forests Program Senior Associate on a variety of forest-bird conservation projects.

Primary responsibilities will involve assisting with individualized technical support, education, and outreach to landowners and foresters through the Landowner Technical Assistance (Forests) program and the Forester Training and Endorsement Program. Depending on interest and experience level, additional opportunities may include monitoring Vermont forest bird species of conservation concern, creating and managing databases, and developing maps in GIS. The internship is designed to provide a range of administrative and programmatic experiences with a focus on issues facing birds in Vermont and Northern New England.

The position will occur during the summer of 2026 (May-August) with a time frame that can be adapted to meet a variety of academic schedules. Travel between home office and field sites is reimbursed at the federal rate of 72.5 cents/mile.

Length of Internship: 5/11/26 - 8/28/26

Hours: 35/Week

This is a remote position, allowing for work from home for office-related tasks, and involving regular travel to field sites throughout the state of Vermont.

Only applications submitted with a cover letter will be considered.

Compensation:

$19.00 / hour

Additional Job Description

Essential Functions

Intern Responsibilities and Learning Objectives:

The primary responsibility of the position is:
• Assist with landowner and forester outreach, communications, and delivery of private lands assessments and resource management guidance to private landowners and/or their consulting forester. This includes communications and scheduling site visits with landowners and foresters, interacting 1:1 with landowners and foresters, collecting habitat information during site visits, and writing follow-up reports for landowners and foresters.

Additional tasks and projects may include the following:
• Conduct bird monitoring at Foresters for the Birds demonstration sites.
• Participate in outreach activities, which may include bird walks, workshops and special events.
• Draft articles, factsheets, blogs, webpages and social media content and other outreach materials to support Audubon Vermont's conservation programs.
• Attend meetings with public officials, environmental leaders, scientists and volunteers to support Audubon Vermont's participation and contributions.
• Opportunities to participate in other Audubon Vermont conservation projects including the Green Mountain Audubon Center MAPS bird banding station, Common Tern Recovery Project, and Peregrine Falcon and Bald Eagle monitoring.
• Assist with Audubon staff to ensure that equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging principles are incorporated and followed in all aspects of our work.

Internship Benefits:

Interns will gain experience and knowledge in the following:
• Experience and knowledge of the real-world application of the principles and practices of ecological forestry in forestland management.
• Knowledge of identifying common forest birds of Vermont by sight and sound.
• Knowledge of habitat needs and conservation concerns for Vermont forest birds.
• Experience Interacting with, coordinating, educating, communicating with, and otherwise working with landowners, their foresters, and the general public.
• Experience operating independently in a remote work environment.
• Experience in a variety of bird-related monitoring and conservation programs.

Intern Schedule:
Schedule will be full-time, for a target of 35 hours a week over the course of roughly 16 weeks and otherwise be variable week to week and involve a mix of remote office work and in-person field visits.

Projected Start Date/End Date:

Negotiable: start will generally be mid to late May (possible to start as early as May 11th) and end will generally be end of August (target end date of August 28th).

Qualifications and Experience:
• Currently pursuing or recently earned a bachelor's or higher degree in conservation, forestry, ecology, natural resources, environmental studies, or a related field.
• This position is best suited for those that take initiative and have a strong ability to stay on task and work independently, including operating in remote situations.
• Strong work ethic, attention to detail, and robust oral and written communication skills.
• Dedicated and excited about working in a dynamic, fast-paced nonprofit organization.
• Appetite for learning and growth.
• Aspire for a career in forest conservation.
• Familiarity with or willingness to learn about the management of New England forests, including silvicultural systems.
• Commitment to the full spectrum of forest management strategies, from passive conservation to active management, including sustainable timber harvest.
• Experience with or willingness to learn natural resource inventory techniques.
• Basic identification skills of Vermont's birds (by sight and sound), trees, and shrub species, including non-native plants.
• Familiarity with or willingness to learn ArcGIS for mapping and spatial analysis.
• Strong interest in environmental conservation, education, and the mission of the National Audubon Society, including social and environmental justice.
• Ability to work safely and independently in challenging outdoor conditions (e.g., bugs, rain, mud, steep or uneven terrain) and hike several miles in a day.
• Valid driver's license, reliable transportation and willingness to travel up to four or more hours round trip to field sites

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic outlined by federal, state, or local laws. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates.

Accessibility Statement

The National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Accommodations@audubon.org.This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.