District Recreation Program Lead, GS-101/401/807-9/11

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is planning to fill one full time Resource Assistant as the Recreation Program lead position GS-101/401/807-9/11.

The Okanogan-Wenatchee is a progressive and complex forest working aggressively on restoration efforts with a multitude of collaborators. The Forest is the focus of national and regional initiatives to restore forest patterns, processes, and functions to increase resilience to climate change and to disturbances.

If interested, please respond with your interest in the outreach database and send an e-mail response to Michelle Capp, Cle Elum District Ranger, no later than the close of business 10/28/2019 at michelle.capp@usda.gov.

FOREST SERVICE EMPLOYEES ON THE WORKFORCE REDUCTION PLACEMENT SYSTEM (WRAPS) LIST WILL RECEIVE PRIORITY CONSIDERATION AND CTAP/ICTAP CANDIDATES WILL RECEIVE THE APPROPRIATE CONSIDERATION.

PLEASE NOTE:  The purpose of this Outreach Notice is to determine the potential applicant pool for this position and to establish the appropriate recruitment method and area of consideration for the advertisement (e.g. government-wide/DEMO). Responses received from this outreach will be relied upon to make this determination.  All applicants must meet the qualifications standards to be eligible for this position.

Cle Elum Ranger District

The Cle Elum Ranger District encompasses approximately 375,000 acres and extends from the near the city of Ellensburg and the Yakima River to the crest of the Cascades in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and Snoqualmie Pass areas. It is bordered by the Wenatchee River Ranger District to the north along the Wenatchee Mountains – Mt. Stuart divide and by the Naches Ranger District to the south along the Manastash Ridge divide.

About the community 

The Cle Elum Ranger District office is located in the community of Cle Elum, which is 75 miles east of Seattle on Interstate 90 near the center of Washington State. Other small communities nearby include Roslyn, Ronald, South Cle Elum, Easton, and Kittitas. The larger town of Ellensburg is located 25 miles east on Interstate 90.

The population of Kittitas County is approximately 33,362 residents. Cle Elum has 1,770 residents, Roslyn 936, South Cle Elum 510, and unincorporated areas 13,595 (which includes Ronald, Thorp, Easton, Snoqualmie Pass, Vantage and other rural areas). The population of Ellensburg (including Central Washington University students) is 15,414.

Cle Elum Ranger District is located on the “dry” side of the Cascades; close enough to the crest to benefit from the rain shadow effect of the mountains. Forest types vary from the old growth forests near the Cascade Crest to the dry shrub-steppe ecosystems to the east.

There are definitely four seasons in Cle Elum. Mild and windy springs warm up to summer days where the warmest temperatures can reach into the low 100s. Winter days can bring average temperatures into the low 20s in January and February. Annual rainfall averages between 22” closer to the Cascade crest to 10” as you near the Columbia River and shrub-steppe to the east, with an average snowfall of about eight feet near the mountains.

Cle Elum has one elementary, middle and high school. There are smaller schools in other nearby communities. Ellensburg has several elementary, one middle school and one high school. Central Washington University is also located in Ellensburg.

There is one moderate sized State licensed day care center located in the town of Roslyn, Busy Buddies Daycare, and several smaller home operated licensed day care providers in the Cle Elum area. Ellensburg has several day care centers and licensed home day care providers.

There is the Cle Elum Family Medicine Center and 24-Hour Emergency Service Center located in Cle Elum. There are also several local dentists and chiropractic service providers. Ellensburg is home to the Kittitas Valley Community Hospital, Valley Clinic, and several smaller medical offices. Ellensburg also has a wider variety of dental, chiropractic, massage, and optometric care providers.

The Cle Elum area has a variety of housing opportunities. Information on availability and cost can be obtained from local real estate and property management firms. Check community web site for links to more information at www.kittitascountychamber.com/or www.cleelumroslyn.org.

Overview of the Cle Elum Recreation Program

Winter

• 500 miles of groomed snowmobile trails and several snow play areas
• 5 miles of nonmotorized winter trails
• 10 snoparks (busiest snow parks in the State according to State parks)
• 10 winter staging areas (park but no winter pass is required)
• 2 ski lodges with associated trails and events (all permitted on Forest)

Summer

• 24 campgrounds that serve between 70,000-85,000 people every summer
• 167 miles nonmotorized trails
• 148 miles wilderness trails
• 292 miles hiker/horse/motorcycle/mtn bike trails
• 98 miles 4×4 Jeep/ATV trails
• 2 rental cabins
• 30 trailheads (developed) with an estimated 70,000 people every summer
• 4 boat launches (developed)
• 375 dispersed recreation sites

Special Uses and Recreation Residences

• 367 special use authorizations
• 39 recreation residences

Supervision

• 47 temps winter and summer

Partner and volunteer management

• Generally the same as other Districts with the addition of Mountains to Sound Greenway

Grant and fiscal accountability

• Generally we manage $800,000 in grants annually (which includes billing, tracking, budgeting, agreements)

Snoqualmie Pass Visitor Center

• Volunteer led snow shoe walks

OUTREACH RESPONSE FORM

I am interested in the Resource Assistant, 120 Day DETAIL Recreation Program Lead, GS-0101/0807/0401-11 position on the Cle Elum Ranger District.

Other information regarding your interest.