Okanogan-Wenatchee N.F.
Cle Elum Ranger District
Cle Elum, WA
OUTREACH NOTICE – Botanist
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Cle Elum Ranger District will be hiring a fulltime Botanist, GS-0430-11. The duty station will be in Cle Elum, Washington. The purpose of this outreach notice is to inform potential applicants of this position.
Anyone interested in further information or in receiving a copy of the vacancy announcement when it opens is advised to complete the attached Outreach Response Form.
Position Duties
The incumbent will serve as a Botanist providing technical expert assistance to the unit in matters dealing with threatened, endangered and sensitive vascular plant, lichen, bryophyte, and fungi species and plant community and vegetation management. Responsible for species identification, ecology, and management. Ensures consistency throughout the Forest in developing and implementing programs to manage and protect these species. The position serves as a botanical expert when working on interdisciplinary teams interpreting complex botanical situations involving specialists from several management groups and agencies. Projects include forest restoration, wetland riparian/stream restoration, wildlife habitat improvement, roadside and related construction activities restoration. Specialist input includes working with other team members to identify capabilities, limitations, sensitivity, and resilience of the ecosystem at multiple scales, and determining existing resource conditions. The incumbent works with ID team members to develop integrated restoration practices, best management practices, and site specific mitigation aimed at meeting Land and Resource Management Plan standards and guidelines, maintaining or enhancing long-term site productivity, and containing the extent of detrimental resource conditions.
Expectations include ability to serve as a contracting officer representative (COR) with oversight and management of large seed collection, plant propagation, planting, and restoration contracts.
The successful candidate must be especially familiar with botany and mycology, including extensive knowledge of Pacific NW flora, and related ecology, seed collection and nursery propagation and restoration practices; have excellent organization and communication skills, and embrace work in an integrated and interdisciplinary team environment. In addition to have a strong technical proficiency, a key consideration in being selected for this position is the ability to effectively engage with fellow interdisciplinary team members and the ability to build and maintain relationships with internal and external partners.
About The Area
The position’s duty station is located at Cle Elum Ranger Station, Cle Elum, Washington, 82 miles east of Seattle, and 27 miles west of Ellensburg.
The Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest encompasses more than 4-million acres in Washington State and stretches north to south from the Canadian border to the Goat Rocks Wilderness – a distance of about 180 miles. The forest lies east of the Cascade Crest, which defines its western boundary. The eastern edge of the forest extends into the Okanogan highlands, then south along the Okanogan and Columbia Rivers, and then to the Yakima River valley. Because of this wide geographic range, the forest is very diverse – from the high, glaciated alpine peaks along the Cascade Crest and the numerous mountain ranges extending eastward from the crest, through deep, lush valleys of old growth forest, to the dry and rugged shrub-steppe country at its eastern edge. Precipitation varies widely – from more than 70-inches along the crest to less than 10-inches at its eastern edge. This greatly affects the forest and vegetation types across the area.
The Cle Elum Ranger District encompasses approximately 375,000 acres and extends from 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. To the west of the district is the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
AREA AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
Cle Elum: The Cle Elum Ranger District office is located in the small community of Cle Elum. Other small communities that are nearby include Roslyn, Ronald, South Cle Elum, Easton, and Kittitas. The larger town of Ellensburg is located 25 miles to the east on Interstate 90.
Population: The population ofKittitas County is approximately 41,765 residents. Cle Elum has 1,890 residents, Roslyn 935, South Cle Elum 530 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 18,348.
Location and Elevation and Climate: The 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. The elevations range from 2300 in Cle Elum to 1500 in Ellensburg; surrounding mountains reach to the 9415’ majestic Mount Stuart, which stands as a sentinel overlooking the Kittitas Valley. There are definitely four seasons in Kittitas Valley. Mild and windy Springs warm up to toasty summer days where the warmest temperatures can reach into the low 100’s. Winter days can bring average temperatures that dip into the low 20’s in January and February. Annual rainfall averages between 22” closer to the crest to 10” as you near the Columbia River and sage steppe desert to the east, with an average snowfall of about six feet near the mountains.
Schools: Cle Elum has one elementary, middle and high school. There are smaller schools in other nearby communities. Ellensburg has several elementary schools, one middle and one high school. Central Washington University is located in Ellensburg.
Child Care Facilities: There is one moderate sized State licensed day care center located in the town 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.
Churches: Most faiths are represented in the Kittitas Valley area. See community websites noted below for listings.
Medical and Hospital Services: There is the Cle Elum Medical Center and after hours Urgent Care 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. Kittitas County Health Department and Central Washington University Student Health Center provide some medical care. Ellensburg also has a wider variety of dental, chiropractic, massage, and optometric care providers.
Motels and Restaurants: Cle Elum and Roslyn area have several hotels, motels and Bed and Breakfast Inns. Ellensburg has a Best Western, Comfort Inn and Super 8, in addition to many other hotel/motel facilities.
Shopping: Cle Elum has a Safeway for grocery shopping, in addition to several smaller mini-marts and small mom and pop style grocery stores. There are two drug stores and several gas stations in addition to other stores for outdoor, hunting and home repair. Ellensburg has numerous grocery, clothing, shoes and other product shopping opportunities including shops in the historic downtown district, Bi-Mart and a Fred Meyer store.
Library: Cle Elum, Roslyn and Ellensburg have public libraries.
Housing and Rentals: The Cle Elum area has a variety of housing opportunities. The best information on availability and cost can be obtained from local real estate and property management firms. Or check community web site for links to local realtors at www.ellensburg-wa.com or http://www.visitkittitas.com/CleElum.
Senior Services: Both Cle Elum and Ellensburg have active Senior Centers and programs for seniors, in addition to a variety of senior services and care facilities.
For more information, please contact:
Mary Maj, District Ranger, mmaj@fs.fed.us, or 509-852-1020