Apply to Be a Reserve Land Steward
2 Paid Positions Available! Apply Now for Priority Consideration
Position details:
- The fellowship term is Sept. 21, 2026 to Aug. 13, 2027
- Apply between May 1 to July 31, 2026
- Full-time (40 hours a week); serve 1700+ hours over 11 months
- Monday to Friday, approximately 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., with occasional evening and weekend commitments based on project needs.
- Onsite 5 days per week.
- Receive up to $35,250 stipend (before taxes) distributed evenly over the 11-month service term
- Fellows can be awarded up to $10,000 for further education
Learn more about California Climate Action Corps at the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden.Apply now for priority consideration.
Job description
Duties & responsibilities
The Reserve Land Steward position with the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden’s Putah Creek Riparian Reserve offers a unique opportunity to transform and enhance public open space and UC Davis naturalized lands, building climate and fire resilience, and benefiting the campus community and the broader region. Fellows will collaborate with expert staff to lead urban greening, habitat restoration, and fire mitigation efforts across the 640-acre Putah Creek Riparian Reserve and campus naturalized lands. Fellows will engage in nearly 40 acres of new habitat restoration and ecological land management projects throughout the Reserve to support the Arboretum and Public Garden’s goal of building a resilient and sustainable campus landscape amidst a changing climate. The Reserve is an important open space and wildland feature in the greater Sacramento Apply Here region, providing critical wildlife habitat for threatened and endangered species and serving as an outdoor teaching and learning hub for the community. Fellows will serve alongside Reserve staff to remove invasive species that increase fuel loads and fire risk to sensitive habitat areas, revegetate with local native vegetation (understory and canopy species), and train future conservation and restoration leaders through direct engagement with UC Davis undergraduate students and the surrounding community. Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Recruit, train, and coordinate community volunteers for urban greening and fire resiliency projects—including invasive species removal and native plant revegetation
- Design and implement habitat restoration projects with vegetation management plans that support climate-resilient native plant communities (riparian, oak woodland, native grassland)
- Coordinate with staff to support student interns and volunteers in completing project activities such as seed collection, planting, invasive species removal, and fuel reduction
- Lead hands-on education and outreach on habitat restoration, plant identification (native and non-native), and seed collection and processing protocols in the Sacramento Valley Watershed
- Track program data and analyze results to quantify climate impact
- Participation in training not to exceed 20% (340-hours) of total service hours
- Fellow duties will not include any prohibited or unallowable activities per 45 CFR § 2520.65
- Fellow duties will not supplant, duplicate, or displace staff as outlined in 45 CFR § 2540.100 (e)-(f)
Qualifications
Minimum qualifications
- Live in California by August 14, 2026
- Must be age 18 or older by August 14, 2026
- Must possess a high school diploma or equivalent
- Must be a US Citizen, US National, or lawful US resident to participate
- Must possess a valid driver’s license.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience in environmental education, event coordination & planning, and volunteer management & engagement
- Experience with outreach, education, training, or community behavior change
- Experience in GIS/mapping, habitat restoration, landscape management, native plant management, traditional ecological knowledge, tree planting/care.
- An interest in climate change mitigation, volunteerism, or public service
- Fundamental understanding of climate change science, environmental policies in California, and/or environmental priorities
- Excellent organizational, writing, interpersonal, and speaking skills
Physical demands
- Ability to lift up to 30 pounds
- Ability to work in diverse outdoor conditions (rain, wind, heat, steep or uneven terrain)
Apply now for priority consideration
Benefits of service
Fellows will be part of the larger Arboretum and Public Garden staff team with expertise in restoration ecology, plant conservation, sustainable horticulture, museum collections management, water management, and public horticulture. As part of the University, the Arboretum and Public Garden fosters a culture of continuous learning, open communication, mutual respect, and public service. Career staff are enthusiastic mentors with deep expertise in sustainable horticulture, plant conservation, arboriculture, and habitat restoration, as well as established networks in the regional environmental community. Fellows will be able to participate in training opportunities provided by the Arboretum’s Learning by Leading undergraduate internship curriculum for ecological land management, waterway stewardship, urban tree stewardship, sustainable horticulture, and habitat horticulture programs, as well as join our staff at regional conservation training workshops and meetings focused on natural resource conservation, habitat restoration, and wildland management. Other benefits include:
- Receive up to $35,250 stipend (before taxes) distributed evenly over the 11-month service term
- Earn up to $10,000 in education awards (before taxes and upon completion of 1700 hours)
- Participation in 170-340 hours of training and professional development
- Receive $300 in professional development funds
- Receive food assistance via CalFresh (for those eligible)
- Forbearance on existing qualifying student loans and interest payments accrued during the service term
- Minimum essential healthcare coverage
- Childcare assistance (for those eligible)
About UC Davis Putah Creek Riparian Reserve
The UC Davis Putah Creek Riparian Reserve manages 640 acres of natural riparian, oak woodland, and grassland ecosystems that border the southern edge of the UC Davis campus and 6 miles of Putah Creek, as well as naturalized lands at the interface of urban and agricultural landscapes. Part of the larger UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, these lands are maintained for teaching and research purposes, wildlife and habitat protection, and community engagement. We serve as a hub for environmental learning, community involvement, climate-resilient landscapes, and a deeper connection with nature. Learn more about the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve.
About California Climate Action Corps
California Climate Action Corps (CCAC) is a Governor’s initiative national service program led by California Volunteers, Office of the Governor and implemented by Bay Area Community Resources dedicated to advancing climate actions that engage community members, cultivate change, and leave a lasting impact.
CCAC is part of a larger statewide initiative to address the climate crisis by placing emerging leaders with public agencies, nonprofits, tribal communities, and educational institutions to mobilize communities through volunteer engagement, climate action, and education service projects focused on urban greening, organic waste and edible food recovery, and wildfire resiliency.
Selected Fellows will serve 1700+ hours as AmeriCorps members over approximately eleven months, supporting community volunteer engagement, climate action, or education projects in vulnerable communities across the state. CCAC meets Californians where they are and provides meaningful opportunities for everyone to take climate action. Learn more about California Climate Action Corps.