It's application season! Applications are being accepted for the following programs:

YCC (Youth Conservation Corps)
High School Intern
Intern
Professional Intern
Apprentice
SCA Crews (Student Conservation Association)

Click here for applications to these programs or continue reading for further for program descriptions.

Adopt-A-Trail

Adopt-A-Trail volunteers help the Park attain goals that might otherwise be delayed or incomplete. Adopt-A-Trail volunteers will be responsible for adopting a stretch of trail. Duties to be performed will include, though not limited to: use of hand tools (shovels, pulaskis, pruning shears, etc.), opala (litter) pick-up, repair of erosion controls, delineation of trails, elimination of short cut trails, boardwalk repairs/construction, removal of vegetation covering the trail, inspection of trail signs, and other miscellaneous duties and needed.

The initial trail segments will include front country trails in the Summit Area, trails in the coastal area of Kipahulu, and segments of the Kaupo Trail. Backcountry wilderness trails in the summit area will be phased in later in the program. Each trail segment will have a set frequency of inspection ranging from once a month to once every 3 months.

AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is a national service program that offers resources to communities to design and implement their own solutions. The AmeriCorps National Service Network consists of over 800 programs across the nation. Maui Economic Organization YouthBank is the home site for the AmeriCorps Environmental project with service to Maui, Molokai and Lanai.

Requirements
· Must be 18-26 years of age when enrolled in AmeriCorps
· Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien
· Must be drug-free
· Be physically fit and able to carry 25 lbs in a backpack.
· Speak English
· Be committed to one year of service
· Have a high school diploma or GED and register to vote

Benefits
· A modest living allowance will be provided to each member
· An educational award is paid directly to a post-high school education program of choice in Hawaiÿi or another state upon completion of 900/1700 hours and remain in the program for one year.

Sounds Great! How do I Apply?
Haleakala National Park supports 1-3 AmeriCorps volunteers each year. To obtain an application, click here.

Haleakala Service Trips

The park occasionaly sponsors guided interpretive service trips. These trips are usually overnight in the Wilderness Area so they require a high level of physical fitness. Call to see if an service trips are scheduled soon 808 572-4400.

The Friends of Haleakala National Park offers non-interpretive service trips periodically. Contact them for more information through their website.

The American Hiking Society is another way to do service trips. Contact them through their website.

Student Conservation Association

The Student Conservation Association is a nonprofit organization that has been recruiting and fielding volunteers to assist land and resource managers since 1957. Haleakala supports 5-8 SCA Resource Assistants and 1-2 Conservation Crews each year. For more information about SCA and to obtain an application, check out their website; call (603)543-1700 or write them at: The Student Conservation Association, POB 550, Charlestown, NH, 03603.

Resource Assistant Program

Resource Assistants (RAs) are college-aged or older interns, who undertake a twelve to sixteen-week assignment. At Haleakala, positions are 16-weeks long and are located in the Summit Area. We recruit for two different positions--Interpretation and Wildife.

The Interpretation position is based at the Park Headquarters Visitor Center. Duties include: working at two visitor centers (one at 7,000 ft., another at 9,750 ft. elevation), providing orientation and information to park visitors, selling Natural History Association publications, issuing backcountry camping and cabin permits, and answering phone and mail inquiries for information; researching/preparing and presenting interpretive talks on the natural and/or cultural history of the park, leading 2-3 hour hikes into rain forest and cinder desert areas, assisting with environmental education programs, and informal roving interpretation; special projects related to interpretation and resource management assignments. U.S. Citizenship and a valid driver's license is required for this position.

The Wildlife position is in the Division of Resource Management. The park is home to a number of threatened and endangered endemic species. The intern will work in the Summit Area assisting the park's Endangered Species Management Project. Duties include: monitoring predators of endangered species; monitoring endangered species for nesting activity and production of young; computer data entry and other duties as assigned. A valid driver's license is required in addition the intern must have excellent hiking ability, ability to work in steep, mountainous terrain in inclement weather; three years course work in wildlife, biology, zoology or related field and a knowledge of Hawaii natural history.

Conservation Work Crews

SCA's Conservation Work Crews are comprised of six, eight, or ten participants and one or two adult crew leaders and specialize in construction, maintenance and restoration projects that serve the needs of resource managers. Types of projects at Haleakala include trail construction and maintenance and fence construction and repair.

High school-aged students (16-19) are recruited either nationally or locally, as required, to participate in the co-educational work programs. While completing various projects to which they are assigned, they learn to live outdoors as part of a cooperating crew and participate in a variety of outdoor education activities. Work projects are generally four weeks in length. Go here for details and an application.

Alternative School Break

College students can opt to work in a conservation area for one or two weeks during their school breaks during fall, winter or spring. Several positions are available at Haleakala.

Youth Conservation Corps

The Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) is a summer employment program for young males and females who work and learn together by doing projects on public land. The objectives of YCC is to further the development and maintenance of the natural resources of the United States by America's youth, and, in so doing, to prepare them for the ultimate responsibility of maintaining and managing these resources for the American people.

YCC participants have provided thousands of hours of work over the past decade to Haleakala in building and maintaining trails, and protecting critical endangered species habitats.

Young men and women, 15 through 18 years of age, who are citizens of the United States, are eligible for employment. Participants must possess a social security card and have a work permit (if required) before the first working day.

YCC participants will work 40 hours per week and be paid the same rate as the established minimum wage. Recruitment of participants is through the local school systems. The recruitment period is open February 1 through April 15 each year.

For more information, contact (808) 572-4487, email HALE_VIP_Coordinator@nps.gov or write to Volunteer Coordinator, Haleakala National Park, P.O. Box 369, Makawao, HI 96768-0369. Click here for an application for this program.

Volunteer in Parks

There are a variety of opportunities to volunteer at Haleakala. If you have the time, whether it be one day a year or five days per week, we have a project for you. Listed below are only a few of the examples of opportunities available to volunteers. Click here for an application.

• Non-native species removal : volunteer spend anywhere from 1/2 a day to several days removing non-native plants and trees in various locations of the park. Work typically includes pulling by hand, using pruners or small hand saws.
  
  
• Trail maintenance: volunteers work on a monthly basis or several weeks at a time maintaining, repairing or constructing trails throughout the park. Work includes lifting and carrying heavy rocks, using trail tools (machete, pulasiki, shovel, etc.) to repair trail tread, water bars, steps and repair boardwalks.
  
  
• Visitor information volunteers work in visitor centers and along trails providing information to visitors, answer questions, work with Junior Rangers, and a variety of other tasks.
  
  
• Naturalist volunteers work with park staff in educating visitors and school kids by preparing and presenting naturalist talks, guided hikes, evening programs and environmental education programs.
  
  
• General maintenance volunteers may assist with picking up opala (litter) alongside the roadways and trails, repair pasture fences, cabin maintenance, construction or a variety of other tasks.