Forest Service Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests Outreach Notice Nez Perce - Clearwater National Forest Central Zone Wildlife Biologist GS-0486-11 Moose Creek Ranger District 502 Lowry St., Kooskia, Idaho 83539 Apply to Preferred Location: Kooskia, ID The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests will soon be advertising a District Wildlife Biologist GS-0486-11 position. This is a permanent position to be located in Kooskia, Idaho. The position will provide program support for the Central Zone, which consists of the Powell, Moose Creek and Lochsa Ranger Districts. If interested in this position, please send completed outreach form to Joe Hudson, Moose Creek District Ranger at jbhudson@fs.fed.us by February 19, 2013. Vacancy Announcement The vacancy announcement number for this position has yet to be established. Individuals stating interest in this position will be notified when the vacancy announcement is posted so they can apply. All applicants found to be qualified, and in the quality group will be referred for consideration. DUTIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS POSITION: As the Central Zone District Wildlife Biologist, the incumbent will be expected to be innovative and creative to identify opportunities for partnerships, and possess strong leadership abilities to perform as a member of the District Leadership team. This position serves as the Central Zone Wildlife Biologist and provides guidance and assistance for the protection, management, and improvement of wildlife habitat within the framework of multiple-use management of forest and range lands. This includes oversight of District wildlife budget, fulfilling reporting requirements to the Supervisors Office (SO) as requested, coordination of all NEPA documents related to wildlife. This position serves on the District Leadership Team and is expected to provide expert technical advice to the District Rangers in relation to the wildlife program and will be expected to serve as Acting District Ranger when needed. The incumbent will be responsible for planning, coordinating and implementing a variety of professional and administrative duties for current and anticipated projects on the Central Zone as they pertain to the wildlife resource. The Forests are seeking an applicant who communicates and works well with a variety of business, governmental, and community interests and is able to accomplish a large and complex program in cooperation with these interests. 1
Duty Station The Wildlife Biologist position will be located in Kooskia, Idaho at the Lochsa Ranger District Office. Kooskia is known for its excellent outdoor recreational opportunities; it is situated in a beautiful valley at the confluence of the South Fork and the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River and is within a one-hour drive of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. Steelhead trout and Chinook salmon spawn in Lochsa District streams. Outdoor recreation, lumber production, farming and cattle ranching are the major industries. Zone Information The Central Zone consists of the Powell, Moose Creek and Lochsa Ranger Districts. These Districts comprise approximately 1.8 million acres ranging from roaded front country with vegetation management to extensive Roadless and Wilderness areas. The Central Zone encompasses a Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project Area and is actively working with the Clearwater Basin Collaborative on a variety of projects. The Central zone administers the Middle Fork Clearwater Wild and Scenic River System, a portion of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and the longest undisturbed section of the Lewis & Clark Trail. Special uses include commercial outfitting (river floating, hunting and pack trips). In addition, timber harvest, commercial grazing, and minerals activities occur. The Lochsa District is composed of approximately 20 full time employees and about the same number of seasonal employees. The approximate acreage is 380,000 acres with over 1000 miles of road in the roaded front country near Kooskia, Kamiah, Pierce, and Weippe. The annual timber harvest is 15 MMBF. Approximately 500-800 acres of prescribed burning for reforestation and wildlife winter range is accomplished each year. The District manages a historic visitor center, campgrounds, and picnic areas. The station is comprised of office buildings, shop/warehouse, daycare, and other administrative buildings. The Moose Creek Ranger District, headquartered at the Historic Fenn Ranger Station is composed of 10 full time employees and 50 seasonal employees. The District stretches approximately 870,000 acres. 560,000 acres are within the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness; 275,000 acres are inventoried roadless; and approximately 35,000 acres are roaded. There are approximately 200 miles of road and over 1,000 miles of trails on the District. Developed recreation also plays a key role in the program of work with 14 developed sites located along the Selway River. The station is comprised of office buildings, bunkhouses, government houses, shops/warehouses, and various other administrative buildings. The Powell Ranger District is comprised of 10 full time employees and 40 seasonal employees. It covers roughly 500,000 acres, with nearly 191,000 acres in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. Natural resource stewardship activities center on fire management, wildlife and fisheries habitat, recreation, wilderness, and vegetation management. More than 500 miles of trails offer backpackers, hikers, cross-country skiers, snowmobilers, and walkers plenty of variety to meet their needs. Camping sites are plentiful from developed campground to undeveloped sites. Summer thunderstorms bring heavy rain, and fire to the District. The station is comprised of an office building, bunkhouses, government houses, shop/warehouse, and various other administrative buildings. 2
POPULATION/ELEVATION/CLIMATE There are 850 people living in Kooskia. Kamiah, which is seven miles downstream along the Clearwater River, has a population of 1,500, excluding several significant housing developments near town. Kooskia's elevation is 1260 feet, and Kamiah's is 1200 feet. The average precipitation is 23 inches, coming mostly in the form of rain in the valley and snow on the surrounding hills. The climate is mild, with the average summer temperature at 71 degrees and the average winter temperature 33 degrees. The frost-free gardening season extends from around May 15 until September 15. HOUSING Government housing may be available at Fenn Ranger Station, Moose Creek Ranger District, which is located 27 miles from Kooskia, Idaho. Otherwise, the area housing market has plenty to offer. Rental rates for an average three-bedroom home range from $400 to $700 per month. Purchase price for a three-bedroom home ranges from $90,000 to $200,000. From Koosia, employees commute from Kamiah - seven miles; Orofino - 30 miles, or Grangeville - 25 miles. Area population centers are Lewiston - 70 miles away; Moscow, 110 miles away; Missoula, Montana - 150 miles away and Spokane, Washington - 190 miles away. SCHOOLS/CHURCHES Schools are available in the Kooskia/Kamiah area for preschool through 12th grades. A small Christian school for 1st grade through 8th grade is located in Kamiah. Child care is generally available in the area. The University of Idaho at Moscow is a two-hour drive from Kooskia, and Washington State University at Pullman, Washington is 15 miles beyond that. Lewis-Clark State College at Lewiston is approximately a one and one-half hour drive. Most major religious affiliations are represented in the Kooskia/Kamiah area. MEDICAL There are 2 small medical clinics located in Kooskia with additional Physicians, dentists and another medical clinic available in Kamiah. A Nez Perce Indian health clinic is located in Kamiah. Ambulance service is available in both Kooskia and Kamiah. Small hospitals are located within approximately 45 minutes--at Grangeville, Cottonwood and Orofino. Full service medical facilities are located in Lewiston, Moscow, Spokane, and Missoula. RECREATION There are two parks in Kooskia and two in Kamiah, and both communities have lighted tennis courts. Adult volleyball, basketball and softball teams are formed in the communities. There is an outdoor community swimming pool in Kamiah. The Middle Fork Clearwater Wild and Scenic River system, which includes the Lochsa and Selway tributaries, begins at Kooskia. Excellent hunting and fishing, back-packing, hiking, horseback riding, white-water rafting and skiing are among the many outdoor recreational activities enjoyed in the area. The nearby Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness encompasses one and one-quarter million acres. U.S. Highway 12 and Idaho State Highway 13 junction at Kooskia and have been designated as State Scenic Routes. A small downhill ski slope and cross-country ski trails are located near Grangeville. A larger ski area is located at McCall, Idaho, which is about a two-hour drive from Kooskia. 3
Annual events that highlight the Kooskia/Kamiah area are: Clearwater Valley Rodeo Association and Central Idaho Rodeo Association Rodeos, Frontier Festival, Valley Singers Concerts (Easter, 4th of July and Christmas), a 4th of July fireworks display, Kooskia Days, Nez Perce Indian Rally, Elk Bugling and Mule Packing Contest, Kamiah Barbeque Days, Kamiah Dinner Theater and Kamiah Swim Team Crab Feed. Kooskia boosts an Opera House where numerous dramas and entertainers perform. THE FOREST The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests are in the process of combining, with a shared responsibility for approximately 4 million acres. The Clearwater NF is made up of the Powell, North Fork, Lochsa and Palouse Ranger Districts. The Nez Perce NF is made up of the Red River, Moose Creek and Salmon River Ranger Districts. The Clearwater National Forest is located on the west side of the Bitterroot Mountains in North- Central Idaho. It covers 1.8 million acres, from the jagged peaks of the Bitterroot Mountains in the east, down to the river canyons, to the rolling hills of the Palouse Prairie in the west. Elevations range from 1,600 to nearly 9,000 feet. One-forth of the massive Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness lies in the Clearwater NF. The North Fork of the Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers provide miles of habitat for migratory and resident fish populations. The mountains provide habitat for elk, moose, whitetail and mule deer, black bear, gray wolf, mountain lion, mountain goats, upland game birds, just to name a few. Average precipitation on the Forest ranges from 30 inches to over 100 inches along the Bitterroot Divide. The Nez Perce National Forest is located in the heart of north-central Idaho and encompasses 2.2 million acres. The Nez Perce stretches from the Oregon border on the west to the Montana border on the east. The Supervisor s Office is located in Grangeville, Idaho and the forest is comprised of the Red River, Moose Creek, Salmon River and the Clearwater Ranger Districts. The Forest is best known for its wilderness; it contains 1 wilderness in its entirety and parts of 3 others. Nearly half of the Forest's total acres are classified wilderness. Contact Information: Response: If you are interested in this position, or would like additional information about the job or the area, please contact Joe Hudson, Moose Creek District Ranger (jbhudson@fs.fed.us) at 208-926-8930. 4
Outreach Response Form Central Zone Wildlife Biologist, GS0486-11 PFT Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests Moose Creek Ranger District USDA Forest Service, R1-Inter-Mountain Region Please respond by 2/19/2013 to: Joe Hudson, jbhudson@fs.fed.us, (208) 926-8930 Name: Email Address: Phone Number: Work, Home or Mobile? Employer: FS Unit Other Location: Tour: Permanent Temporary Student/Intern Contractor Other Current Position Title: Series/grade if Federal Employee: How did you hear about this position? Agency Contact Other If not a current permanent employee, are you eligible to be hired under any of the following special authorities? Schedule A (Person with Disabilities) Veterans Readjustment Veterans w/30% Compensable Disability Veterans Employment Opportunities Act Of 1998 Former Peace Corps Volunteer Pathways Program (Students and Recent Graduates) Other Applicants May Use This Space to Identify Special Qualifications, Interests, Needs or Provide Other Information: 5