The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is planning to fill one full time Soil Scientist to cover the Entiat, Chelan, Wenatchee River, and Methow Valley Ranger Districts. The successful candidate will have their choice of Entiat, Chelan, Leavenworth, or Winthrop Washinton as a duty station.
Duties include:
- Participates in interdisciplinary teams assessing restoration activites and changed conditions on post-fire landscapes.
- Consults with other resource specialists in assessing the impacts of proposed programs and projects on soil values.
- Communicates risk assessment to line and staff to help with land management decisions, ensuring good, continuous communication.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please email the outreach response and a resume to Chris Furr at chris.furr@usda.gov by November 23, 2020.
About the Position: This position serves as a GS-11 soil scientist serving the north zone, with responsibility for conducting and interpreting soil surveys and analysis, watershed rehabilitation and management planning, and providing technical guidance within the framework of multiple-use management of forest and range lands. In addition, oversight of seasonal crews, management of data, and developing soil scientist NEPA specialist reports will be required.
The Forest: The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is one of the largest forests in Region 6 with six Ranger Districts. The Forest covers more than 4 million acres in Washington State. The Forest has a diverse program 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. It 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. Elevations range from below 1,000 ft. to over 9,000 ft. Precipitation varies widely – from more than 70-inches along the crest to less than 10-inches at its eastern edge. This of course greatly affects the forest and vegetation types across the area.
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is involved in numerous interagency and collaborative
efforts, state, county and federal. The Forest is a leader in implementing a Forest restoration strategy that recognizes the role of fire adapted communities and wildlife. There is a demanding and complex fire workload and there is a strong and long-standing relationship with the Washington department of natural resources, especially in wild land firefighting. This Forest is also noted for a wide range of year-round recreation opportunities and 1.5 million acres of wilderness.
Chelan: The Chelan Ranger Station occupies a beautiful waterfront site at the foot of 50-mile long Lake Chelan, the deepest gorge and third deepest lake in the United States. The Chelan Ranger District encompasses approximately 422,000 acres. The Chelan RD maintains large programs in wilderness recreation, winter recreation, recreationally oriented special use permits, fire management and a large mine remediation. Hunting, hiking, horse riding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and boat camping are among the most frequent uses of the district. Lake Chelan provides innumerable recreation opportunities throughout the four distinct seasons. About 60% of the shoreline along the lake is either on National Forest or in the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, part of the North Cascades National Park complex. Boating, jet skiing, swimming, fishing, and canoeing are common recreational pursuits.
The Chelan Ranger District is proud to be the home of Holden Village; an internationally known interdenominational retreat center operated at the site of a former mine, isolated deep in the Cascade Mountains. Access to Holden Village is by boat or float plane only. Holden Village is the largest retreat center operated via special use permit in the National Forest System. The Holden Mine remediation project, located adjacent to Holden Village, is the largest mine remediation project on National Forest system lands.
Chelan itself is a community of 4,200 and sits at the southeastern end of Lake Chelan. Tourism, agriculture, and retirement/summer living are the economic mainstays of the area. A mayor-council-city administrator form of government leads the City of Chelan. Chelan has excellent schools, including one elementary school, one middle school, one high school and one alternative school. The Lake Chelan Community Hospital provides competent, basic medical care. Comprehensive medical care is available in nearby Wenatchee (35 miles away). Vision care and dental services are available in Chelan.
Nearby Manson provides additional living choices. Only seven miles from Chelan, Manson is smaller (pop. 2,500), cozier and quieter than Chelan. Apple, pear and cherry orchards blanket the foothills around town, and the largest commercial enterprise is Wapato Point, a condominium community with unparalleled access to Lake Chelan.
By most standards, Chelan is a pleasant place to live. Summer temperatures average in the lower 80’s, with hot spells occurring usually in late August. Winter temperatures average in the mid-20’s and a total of one to two feet of snowfall during December, January and February. The Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce, along with the City of Chelan and numerous other groups, annually sponsor a handful of events, such as the Chelan Rodeo, an annual street fair and carnival, Winter Fest, and the Chelan Bach-Festival. Chelan is a popular choice for conventions and conferences from across the Pacific Northwest. Find more at: https://www.lakechelan.com/relocate/
Entiat and the Wenatchee Valley: The Entiat Ranger Station is located in Entiat, Washington, population 1450, a less-than-full-service town. It is 156 road miles east of Seattle and 18 miles north of Wenatchee on US 97A. Wenatchee is a full-service town. Entiat has basic services including frequent inter-city bus service, gasoline, groceries, auto repair, restaurants, branch library, real estate, parks, post office, and city government. The last services in the Entiat Valley are near Ardenvoir at milepost 10 where there is gas, diesel, restaurant, limited groceries, and Forest Service housing and work center. Residential areas extend another 16 miles.
The twin cities of Wenatchee (Chelan County) and East Wenatchee (Douglas Co.) lie on the shores of the Columbia River at 700 feet elevation. They are located 140 miles east of Seattle and 164 miles west of Spokane. The greater Wenatchee area has approximately 48,000 residents. There are four distinct seasons, with yearly precipation of 9 inches of rain and 27 inches of snow. Summer daytime maximum temperatures are 90-100+ with mostly clear skies and significant cooling at night, while winters are mostly cloudy with an average high about 35 and average low about 25.
Recreational opportunities on or near the District include dispersed and developed camp sites, fishing, hunting, hiking, backpacking, competitive events, mountain and trail-bike riding, water skiing, sailing, cross country and downhill skiing, snowshoeing, jet skiing, snowmobiling, kayaking, crew, and motor boating. Approximately ten percent of the Entiat District is Wilderness. Another 20% is in Inventoried Roadless Areas which are split between motorized and non-motorized-trail allocations. The highest elevation on the District is 9249 feet where 90 inches of precipitation supports a glacier. Most of the district is in open shrub-steppe, open ponderosa pine, or in hundreds of thousands of acres of young pine plantations planted after large fires from 1970 to 1994. More information is available at: https://www.entiatwa.us/
Methow Valley Community: The MVRD is 1.4 million acres in size; 600,000 acres of it is included in two wilderness areas – the Pasayten and Lake Chelan-Sawtooth. There are also several large Roadless areas. The district has over 300 miles of fish-bearing streams and 120 lakes. There is an abundance of diversity of fish and wildlife including three fish species and five wildlife species federally listed as threatened or endangered. Recreational opportunities abound in both winter and summer. There are 35 trailheads and hundreds of miles of maintained trail; 26 developed campgrounds; and 18 livestock grazing allotments. There are active programs in fisheries, hydrology, soils, wildlife, fire/fuels, forest vegetation, recreation, range, and weed management.
The Methow Valley Ranger District encompasses the towns of Mazama, Winthrop, Twisp, Carlton and Methow. Twisp and Winthrop each have about 1,000 residents. Mazama, Carlton and Methow are much smaller.
The district is located on the east side of the Cascade Range, so the weather is warm and dry in the summer and cold in the winter, with at least five months of snow cover. The district office is also located about two hours north of the Forest Headquarters, which is in Wenatchee. It is about 5 hours east of Seattle and 4 hours west of Spokane, both are large metropolitan areas.
There is one elementary school covering grades K-6, and one high school for grades 7-12. There is also an independent grade school in the community. The community’s higher education needs are met by Wenatchee Valley College, a comprehensive community college featuring two-year degree programs and transfer programs in conjunction with state four-year institutions including Eastern Washington University, Central Washington University and Washington State University. All the school districts are proud to offer students ample opportunity for academic and athletic excellence. Hospitals are located 45 minutes away in Omak and Brewster. Central Washington Hospital (located in Wenatchee) is the major health care facility in the region. All medical services are provided except open heart surgery and transplants. There are two practicing MDs in the Methow Valley, 1 naturopath, 3 dentists, 3 acupuncture clinics, 2 physical therapists, and several massage clinics. The arts are alive and well in the Methow Valley with several galleries, a small theater, a music institute, and two community centers. There is also a housing trust that works to provide options for affordable home ownership in the valley. For more in-depth community information visit the following website: https://okanogancountry.com/methow-valley
Wenatchee River Ranger District; A landscape of contrast, the Wenatchee River Ranger District contains 700,000 acres of wonderfully diverse terrain located in the Wenatchee River watershed. Open pine and bitterbrush country border on the eastern fringes – and rugged, snowcapped peaks of the Cascade Mountain range rise to the west.
Here in this land of deep winter snows and hot, dry summers, visitors will find a wide spectrum of outdoor activities available. From the dry sagebrush lowlands to the lush alpine meadows and breathtaking mountaintops, there’s something for everyone. Over 600 miles of wilderness and non-wilderness trails provide experiences for hikers, horseback riders, mountain bikers, and motorcyclists. The rugged peaks of the Stuart Range and boulders and buttresses of the lower valleys offer challenging climbs unmatched anywhere else in the state. Three hundred twenty thousand acres of opportunities for exploration await those looking for peace and solitude in the rugged Alpine Lakes, Henry M Jackson and Glacier Peak Wilderness.
Lake Wenatchee is a glacier formed lake approximately 5 miles long, 1 mile wide, 240’ deep, and 2,445 acres in size. The area offers year-round recreation including camping, hiking, bicycling, and water sports. Winter recreationists will find miles of groomed snowmobile and cross-country ski trails. Dog sledding and ice fishing are also popular winter activities in the nearby Fish Lake area.
The town of Leavenworth has a rich history and plenty of tradition. It is known as the “Bavarian Village” and receives nearly 1.5 million visitors each year. It’s a very unique and popular area. The elevation of Lake Wenatchee is 1,873 feet and has a population of 1030. Receives an annual precipitation of approximately 40 inches (mainly from snow) and has an annual growing season of 165 to 240 days. On the average, there are 42 days below 32 degrees and 25 days above 90 degrees annually.
There are many opportunities for hunting, both big game and bird, and lake or stream fishing. Over 600 miles of wilderness and non-wilderness trails provide experiences for hikers, horseback riders, mountain bikers, and motorcyclists. The rugged peaks of the Stuart Range and boulders and buttresses of the lower valleys offer challenging climbs unmatched anywhere else in the state. Three hundred twenty thousand acres of opportunities for exploration await those looking for peace and solitude in the rugged Alpine Lakes, Henry M Jackson and Glacier Peak Wilderness. For more in-depth community information visit the following website: https://leavenworth.org/relocate/
For further information about the position or the communities contact Methow Valley District Ranger Chris Furr at chris.furr@usda.gov