Western Alliance for Reclamation Management Idarado Mine Cleanup –VISTA Summer Associate -AmeriCor

 

 

Position Title:  Idarado Mine Cleanup Community Outreach – VISTA Summer Associate

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placement

 

Site Location:

Western Alliance for Reclamation Management and Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership

1 Western Way, Gunnison, CO 81201

 

Terms of Service:


* Start Date: 6/1/2026


* End Date: 8/9/2026


* AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 300 hours (Minimum-Time)

 

Purpose:


* Ouray County is a small rural mountain community with a population of approximately 5,000 residents.

While the county’s median household income is around $78,000, the local economy relies heavily on tourism, recreation, and seasonal service-sector employment.

As a result, many residents experience income variability, underemployment during off-season months, and increasing cost-of-living pressures, particularly related to housing.

Approximately 8–10% of residents live below the federal poverty line, and many others face economic instability due to the seasonal nature of local employment.


* Environmental restoration and watershed management represent growing economic sectors in the region, particularly as communities across the West work to address the legacy impacts of historic mining.

These sectors require trained professionals with expertise in environmental science, watershed restoration, and mine reclamation.

However, access to the education and professional experience required to enter these careers can be financially challenging for many students.


* This AmeriCorps Summer Associate project helps address this barrier by providing a paid assistantship opportunity for a graduate student who might not otherwise be able to participate in professional training related to mine reclamation and watershed restoration.

Through the stipend provided by AmeriCorps, the Summer Associate is able to gain professional experience working with nonprofit organizations and watershed practitioners while developing skills in environmental research, science communication, and community engagement.


* For graduate students pursuing degrees in environmental management or related fields, opportunities to gain hands-on experience in mine remediation and watershed restoration are often limited and may require unpaid internships or volunteer work that many students cannot afford to pursue.

By providing a structured service position with financial support, this AmeriCorps project expands access to professional development opportunities for students who may otherwise face financial barriers to entering the environmental restoration field.


* In addition to benefiting the Summer Associate directly, the project supports the broader workforce development mission of the Western Alliance for Reclamation Management (WARM), which works to prepare the next generation of professionals needed to address legacy mining impacts across the western United States.

By helping a graduate student gain practical experience ...