Land Stewardship Leopold Fellow

Organizational Overview 

The mission of the  Aldo Leopold Foundation (ALF) is to foster the  land ethic through the legacy of Aldo Leopold. Based in Baraboo, Wisconsin, we manage, interpret, and preserve the renowned  Leopold Shack and Farm National Historic Landmark, which receives thousands of visitors each year. Our care of this special place continues the Leopold family tradition while demonstrating on-the-ground conservation relevance for the 21st Century. Offsite, too, we reach regional, domestic, and international audiences through a variety of education and land stewardship programs. We impart Leopold’s land ethic as described in  A Sand County Almanac—the book for which Leopold is most widely known—by actively engaging educators, citizens, natural resource professionals, and landowners to improve land health in their own communities. 

The Aldo Leopold Foundation headquarters is in an idyllic setting surrounded by 4,000 acres of land co-managed as the Leopold-Pines Conservation Area (LPCA) within a 12,000-acre public Important Bird Area. The Aldo Leopold Legacy Center, constructed in 2007, is a LEED Certified Platinum “green” building that is home to the foundation’s office space and visitor center.  

Future Leaders Program Fellowships Overview 

Leadership in conservation is a critical piece to solving the ongoing and emerging environmental issues of today. The Aldo Leopold Foundation’s Future Leaders Program (FLP) is designed to provide early career individuals who have dedicated substantial schooling or work experience to the field of conservation the opportunity to gain experience and grow in conservation leadership, applied science and natural history, strategic planning, engagement and communication, land ethics, and social dimensions. They will receive on-the-job experience with the opportunity to dive deeper into a chosen area as a focus of the year. 

 Future Leaders Program Fellowships specialize in two program areas, Education & Communications or Land Stewardship, though each receives exposure to other program areas and organization-wide efforts.  Fellows also have the opportunity to interact with both a diverse range of conservation professionals and the Leopold community, including Leopold family members.  

 All applicants must be eligible to work in the United States at the time they apply and have a valid driver’s license. Leopold Fellows must commit full-time to the entire 12-month program. 

Land Stewardship Leopold Fellows Position Impact Statement 

The Land Stewardship Leopold Fellows contribute to a wide variety of land management activities on land co-managed within the Leopold-Pines Conservation Area. In addition, Land Stewardship Leopold Fellows support and participate in an array of on-site programming, creating opportunities for audiences to join the foundation in its work to advance a land ethic and land health locally and globally. 

 Land Stewardship Leopold Fellows Position Summary 

The Land Stewardship Leopold Fellows work side by side with experienced staff learning new knowledge and skills related to land care. This immersive experience has been formative in shaping participant’s conception of a land ethic. Surrounding Aldo Leopold’s famous Shack, the property has diverse Wisconsin plant communities ranging from prairies to floodplain forests to sedge meadows to oak savannas. This diverse outdoor classroom provides opportunities to learn first-hand about native plant communities, identify threats to native landscapes, and gain tools and strategies to effectively manage natural areas. As seasons change, management focuses on different activities including invasive species control, prescribed burning, timber stand improvement, prairie planting, educational programming, and more. 

 Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

• Assist with land management activities on the Leopold-Pines Conservation Area. This includes but is not limited to herbaceous and woody invasive species treatment, brush management, timber stand improvement, prescribed fire, prairie planting and establishment, plant identification, mowing, etc. 
• Maintain foundation equipment and vehicles. Includes routine maintenance, shop organization, equipment repair, etc. 
• Attend professional development trainings focusing on the seven core areas of the Future Leaders Program outlined above. These training courses will constitute approximately 20% of the total fellowship hours.  
• Lead and complete an independent project that addresses a critical need of the foundation’s strategic planning initiatives. Projects are selected from a pre-determined list.  
• Provide support and logistics for on-site programming. 
• Lead interpretive tours of the annual Sandhill Crane migration for the public in November and December. Opportunities to lead Shack & Farm tours if desired.  
• Become familiar with the life and work of Aldo Leopold and his family. Explore your own connection to and understanding of land ethics.   
• Become familiar with the work of all foundation staff and how each member contributes to the mission. 
• Other tasks as assigned. 

 Qualifications Summary 

The Aldo Leopold Foundation seeks applicants who are early career professionals that have dedicated substantial schooling and/or work experience in fields including, but not limited to: environmental studies, environmental, physical, and/or life sciences, wildlife ecology, agricultural sciences, forestry, or a natural resources-related field. Applicants should have an interest in and passion for learning on-the-ground conservation. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated leadership skills and be adaptable, energetic, and eager to learn. Fellows must be prepared for physically demanding work in a variety of conditions including extreme heat and cold, standing high water, and exposure to ticks and mosquitoes. 

Fellowship Term, Schedule, and Compensation 

This is a limited-term, full-time, non-exempt position. The fellowship will begin on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 and run through May 15, 2026.  

Education & Communications Leopold Fellows will have a Tuesday-Saturday schedule June through November 2025 and May 2026, and a Monday-Friday schedule December 2025 through April 2026. Forty hours a week can be expected, primarily during normal business hours (9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily), although some flexibility in scheduling may be required.  

Land Stewardship Leopold Fellows will work a Monday-Friday schedule most months, except during November and April when more weekend work will be required due to crane season and prescribed burning. Forty hours a week can be expected, primarily from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm daily.  

All fellows will be paid $13/hour and receive 40 hours of vacation, 48 hours of sick leave, and 48 hours of floating holiday. Housing is provided on campus in the Future Leaders Center. Fellows will move into the Future Leaders Center on Monday, June 9, 2025.  

All fellows will receive a $250 gear stipend to be spent on field gear or attire once onboard.  All personal protective equipment will be provided.  

Approximate Hiring Timeline 

Applications Due: Saturday, February 1, 2025 

Zoom Interviews: Mid-February (tentative week of Feb 18th) 

Fellowship Start Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 

 Application Procedure 

To apply complete the application process by Saturday, February 1, 2025.  

1.  Applicants must have two academic and/or professional references complete the Fellowship Reference Form by February 1, 2025. Direct link: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7736926/2025-Leopold-Fellowship-Reference-Form 

 2. Submit your application materials (resume, cover letter, and essay) to https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7736903/2025-Leopold-Fellowship-Application 

• Resume (no more than two pages) 
• One-page cover letter 
• A response to the following prompt (maximum 400 words): Describe how you see a land ethic being relevant to issues and opportunities we face in natural and human communities in 2025.  

Contact Caty Abitz at caty@aldoleopold.org with questions using the subject line: 2025 Fellowship Application.  

The Aldo Leopold Foundation recognizes that just as a healthy ecosystem depends on biodiversity, a healthy human society depends on cultural and social diversity. We are committed to expanding the conversation on land ethics by acting to achieve a rich diversity of staff, board, volunteers, members, supporters, and those we seek to engage with our programming. We encourage applicants to address this foundation goal in their application materials. 

 The Aldo Leopold Foundation provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. In addition to federal law requirements, ALF complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.  This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensat