Hi,
If you are reading this you must be interested in becoming a Tram Driver/Interpreter at Santa Ana NWR. Volunteering for the Tram is a fun learning experience where you meet many new people each day. The refuge is a wonderful place to spend time and work, and the Rio Grande Valley is a great place to spend the winter months.
Please read the following Qualifications, Responsibilities, and “Other Facts” before deciding if this is the right volunteer job for you. It is a very rewarding experience, but can also be strenuous and demanding at times. We want to make sure that you feel comfortable with the requirements before we continue our conversation. The Tram is a big part of Santa Ana and its operation is of the utmost importance.
We hope that you will decide to join our team, and in doing so you join a great crew of very dedicated people that love nature, and strive to protect it.
Qualifications:
- Two people (“a couple”) residing in one RV unit. Three couples are needed.
- Knowledge of the plants and animals of the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) is extremely helpful. You will need to learn these if not already familiar. (You will be trained during A SHORT BUT VERY INTENSE training period.)
- A deep respect and love for nature is a definite must, and an outdoors/naturalist type person will enjoy this job. You will spend most days on duty outside.
- Ability to withstand harsh weather conditions. It can be very warm (hot), and extremely windy at times.
- Ability to address groups of adults and/or school children as a tram interpreters (informational guide), and to represent both the refuge and the VNC in a professional manner with professional language, appropriate attire (VNC shirts/caps and name tags provided), and a professional and happy attitude.
- Being a “people person” and enjoying speaking to a crowd is an absolute must.
- Having a valid driver’s license. A Class B commercial license with passenger endorsement (any state) is preferred. *However, this is not needed if the individual can demonstrate safe driving techniques with the tram to refuge staff by the beginning of the tram season. (One to two weeks of drivers training for the tram is provided).
- Both partners of each team MUST be willing and able to drive the tram, as well as give the interpretive talk.
- Computer literate. You must be able to enter daily records in a computer program. Training will be given, but basic computer skills are a must.
- Be available to arrive at the refuge at least two weeks prior to the start of the season. Training starts about two days after arrival. Season is from December 15 through April 15.
- You must commit to the entire length of the season. No late arrivals or early departures can be facilitated.
Responsibilities include:
- Driving the Tram in a safe and professional manner. There are three tours per day, seven days a week. Each tour is about 1 ½ hours long, and leave at 9:30am, 12:00noon, and 2:00pm.
- You work three days on, and then have four days off. Two of those days are normally regular tram days. One day is normally refuge volunteer work, mostly staffing the visitor’s center. Some weeks you will have three tram days in a row.
- Workdays are normally from 8:30am to 4:00pm. You will be assigned scheduled workdays that rotate more or less each month.
- Using a script as an interpreter (guide) you will present natural and human history information to riders in a knowledgeable and courteous way. You will also answer questions about the natural history of Santa Ana NWR and the LRGV. The interpretive (guided) talk’s many points of interests need to be remembered so that a convincing presentation can be given.
- Computer record-keeping of daily ride records are entered each day after the last tram ride.
- Assisting refuge staff with ticket sales and collection and front desk duties in the Santa Ana Visitors Center. Includes answering questions about the refuge, nature, etc, from visitors at the front counter. Also answering phone calls.
- Cleaning, re-fueling, and inspecting the tram for safety concerns. Daily or as needed.
- Conduct a pre-safety tour-route drive each morning before you start the first tram ride. Includes opening and shutting gates.
- Deliver the money bag and weekly records to the VNC each Thursday afternoon that you work. This includes a 25 minute drive to the VNC in Weslaco using a refuge vehicle.
Other Tram Interpreter Facts:
- Your will be official Volunteers of the Valley Nature Center (VNC) while on tram duty. You will normally also be designated to work as volunteers for the USF&W refuge system one day a week.
- The tram operates at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, located on Old Military Highway 281, about 5 miles south of Alamo, TX. www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/santana.html
- The tram is operated through a cooperative agreement (MOU) between USF&W and VNC. Both VNC and USF&W handle certain parts of operation of the tram program.
- The Valley Nature Center is located in Weslaco, TX. This is about a 25 minute drive NE of the refuge. You can learn all about what we do at: www.valleynaturecenter.org
- The tram operates every day expect for Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and Easter Sunday.
- There are three volunteer couples that handle the Tram Interpreting (driving and talking).
- A small stipend is paid to each person for each “tram day” worked. ($10 per day) This includes tram training days.
- Tram Interpreters (each couple) will have one RV pad furnished with water, sewer hook-up, electricity, and phone line.
- The tram volunteer’s RV pad section is located in a new section of the refuge. The RV pads are located a little over 1 mile from the headquarters of the refuge, on the Marinoff Tract. This tract is part of the refuge system and is a native brushland tract. The Re-veg Department from the refuge is located near by on this same tract. The pads were built last summer so vegetation is not yet lush and tall around the pads.
- A bike path on a dirt levee leads to the refuge head quarters, or you may walk or drive.
- The tram is housed at the refuge headquarters, on the ‘wear yard” next to the visitor’s center. It departs from and returns to the visitor’s center.
- The refuge normally has volunteer gatherings and a meeting once a week at the headquarters.
- The tram interpreters are not required to volunteer at the VNC on their days off, or at the refuge. However, you are more than welcomed to do so if you so wish.
- The VNC wish to involve you with our own functions and hope that, even though you are located by the refuge, we can include you in our own staff functions, gatherings, etc.
Well, I hope you still want to be part of the tram experience!& Please do not be scared by the outline above. It is meant to make sure you realize completely what the volunteer position entails before you take the next step. It might sound intimidating, but if you have any feeling that says… I think I can do this… give us a call. The training normally reassures interpreters that they have found an enjoyable place to help and spend some quality time.
Contact:
Martin Hagne
Executive Director
956-969-2475
info@valleynaturecenter.org |
