Introduction
We offer qualified applicants a unique opportunity to
- Expand field experience
- Apply studies to the real world
- Practice design skills with a supervised project
- Get personal training
The internship is a period of practical, supervised, real-life training on an agroforestry research and demonstration site on the island of Hawaii. It is designed for each individual to supplement their studies and prepare them for a career in tropical agroforestry and related fields.
This is an intensive 3-month experience, extremely challenging for most people. It will involve 30 hours/wk of fieldwork on our site, plus many hours per week study and research on a project of the intern's choosing. Ability to work independently, keep agreements, and focus entirely on the internship are required. Interns must have their own transportation, cell phone, and health insurance, and must be tobacco, alcohol, and drug free. All applicants must have documented legal residency status in the U.S. during their internship.
The tuition for the 3-month internship is $500 (through June 2009, $1000 thereafter), which must be paid in advance to reserve your space. The tuition includes daily interactions with Craig Elevitch regarding fieldwork and coaching on a research or design project. We expect that there will be at most two interns at a time participating in the program. There are very rustic living conditions available, if you choose to live on our farm. You pay for your daily necessities, including food. Some food is available for you to gather on our farm. Upon successful completion of the internship, $250 ($500 after June 2009) of your tuition is refundable.
Above photo: Our farm, Hawai'iki Agroforestry Project, in Holualoa, Hawaii, showing alley cropping research site.
We have a wide range of on-going activities and special projects that interns will have opportunities to participate in consistent with their skills, knowledge, and abilities. Advanced study interns are required to take on heavy physical labor as well as participate in other facets of our activities. You are expected to work 30 hrs/week as directed on our projects, as well as working on a special research/design/education project that you will plan during your first 2 weeks here.
Hawai'iki Agroforestry Project Interns will be heavily involved in maintaining and developing our 5 acre (2.25 hectare) research and demonstration farm, which includes an alley cropping research site, diverse agroforestry plantings, tree seed orchard, and timber bamboo. Our farm is located in Holualoa, Hawaii, in the heart of the upland Kona agricultural belt, with a tropical climate and average annual rainfall of 80 inches (2 m).
Evaluation of Hawai'i Coffee Agroforestry Systems 2007-09 This project is evaluating the ecological, economic, and social advantages and disadvantages of shade-grown coffee agroforestry systems in Kona.
Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry 2007-09 This project promotes high quality food, fiber, and healthcare crops grown in diverse agroforestry systems to provide Pacific island family farms both sustenance and commercial opportunities.
Homegrown Food Abundance 2008-10 This project is educating Hawaii residents about food security and how to grow food at home in perennial gardens without imported inputs of fertilizers, fuel, and chemicals.
Agroforestry education We take part in various educational activities such as workshop presentations, talks for community groups and school classes, and farm tours. We also publish a wide variety of educational materials, including the popular Agroforestry.Net and The Overstory E-journal.
Above photo: Mulching a new agroforestry planting with nitrogen fixing tree branches.
Qualifications
We are looking for candidates who are working toward a career in agroforestry, sustainable development, organic agriculture, local food production and food security, resource conservation, community forestry, environmental education, and similar fields. Candidates may have an academic track record in one or several of these areas, however, on-the-ground experience in community service roles weighs heavily in our decision to accept candidates into our program. We are looking for participants who can work well both independently without close supervision and who also can thrive as team members and collaborators. Field skills such as in farming and gardening, construction, and field research activities are highly valued, as are writing, communication, and computer skills. Knowledge of tropical plants, animals, and soils is desireable prior to applying. Command of spoken and written English is required.
Interns must have the ability to carry out heavy field work, in hot, humid conditions for several hours in a day. They must have their own transportation, cell phone, and health insurance, and agree to be tobacco, alcohol, and drug free. Interns are required to show us documented legal residency status in the U.S. Due to staff time constraints, we cannot help non-U.S. citizens with immigration documents (in other words, please do not ask us for immigration assistance).
Above photo: Audience for Craig Elevitch's presentation about traditional homegardens, which took place at the Kona Outdoor Circle, in Kona, Hawaii, June 2008.
FAQ
How much is the fee?
The tuition for the 3-month internship is $500 (through June 2009, $1000 thereafter), which must be paid in advance in order to reserve your place. Once your place is reserved by payment of the tuition, you may cancel up to 30 days before your internship start date and receive your tuition refunded, minus a $100 cancellation fee. Within 30 days of your internship start date, there is no tuition refund for cancellations. Upon successful completion of the internship, $250 ($500 after June 2009) of your tuition is refundable.
Can I start at any time of the year?
Yes, although you should schedule your time here as far in advance as possible. We have only one or two interns at any given time, and at certain times of year we cannot accommodate any interns.
How long will it take for you to respond to email questions?
Before writing us, please read this web page and scan the contents of Agroforestry.net to learn more about our activities. Questions that are specific and require brief answers are more likely to be answered quickly, e.g., Can I bring my pet hamster? [answer: no]
Is this program only for U.S. citizens?
We welcome program participants from anywhere in the world. However, you must show us that you have legal immigration documentation for the entire period of your internship.
Who will supervise me?
You will be supervised by Craig Elevitch, Director of Agroforestry Net, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to empowering people in agroforestry and ecological resource management. The organization's internationally recognized publications have guided thousands of readers in becoming more proficient in ecological food production, agroforestry, and reforestation. Craig edits The Overstory E-journal, a monthly agroforestry journal with 8,000 subscribers in over 180 countries. He has coordinated numerous workshops and field days for Pacific island agroforestry, with over 1,000 farmers and resource professionals participating since 1993. His books include Agroforestry Guides for Pacific Islands (2000), The Overstory Book: Cultivating Connections with Trees (2004), and Traditional Trees of Pacific Islands: Their Culture, Environment, and Use (2006), all of which promote diverse agricultural systems that produce abundant food. His most recent publication, Pathways to Abundant Gardens: A Pictorial Guide to Successful Organic Growing (2007), highlights Hawai'i gardeners and their vibrant, bountiful, and sustainable food gardens.
Can I get university credit for the advance study internship?
We encourage university level work. It is your responsibility to arrange for credit with your academic institution.
Will there be an orientation?
There will be a 2 week trial period where you will be able to get a feeling for our farm, projects, and working environment.
Above photo: Agricultural extension agents and farmers tour Hawaiki Agroforestry Project.
Accommodations
Since we are now (July 2008) starting up our internship program after a 10 year hiatus, accommodations are extremely rustic. The first intern will start by establishing a rudimentary intern quarters, kitchen, and washroom with materials and information resources that we have on hand. If you were looking for a rewarding challenge, you found it here.
How to Apply
Prospective advance study interns are required to complete our application [Word format] [PDF format]. If you have any questions, send an email to internship@agroforestry.net. Brief, specific questions are most likely to be answered quickly. We receive lots of email, so we often do not have time to answer general questions.
Above photo: We grow fast growing, nitrogen fixing trees to supply much of our needs for nutrient-rich organic matter.
Contact information:
Craig Elevitch
Permanent Agriculture Resources
PO Box 428
Holualoa, Hawaii 96725 USA
E-mail: craig@agroforestry.net
|
