[Ccb_faculty] Fwd: 2026 NFF Fellowship: Communicating Wildfire Risk and Solutions Across Communities in Southern California

[Darrel Jenerette]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Escobedo, Francisco - FS, CA <Francisco.Escobedo at usda.gov>
Date: Thu, Dec 11, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Subject: 2026 NFF Fellowship: Communicating Wildfire Risk and Solutions
Across Communities in Southern California



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2026 Conservation Connect Fellowship Opportunity

Each year the National Forest Foundation (NFF) hosts a small group of
exceptional graduate students pursuing advanced studies in conservation,
natural resources management, and related fields. The goal of the
Conservation Connect Fellowship Program is to build experience, knowledge,
and skills within the next generation of collaborative and conservation
leaders. To learn more and apply, visit nationalforests.org/fellows
<https://www.nationalforests.org/collaboration-resources/fellows?utm_source=Unknown+List&utm_campaign=997d38a2d7-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_11_16_09_08&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-997d38a2d7-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D>
.

   - Must be enrolled in a graduate program during the '26-27 academic year
   - Fellows are paid $22.90/hour for up to 300 hours of work and training
   - Fellowships start in May 2026 and end in April 2027; exact timeframes
   depend on specific projects
   - *Application deadline is January 25, 2026*

*Featured Project*





*Communicating Wildfire Risk and Solutions Across Communities in Southern
California*



*Project Description*

The fellow will support the assessment, development, and improvement of
wildfire resilience and risk communication practices across Southern
California. Recent wildfires have demonstrated the need for effective
messaging across key audiences to address evolving risk perceptions,
messaging policies, and behavior change to reduce the risk of catastrophic
fires on Southern California public lands and the wildland-urban interface.
Key audiences include decision makers and community members. In Southern
California, 25 million people could be impacted at any given time by
wildfire, either directly or indirectly, and every individual has a role to
play in reducing this risk. Through a collaborative effort, the fellow will
produce deliverables to help decision makers and practitioners understand
current research around wildfire-related communication and messaging in
Southern California. The desired outcome will be an informed base of
wildfire resilience and communications practitioners that will implement
more effective and strategic campaigns and community engagement programs.



*Deliverables*

   - Literature review relevant to Southern California
   - Interview-based assessment of current practices
   - Communication of findings to practitioners (e.g., through a report,
   fact sheets, webinar, workshops, etc.)



*Skills Required*

The ideal candidate will be familiar with social science research methods,
have technical and scientific writing skills, excellent interpersonal
communication, and be comfortable with public speaking and group
facilitation. The preferred candidate will also have knowledge of or
experience in climate/wildfire resilience, emergency management; disaster
response/preparedness/recovery; community engagement; and wildfire
planning, management ecology, or effects relevant to Southern California.



*Project Timeframe*

Primarily summer 2026 with some work conducted into the fall.



*Location*

Southern California; most work will be conducted remotely, but the fellow
will need to attend occasional in-person meetings in the region.





Learn More <https://www.nationalforests.org/collaboration-resources/fellows>









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Other opportunities:



The NFF is pleased to offer 9 fellowship spots for 2026. Projects range
from storytelling to collaborative engagement to GIS analysis and more! Click
here <https://www.nationalforests.org/collaboration-resources/fellows> to
see all projects and to apply.



*The National Forest Foundation welcomes a diverse pool of applicants and
maintains a policy of nondiscrimination.*





Please contact Jane Mandala, Conservation Connect Coordinator, with any
questions:

jmandala at nationalforests.org  •  (406) 830-4795








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