The High Line Canal Conservancy is excited to announce that we are hiring a Natural Resources Manager! The application deadline is April 30th, 2026. See the job description and instructions to apply below. 
Title: Natural Resources Manager
Reports to: Senior Director of Planning and Implementation
Compensation: $60,000-$70,000 commensurate with experience. Includes a competitive benefits package with generous paid time off, medical, dental, HSA/FSA options, retirement plan, life and disability insurance.
This is a full-time, exempt position. Occasional weekend, early morning, and evening work will be required. Work includes physical requirements such as driving, walking, standing, and lifting. This is a hybrid position with estimated work in office (60%), remote (20%), and outside on the trail (20%). Position requires a valid driver’s license, driving record in good standing, and use of a personal vehicle.
About the High Line Canal Conservancy
A feat of engineering now over 140 years old, the 71-mile-long High Line Canal is outliving its historic function as an irrigation utility and has taken on new life as a recreational resource, wildlife corridor and green stormwater infrastructure. The High Line Canal Conservancy is a nonprofit organization with the mission to preserve, protect and enhance the High Line Canal in partnership with the public through stewardship, community engagement, trail improvements and collaboration with local agencies.
Position Summary
The Natural Resources Manager is responsible for management and enhancement of the High Line Canal’s natural resources. This person works closely with the local jurisdictions and stormwater managers along the Canal, under the supervision of the Senior Director of Planning and Implementation, to facilitate collaborative maintenance, develop new management approaches, elevate the level of care for the Canal and implement natural resource restoration projects. This role coordinates closely with foresters, natural resource planners, landscape architects, ecologists, park planners and operations staff from local jurisdictions to ensure a vital future for the Canal.
Responsibilities
Natural Resources Planning
- Work with jurisdictional partners to implement and refine the Canal-wide Natural Resources Management Plan while tracking progress
- Develop tree planting plans with each jurisdiction that address tree diversity, blending native trees with xeric non-native trees and best practices for establishment
- Assist jurisdictional partners in planning for additional maintenance responsibilities along the Canal
- Support jurisdictional partners in planning for restoration projects along the Canal
- Lead the development of a Stewardship Plan, in close collaboration with jurisdictional partners and the Conservancy’s Programs Team, that engages Conservancy volunteers and partner organizations in the management and enhancement of the Canal’s natural resources
Ecological Restoration and Stewardship
- Lead tree planting efforts along the Canal, including:
- Managing tree sourcing and acquisition
- Overseeing establishment watering contracts
- Coordinating volunteer tree planting events with the Conservancy’s Programs Team
- Plan and implement planting projects in close coordination with local jurisdictions as directed by the Natural Resources Management Plan
- Engage the community to pilot pollinator gardens and other restoration test plots along the Canal
- Oversee regional projects that improve the environmental health of the corridor, such as eradication of Russian olive or inoculation of Ash trees
- Identify and pursue funding opportunities for natural resource management and enhancement projects
- Incorporate ethnobotanical plantings and indigenous land stewardship practices into natural resource maintenance and restoration projects
Canal Operations and Maintenance
- Manage multi-jurisdictional maintenance contracts related to tree canopy care, noxious species management and Canal channel maintenance
- Coordinate closely with Denver Water, Arapahoe County, Mile High Flood District and jurisdictional partners to help manage the care of the Canal’s natural resources and integrate investments from the Conservancy’s maintenance endowment
- Develop integrated pest management (IPM) approach for the Canal in partnership with local jurisdictions and stormwater managers
- Respond to natural resource concerns from the community, drafting responses to inquiries and conducting site visits as necessary
- Track jurisdictional maintenance efforts and ensure tree canopy care is documented in the Canal-wide tree database
Data Collection and Coordination
- Manage the development and maintenance of a Canal-wide data repository containing recreation, natural resources, and stormwater datasets
- Oversee data collection related to the Canal’s ecological health and transition to green stormwater infrastructure
- Manage tree canopy data in partnership with Denver Water and Mile High Flood District, ensuring data is updated to reflect changing conditions
- Manage periodic tree inventories and/or tree risk assessments to determine the health of mature trees and help jurisdictional partners prioritize trees for pruning or removal
- Manage biennial Canal-wide trail user count
Organizational
- Collaborate with local jurisdictions to identify opportunities for volunteers to support natural resources management and enhancement efforts
- Partner with the Conservancy’s Programs Team to implement the Stewardship Plan and engage volunteers in technical stewardship projects along the Canal
- Manage and expand partnerships with natural resource focused organizations such as Denver Botanic Gardens and Mile High Youth Corps
- Develop communications related to the Canal’s natural resources, including blog posts, social media posts, newsletter highlights and interpretive sign content
- Manage Little Dry Creek grounds, where Conservancy HQ is located, including mowing, noxious weed management, irrigation, garden beds, and snow removal
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have a strong identification with the mission of the High Line Canal Conservancy and will bring the following knowledge, experience, skills and abilities:
- At least 4 years of relevant work experience or commensurate degree.
- Bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience.
- Strong writing and communications skills.
- Experience or knowledge in the areas of natural resources management, landscape ecology, forestry, environmental science, botany, urban conservation, landscape architecture, or park management.
- Knowledge of species, natural communities, ecosystems, ecosystem processes and their conservation needs in the Denver Metro Area.
- Desired experience managing or planning natural resources management for park or open space systems.
- Desired knowledge and experience with data collection and database development and management including geographic information systems (GIS) such as ArcGIS.
- Experience with Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
Application Instructions
Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply by sending a resume with a cover letter addressing the applicant’s interest and qualifications for the position. Send both documents as one PDF attachment to employment@highlinecanal.org. No phone calls, please. All High Line Canal Conservancy employees are required to undergo a background check. This is an at-will position. Application Deadline: April 30, 2026.
The Conservancy is dedicated to the principles of equal opportunity for all employees, applicants, volunteers, program and event participants, trail users and visitors, partners, and other organizational stakeholders. We prohibit unlawful discrimination and harassment based on age, race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, disability, military status, genetic information, native language, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, gender, veteran status, political service, and affiliation or any other status protected by applicable state or local law. This prohibition includes unlawful harassment based on any of these protected classes.
Unlawful harassment includes verbal or physical conduct which has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment. This policy applies to all employees, including managers, supervisors, co-workers, and non-employees such as customers, clients, vendors, consultants, etc.
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every qualification. At the Conservancy, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. If you are interested in this role but your experience does not check all of the boxes, we encourage you to go ahead and apply. You may be the right candidate for this or another role in our organization.
High Line Canal Conservancy
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