It’s great to be able to measure and monitor a plant population that has been studied for many years and see whether the population is improving or declining. Working at the Colorado state office, we have the amazing opportunity to visit various sites, meet new people from all over Colorado, and work with other field offices. These are some of the places that we have visited this summer. On each of our trips I learn something new about the state of Colorado and my amazement by the beauty of the colors of the soil of the mountains never ceases to amaze me. I’ve finally come to the realization that I am actually not in a dream working as a CLM Intern for the BLM Colorado State Office, but that  THIS IS reality and truthfully it feels awesome!

Monitoring rare Penstemon species only found on the tops of precarious sand dunes that seem to almost melt away when too much weight has been pressed upon it.  And the list of locations goes on and on….

monitoring and assessing one of our plots in Kremmling

Picture of myself in Fairplay, Colorado while monitoring Eutrema penlandii

At Mosquitoes Gulch, we saw plenty of pika gathering grass and hay.

Meeker, Colorado trip monitoring plot for the Physaria congesta (scientific name has probably changed based on the USDA PLANTS website)

Pine Valley Ranch Conifer, Colorado…which is a little closer to the State Office.

Happy Travels!

Darnisha Coverson

BLM State Office Colorado

Since I last posted, we have gotten to do some FUN things.  It has been an exciting past month or two, and I’m pumped to share.

Cave Swallow Mist-netting & banding in C-bad

-The other CBG Intern and I had the opportunity to meet up with the folks at the Carlsbad, NM BLM office for their weekly tradition at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.  Every week, for the past 30 or so years, scientists and eager interns participate in the mist netting surveys of the cave wwallows.  This study was started awhile back in attempts to figure out where these birds nest in the winter.  Since then, there has been a vast amount of data collected on the birds and each week more data is added to it.  Basically, at the mouth of main entrance of the cave, we set up a large net and waited until we caught about 10 or so birds.  It was easy to tell if the birds were older and had been caught a couple times, versus the baby ones, because the little ones squawked and freaked until they tired themselves out! Upon getting about 10 birds, we would take the net down, and carefully try to untangle them from the net.  This proved to be quite the challenge sometimes.  The older birds would usually just hang there and take it, but the young ones would get nervous and make it worse! Once they were finally untangled, either their existing band information was noted, or they got a new band, and simply released back into the cave.  This went on for a few hours until the grand finale – the bat flight.  Everyday, hundreds of people come to the Caverns to experience the bat flight.  There is even and auditorium style set up at the mouth of the cave for easier viewing.  Once it got dark enough, we quickly packed up our belongings and posted up on the sides of the cave.  And only a few minutes later, you could hear a very low hum – that grew louder, and louder – until … BATS! And literally millions of them came spewing out of the cave.  It was quite the experience, I highly recommend it!

How many interns does it take to catch a lizard?

-Normally, we work with the range department in the office and slowly check our way through a long list of sites-to-be-monitored.  Same goes for the wildlife crew.  So we decided to mix it up on two separate days, the wildlife crew came out with the range, and then on another day we went out in the field with them.  In our field office, there are two different endangered/threatened animals – the Lesser Prairie Chicken and the Sand Dune Lizard.  On the day we went to see what it’s like to be a wildlife intern, they were going to check some traps previously set out for the Sand Dune Lizard.  All was going well until one of the wildlife interns caught site of a lizard. For the next 10-15 minutes, all ten of us were crawling, jumping, diving in the sand, and occasionally waiting very still for this little lizard to come back out.  And finally, it was captured! We were all very excited and us range interns carefully watched as the proper documentation was taken for this endangered species.  After we gently put it away, the pictures were reviewed by the wildlife biologist, only to our dismay, it was NOT a Sand Dune Lizard! So sad, but it was fun in the mean time.

Exploring the Recreation Areas

-Yet another fun thing we did a few weeks ago was a caving trip! A group interns went out with the cave specialists and the recreation planner to inspect the caves.  It wasn’t my first time caving, but it was my first time caving in the southwest, and it was hot! The cave was in the desert, and even though we were underground, it didn’t get much cooler inside.  But it was still lots of fun and I’m happy we got to do it. We saw a few cool things, such as a dead porcupine, and one of the other interns had a very close encounter with a very large rattlesnake.  I felt very fortunate to be able to explore the cave at all, because due to white nose syndrome, all of the caves in the Roswell Field Office are closed.  However, the cave specialists introduced us to the proper decontamination methods in order to keep the cave in pristine condition.

New Mexico Native Plant Society Annual Conference in Alamogordo, NM

-Thanks to the Farmington CBG Interns (Shout out to Diedre and Henry!) we found out about the Native Plant Conference that was August 9-12.  The Native Plant Society is an organization that not only promotes the use of native plants but also gives a lot of support to students in New Mexico pursuing plant research.  Myself and the other interns here headed over and decided to camp out at a state park near by, and commuted to and from the conference, which was at the local branch of New Mexico State University.  There were a variety of lectures, seminars, and hikes. We also viewed a documentary about Aldo Leopold called Green Fire.  Overall the whole conference was a great experience.  We chatted with many people who have been in the “business” (or some sort of dealing with plants) for their entire lives.  It was an eye-opener for potential career paths and networking possibilities.  And, on top of all that, we went to White Sands National Monument Saturday night, just in time to view a meteor shower. 🙂

Besides all the extracurricular activities we’ve gotten to participate in, we have also been doing different types of monitoring studies.  I definitely enjoy these because it only broadens my scientific horizon.  I am also starting a side project here with the Recreation Planner and also the Oil & Gas Environmental Consultant.  Together, we are creating a wildflower brochure for at least two of the recreation areas in the Field Office.  I am extremely excited and proud of this project, even though it is still in its’ beginning phases.  Hopefully the next time I post I will have many more details about the project.

Hilarious 90’s Style BLM Rap Video… a MUST see.

In the past month, I have been steadily working on my three lichen projects.  My academic paper on new and interesting lichens to Florida (which may become two or three papers) is very close to completion.  The key to Florida macrolichens is also close to completion and will be finished by next month’s post. Lastly, digitization of the lichen collection at Boise State University progresses steadily.

On weekends, I have been able to travel around Idaho in the past month, and soak in the beauty of the state. Two weekends ago, I went to a small town north of Boise. The town is known as Cabarton, which is really a pioneer town that is now a road. The town was important in the 1800s because it had a stagecoach station (which now sits on my friends property). A short distance down the road, is the North Fork of the Payette River. I was able to boat down it as a passenger. Its hard to describe the beauty of water swirling, in rapids and calm eddies. All the while looking up into the peaks of mountains dominated by Douglas fir forests.

Last weekend, I went backpacking in the Pioneer Mountains. The area I climbed was around Hyndman Mountain, which was just over 12,000 feet. It was my first time over 10,000 feet and 11,000 feet. On one hike I had a clear view of 30-40 miles and of the valley below. Personally, it was important to get outside and see what I am protecting and enjoy the scenery. I was amazed that even at 11,000 feet there were lichens growing in the alpine soil. My boss has no records of lichens in the Pioneer Mountains, so I hope to curate them and donate any significant lichens to the BSU herbarium.

Barry

BLM Idaho State Office

The past few weeks at our field office have been quite hectic and exciting. The Lost Fire scorched over 60,000 acres in our resource area, and the almost record-breaking Rush Fire snuck its way into the southern section, burning another several thousand acres. Our tiny field office has been filled with fire specialists from around the district and state office.
Once the fires were controlled, the real work started. Our field office was responsible for a Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) plan very soon after. I was able to help my mentor design a reseeding plan for the BAER. It was an incredibly valuable experience. I learned all about different aspects of fire ecology, and how BLM responds to fire. Coming from the Northeast, this was all new information and very interesting. It was also great to be a part of a team of specialists working towards a short deadline. Now we just have to collect the native seeds for these projects. Hopefully, we’ll be able to muster a volunteer team because we’re going to need a lot of seed! Get ready Bend!

I am starting my fifth month with the West Eugene Wetlands, and with the start of September comes the end of field season. The past four months have taught me more than I ever thought imaginable, especially since I studied Literature in college.  Before this internship, I could not identify a single plant. Now, after working with the monitoring team all summer, I feel like I have made leaps and bounds in my knowledge. In addition to the sensitive species we’ve been monitoring, I can now identify several grasses and forbs found in the wetlands (though I still find sedges and rushes a bit tricky).

Now it’s back in the office for me. It has taken a bit of time to adjust, going from tromping through the prairie all day to sitting at a desk. It’s time to prepare monitoring reports for each site.  This has been interesting, as I get to review the history for each site. I’ve also gotten to complete some training on ArcGIS, which I have found to be quite entertaining. In between managing the reports and training, I’ve once again had time to work on my summer-side project: compiling an identification book of grasses, sedges, and rushes. This has been both interesting and confusing, since right now the vocabulary in regards to grasses, sedges, and rushes is quite a challenge. Needless to say, my ID book will have a glossary.

Although field season has ended for the monitoring crew and me, restoration treatments are starting to be implemented in the wetlands. I returned from Labor Day weekend to discover that the fire crew had worked through the weekend and burned one of our office’s neighboring sites. Viewing the aftermath, I must say, I was a bit surprised: I expected that all vegetation would be burned, when in reality it was only the grasses and forbs, getting them ready to flush next spring. Even though field season has ended, I learn something new about the wetlands every day.

Away I go to places of utter beauty.
I leave for wonderous sights are left to see.

Yesterday we spent the day helping with data collection for a study on the restoration of pollinator habitats in California.  Researchers have created different mixes of native wildflowers that are attractive to pollinators.   From what I understand, one goal is to identify a mix of easy-to-manage plants that will support a diverse group of pollinators throughout the year.

We have four different plots planted with different mixes here at the PMC and a group of researchers came down to collect data.  I was very excited to learn about the project and help out.  My fellow CLM intern and I were set to work collecting data on flower counts across several transects through both mowed and unmowed areas.  Around this time of year, poppies (Eschscholzia californica), sunflowers (Helianthus bolanderi), gumplants (Grindelia camporum), and madia (Madia elegans) are all in flower.

Madia was densely distributed throughout the unmowed areas in one of the plots. The plant is fragrant, can grow to about 2.5 meters in height, and is sticky.  Very, very sticky.  Navigating through the dense maze of madia with a quadrat was quite the challenge.  By the time we were done with our sampling, we were covered in plant material and sticking to everything.  It just serves as a reminder that although a plant may be highly beneficial and useful for some purposes (like attracting pollinators), there can be unforeseen challenges in managing that plant.  Nonetheless, it was quite interesting to see some of the considerations that go into deciding which plants should be used for these projects.

Well, all of a sudden the summer is coming to a close, and my internship soon will be too. I’ve continued to enjoy my position here in central Oregon as a range technician, trying out lots of different vegetation monitoring techniques and going out with other crews around the office to see what they do. Pictures might be able to adequately sum up most of what I’ve done this summer…..

I’ve been able to see sage-grouse hens and do habitat surveys,

figure out ways around private land to get to trend plots on BLM property,

learn about plants that I’ve never studied or seen before,

establish long term trend plots on sand dunes,

see tons of amazing wildlife, including bighorn sheep, wild horses, long nosed leopard lizards, robber flies, and golden eagles,

and of course I’ve learned to do all new kinds of paperwork in the office, which unfortunately I don’t have many pictures of.

Being a CLM intern this summer has also meant being lucky enough to be in the heart of the West with plenty of weekend time to explore. It has been so incredible to explore all over Oregon and California, seeing more National Parks and Forests than I ever have before, allowing me to camp and have a great time as well as learn even more about conservation and environmental programs. Crater Lake, Yosemite, and Lava Beds were just some of the places I got to visit this summer:

But most importantly, I’ve gotten to work with and for so many fantastic people this summer. Being around so many other great interns in Lakeview has been wonderful, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have supervisors that are as driven as they are down to earth and easy to talk to. I’ve learned so much about what the BLM does here in Oregon and how important ranching is for people here.  Getting this first-hand  understanding of the BLM and local people has made me realize how important it is to monitor the grasses and shrubs that I have been evaluating all summer.  Keeping these habitats healthy, looking for invasive species, and measuring shrub cover for valuable species all help to maintain the resources that we have and try and keep our use of the land sustainable.  I’m not sure how else I would have been able to learn so much about this area and the people who work here without this internship opportunity. I am sad to leave it, but excited to see what future opportunities it will bring me!

Signing out from Lakeview, Oregon,

Katie Laushman

These last few months have gone by quickly. I have enjoyed my time with the BLM and have learned a lot about myself and what I may or may not want in my future.

I have spent most of my time hunting sage grouse, but instead of a gun, I carry a large antenna and a cumbersome beeping box. I have enjoyed it. I have never hunted anything but I can totally see what draws people to it.

Recently I have been able to participate in research being conducted on the use of fence posts by raptors. We measured and took pictures of many fence posts and vegetation, which was a great break from telemetry. I have also been having a great time hanging out with all the other seasonal workers.  It’s great to be finally settling in — too bad it will be over in a couple of weeks!

Although I am a Seeds of Success intern, I have spent a few days broadening my horizons by helping out fisheries to finish up some stream inventory and surveying. Before this experience, I really didn’t like fish. I had to learn some fish species for a class, and to me they all seemed to look the same. I no longer think that. This past week I have been able to learn how to catch and identify about a dozen different fish species (native and introduced) found in Montana prairie streams. Although the fish are small (most are under 150 mm), once you know what to look for you can fairly easily tell the species apart. I think my favorite species that we have encountered would have to be the river carp sucker.
Although IDing the fish is fun, catching the fish is not always so much fun. The majority of the streams are dry, some of them only having one or two pools that we are able to fish, and even if there is water in the stream, it is often less than 10 cm deep. However, in these streams you are very likely to sink to you knees in mud. In one stream (which was a deeper) we were battling almost hip deep mud while pulling the net, which was also full of mud. The only real way to make any headway was to use the pole of the net as a lever to pull yourself forward. My chest waders also had a sizable hole in them, so add carrying water in your waders up to your knees into the equation. Talk about a work out! Everyone was glad when the fishing was done in that stream.
In addition to fish, we have also caught numerous frogs, turtles, and one garter snake in our net. I have never held a snake before, so I took the opportunity to hold the garter snake for a little while. The body of the snake coiling around my hand and wrist was a weird feeling, but also a cool one at the same time. I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face. When we released the snake, we tried to feed it a frog that we had also caught in the net, but the snake wouldn’t have any of it and just wanted to hightail it out of there.

Earlier that same day, we were walking thought the dry stream bed of a different site doing various measurements when I saw my first rattlesnake here in Montana. It was coiled up among the rocks and was almost invisible. I just happened to look in the right place to see it because it was not moving and it wasn’t even rattling. The only reason we knew it was still alive was because I was able to see its tongue moving in and out. The fact that it wasn’t rattling baffled us because we were close, within striking distance when I first saw it. Needless to say, we got out of there quick and left it alone. On our way back to the truck the rattler was gone.
I am really glad that I was able to take some time off from plants and get to work with the fish. I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I thought I was going to. However, I am not going to miss having to spend the entire day in waders.
Kimberly
Miles City, MT