Hello to all, I am writing my first blog entry for my internship for the BLM in Rock Springs, WY. I’m late to post, but I figure late is better than never…right?
It has been 4 weeks to the day since I arrived in glorious Rock Springs from the Pacific Northwest. As I am a man who very much loves water, trees, and the ecological diversity within those areas, Rock Springs, at first sight was distressful. First thing that popped in my head as the sprawling oil plants creeped over the horizon, a high influx of large trucks appeared on the road, and I hadn’t seen a stand of trees (or much green at all, aside from the sprawling dull green of sagebrush) in two and a half hours was, “What have I done?”
Well, I can tell you all in confidence and truth that I am really warming up to this place. I am happy to experience the new environment, culture, and opportunites that Rock Springs will provide me. I’ve found the bike shop, the grocery store, the laundr-o-mat, the rec. center (with a climbing wall and full size swimming pool), and the Bitter Creek Brewery! Now I just need to buy a moutain bike so I can join some group rides around the area, which I found pretty easily by talking to a few folks with bikes.
More about my actual job- I am acting as an Invasive Weed Inventory Tech. (I guess is a good designation for my position), and though I have yet to perform much inventorying I have been in the field many times with my supervisor, a botanist, as well as the fish & wildlife guy, a hydrologist, and a range specialist. Much of our days have been spent observing riparian areas (mostly creeks and springs) that are either involved in reclamation projects or proposed to be. As the weed inventory intern, I have been asking Jim (my supervisor) what pretty much every plant is that I couldn’t figure out myself, and learning quite a bit. After just two weeks of reading, observing, and studying the plants a bit I am confident in identifying the local invasives in question. I am currently taking a few free GIS courses online, which is a nice perk through the BLM as an intern as well!
As more interns have arrived here, I’m starting to feel a bit more at home and at ease with my small yet drastic change in lifestyle. As this is my first post, I’m keeping it short. I’m also a mycology dork so here are a few really nice pictures of lichens. There will be many more photos in the future, you just have to wait. Good luck to all, have fun and learn something. 🙂
Didn't get a chance to identify these...yet!
mucho diversidad
Xanthoria elegans (I think)
Daniel Revillini
Rock Springs, Wy
BLM-CBG Intern