The past month everything has moved so quickly. Maybe it’s the shorter span of sunlight, or the dwindling days of that familiar summer sun. Perhaps, it was the realization that this internship was coming to an end. It seemed so weird to me, that just like that, I was going to be out on my way, on to the next adventure.

When I moved to Boise I literally knew no one, and was in the same situation as most interns probably were in. However my situation slightly differed than some in the fact I was living completely by myself, in a neighborhood that was full of retired people and young families. No roommates, no college housing that was around. Which was fine with me, but I will admit, it was much more of a conscience personal challenge to go out and make friends with random people than I had ever dealt with before. I learned from this experience that moving to a new place, or really facing any new experience should be taken as an opportunity and it is what you make of it. At first I was hesitant to go out to restaurants and dine by myself and to join in on events in the community–but I’m so glad I did. On a whim I started going to yoga classes in a park and happened to meet a girl who was a nursing student at BSU and told her I was new to the town and didn’t know anybody and asked her to join me in grabbing some coffee at the local saturday market. She was very welcoming and introduced me to several of her friends and great local places in town. For a semi-introvert like myself this was definitely pushing my comfort zone but I’m so glad I personally challenged myself this way. I hear and know of seasonals who move to new places and never go out and experience it. From this effort I made to do so, Boise will always have a special place in my heart.

My co-workers at Four Rivers also will have a special place in my heart. Each and every person in our field office truly wanted us as interns to succeed and learn. I know this sounds silly but I never thought people would be so willing to go out of their way to help a couple of newbies gain experience. I appreciate the positive attitude and support the members of the Four Rivers Field Office gave to us more than they know. It also was an eye-opening experience that no matter how much experience or time you have under your belt, managing natural resources is a constant and ever changing learning experience. This, and working with various people who have different and varying opinions has really helped further form my natural resource opinions.

One thing that was most rewarding to me was the plantings we just did. As a hands-on learner I have always gotten the most out of physically doing things, but something I enjoy most is physically being able to see the results of work I have done. I have come to that realization over the course of this internship. Over the past two weeks Zander and I have planted several hundred plants for both landscaping and habitat improvement. In the process we were able to see Idaho’s rarest plant–Packard’s Milk Vetch–which only occurs in a 10 miles radius around Emmett, ID. We also had the opportunity to work with several volunteers and at one point, 140 volunteers from the Lineman school nearby. During this experience I learned that I really enjoyed teaching people with little or no background about the world around them and why it was important. Those volunteers planted nearly 1,400 sagebrush yearlings in approximately 2 1/2 hours which was incredible!

I’m so grateful for this experience working as a Conservation and Land Management Intern and would like to thank all of you at CBG for the wonderful program you have created and being so accessible to communicate with.

Boise–it’s been real. I’ll miss your amazing food scene, microbreweries, Saturday city market, rolling hills and rushing rivers, that giant white neon cross that looks over the city and meets the stars, and most of all, the wonderful people that live there. Something I won’t miss? Medusa-head and cheatgrass. Cheers.

-Cara Thompson
Four Rivers Field Office–Boise District BLM

Atop the Hills near Emmett looking for Packard’s Milk Vetch–a scenic view that summarizes what most of the Boise area looks like

The complex geologic history of Idaho is seen everywhere. The grey patch in the center is where we hiked in to do our plantings to increase native pollinators to the area

The rarest plant in Idaho! Packard’s Milk Vetch in all of its post-seed glory

In Boise, Fall is officially here. It seems to have occurred overnight–the days are shorter, brilliant foliage paint the mountains and streets, dry leaves rattle in the wind, and the weather has finally dropped from 90 to a cool 65.

With the final days of this internship we have one last big collection push to gather seeds of some higher elevation and late blooming plants. These particular plants seem to be a bit more of a challenge as they drop seed quickly but also do not mature uniformly within the population. But the dynamic duo is always up for a challenge!

Speaking of which the managers and co-workers in our office have made it their challenge to expose us to a variety of natural resource tasks other than botany. This is something I appreciate greatly and have loved most about the Four Rivers Field Office: they understand how interconnected and multi-faceted natural resources is and want us to get involved in as much as possible.

This past weekend was National Public Lands Day and Zander and I helped with the group project down in Little Jack’s Creek Wilderness in the Owyhees. It takes two hours to drive down there and we both were amazed at the support for NPLD and how many volunteers showed up–particularly young people. Around 40 people attended the event all together and we helped build trail and take down fence in a recently acquired parcel that was added to the wilderness. Ages 3 1/2 to 60+ were in attendance and all had a passion for spending time on public land. So often we get caught up in the data collection, the numbers, and the land-status maps and it was so reassuring to know that what we do at the BLM really does matter and so many people really do value these lands. This up coming week we have coordinated a planting event at a popular area called Dedication point. After many days out in the field with just our crew, usually picking plants in silence, I am looking forward to working with the volunteers as a change of pace. We have 1,000 plants to work with, so we certainly will be busy!!

Here are a few photos of what we have been up to lately:

One of our collection sites is up on Bogus Basin–a popular ski resort just outside of Boise. Seeing these fall colors and ski slopes just puts a little extra pep in my step!

National Public Lands Day in Little Jack’s Creek Wilderness of the Owyhee Canyons.

We helped Bruce Haak and BLM Wildlife Biologists Jill Holderman in building a raptor trapping station for banding during the migration. Here we caught a juvenile Coopers Hawk in a bow net.

Dedication Point–a scenic canyon where we will be planting tomorrow!

We took a trip out to learn about fire effects in riparian areas. On our way we passed through the very end of Hell’s Canyon. The vertical walls told such a geologic story: the white layer here is ash from the Mount Mazama volcanic explosion–the one that created Crater Lake in OR.

While doing riparian work we have seen so much wildlife and wildlife sign. From bugling elk to aspens clad in bear claw marks to new reptile friends. Here is a Western Side-blotched Lizard.

After a lull in collecting, we are at it again, this time with late season Eriogonum species (elatum and strictum), yellow rabbitbrush, and hoary tansyaster. We also are going to do a second collection of Erigonum umberllatum found from a late-blooming population up high. During my time here as a CLM intern I really have gained an appreciation for the rough-and-tough, grow-nearly-everywhere nature of buckwheats. From scorching desert rock outcrops to wind-whipped alpine tundra, from the ashes of recently burned areas to gravel substrate at a 65° slope, buckwheats prevail. This genus not only colonizes and thrives in areas other plants may be too picky, or too “high maintenance” for, but it is one of the most important plants to have around for beneficial insects, and it helps suppress weeds. My mentor recently found a paper published this past May elaborating on how fantastic buckwheats are for conservation, restoration, and pollination. You can read it here: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1603/EN13342

I guess my love for buckwheats is a living metaphor for my love of the West.

Growing up in Colorado I may have taken the breathtaking mountains, the sweet, but bitter-sharp smell of the aspens, and the laid-back warmth of the people for granted. It was really never until this summer, traveling between Idaho and Wyoming, spending every single weekend climbing, hiking, or exploring new towns and new wilderness that I realized how amazing and special the West truly is. Eriogonums to me are a symbol of the West—ever progressing, gloriously rugged, resilient, adventurous, and determined in spirit. Their spherical pom-pom inflorescence is like something only from fable and are often overlooked by most, but are sought after by those who realize their importance and character. My eyes have opened to the workhorse that the West is, much like the buckwheat, and how important public land—just like the buckwheat—is to conservation and restoration and producing resources. So here is a sticker-clad worn water bottle toast to buckwheats and to the spirit of the West, and may both ever endure…

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act being signed into congress, here are a few photos from my past two weekends: This is El Capitan above Alice Lake in the Sawtooth Wilderness

Did an awesome 21 mile backpacking trip through the Alice/Toxaway loop in the Sawtooth Wilderness with Joe, our mentor, and Zander. The moon was so bright, it was the first time we had experienced moon-shadows!

Over labor-day weekend I explored the Absarokas in Wyoming. This is on the way up to Franc’s peak–the highest point.

Elk hunting in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness by the WY/MT border outside Yellowstone. Really trying not to get eaten by a Grizzly.

The Panorama view from Sleeping Bear Peak in the Absarokas. This time I was trying to see Grizzlies at a moth site

Another month has passed here in beautiful Boise–it’s so hard to believe we only have a month and a half left! Time sure flies when you are out in the field having fun!

The temperatures have been steadily increasing and we have gotten used to working in above 100 degree weather (I commend all of you in the Mojave and Palm Springs!) From this I have rekindled my love for being up for the warm glow of sunrise and feeling like the only person awake for miles–a love that disappeared after many years of all-nighters studying and working. The earlier we go out, the cooler it is, and the more wildlife we see–Red-tailed hawks and antelope have been the most frequent. Although today Zander and I accidentally flushed around six Ruffed (potentially Dusky) Grouse out of some trees in a drainage and both nearly had a heart-attack!

Most of the work we have been doing as of late are Habitat Assessment Framework transects for Sage Grouse. There was a large fire last year that burnt several pastures that our mentor had done HAFs in that were potential preferred habitat (PPH) for the birds so we spent a few days going back to those transects and pastures and comparing the vegetation and regrowth. In a few sites they had seeded the area and I was extremely happy by the amount of recruits growing and the prevalence of native vegetation, both seeded and natural! We still plan on doing a few more collections, but at this point in the year most everything has dispersed its seed and dried up. We partner with Idaho Botanic Gardens and with some local collections our office has done in the past they are growing out native forbs and shrubs to do plantings for fire restoration this fall. Hopefully we will be around still for when those planting parties happen! Another area we are being exposed to is the fascinating riparian world. The Four Rivers Field Office is lucky to have Al Tarter– a 5th generation Idahoan, former rancher and farmer, and natural resource specialist–to work in the riparian and watershed management sector. He has spent many hours with us over the past few weeks sharing his wealth of knowledge on stream classification and potential functional condition for streams. It has been a wonderful experience hearing and learning from someone who understands the viewpoints of the many stakeholders that are affected by and affect stream health from personal experience and can read the land and water like a storybook.

This past month or so I have really gotten a feel for the office and the extent of the land we manage. It has been a great time doing these riparian workshops because Al is not only training us interns, but several permanent employees across the office. This has been great because I had somewhat been struggling with the fact although we work in an office with lots of people, we rarely get to interact with people because we are in the field or typing away at data sheets in our cubicle. Getting out with other people in our office has made me realize how much I value the human element in my career. Originally I thought it would be great to be out isolated in nature nearly every day, and granted, it is very peaceful and beautiful, but it is also incredibly refreshing to have interactions with other beings and it adds an additional element of fun to work. Noticing this has definitely made me reconsider what sort of career path I would like to go down!

Speaking of meeting people and traveling, I have made a few friends outside the office the past month and have been really getting to explore the city and surrounding areas. I also had the opportunity to explore both Eastern and Northern Idaho and had the most experience of getting to camp on a beach on the Salmon River under a full moon and beautiful starry skies. The fact rivers with beaches existed blew my mind. I had no idea there were such pleasant rivers to play in! Coming from Colorado I’ve been used to canyon rivers or cold rivers with really rocky banks and bottoms. Not the Salmon! (And apparently several other Idaho Rivers). It was so wonderful to take a midnight swim to cool off and then to wake up to sunrise and a beachy plunge! Its amazing how different North and South Idaho are, and it was great fun exploring Cour D’Alene and the Targee National Forest.

Zander found an awesome campsite for us near a creek after doing HAFs all day in above 100 degree weather–such a nice treat after a long day!

Camping on a beach of the Salmon River in Riggins, ID.

Al Tarter teaching us “youngins” about riparian health and potential functioning condition of streams.

Found this not so little Wolf spider on the way down to a canyon. Later on I found one in my house . . . hint: It wasn’t cool and exciting and was more on the side of terrifying.

Hi all! It’s been about a month now since I’ve arrived in Boise, and I have to say, when I first moved here I was very excited to experience the only Western state I haven’t been to! (Other than Alaska) So far, there have been no disappointments. Boise is actually quite the happening city, and it’s been really fun living in such an outdoorsy, active community. Coming from a bike-friendly city, I did not expect Boise to be as cycle-friendly as it is–everyone rides everywhere and is always mountain biking! Also, there is a river that runs through the entire city so I spent some time last weekend kayaking through town! I’m definitely considering investing in getting my own while I’m here . . .

Anyway, on a work related note, it’s been amazing getting to be out in the field nearly every day. I think about how during this time of year many people get “spring/summer fever” and stare out of their office windows yearning to be outside. I feel very lucky we all have the chance to spend our time working in the great outdoors, and it definitely makes working in 98 degree heat worth it. So far we have mostly spent this month doing Habitat Assessments for sage-grouse and SOS collections. I am amazed with some of these species we are collecting–particularly grasses–with the very small timeframe we have to get the seeds when they are ready for dispersal but not too late when they are all gone! I think Elymus elymoides is going to be a tricky one, especially because there is such variation in maturation within each individual within the population.

Coming from a mixed background of both wildlife and botany, I have been chosen by a mentor with a similar background and is a wildlife biologist for the Four Rivers Field Office. Although he is young in comparison to most mentors, I am so impressed with the knowledge he has of plant diversity and the interaction between the habitat and the animals utilizing it. I’ve really learned the importance of having knowledge about the system as a whole–geology, plants, wildlife, weather patterns, etc. Too often I think people find their niches and become enveloped with solely that aspect, and I’ve been shown with a more multi-faceted approach to one’s job title, more work and more progress can be accomplished. (Shout out to Joe!) I have definitely been inspired by the ambitious nature of my mentor and am able to see and experience the translation of data collection to analysis and output, which often is a process most seasonals do not take part in.

Our crew is pretty tight-knit and in the field we have come up with some pretty interesting ways to remember plant codes and make HAF transects pretty fun. For example usually when Tragopogon dubius is spotted, one of us will break out into TRDU for what?! We even came up with a music video for it while driving back that involved cows, multicolored lights, and TRDU seeds dispersing in the wind . . . It’s probably the sun making us a bit loopy, but I do have to say it’s nice being surrounded by fellow science nerds who understand how exciting it is to find a particular plant or animal.

We are leaving for Mid-vale tomorrow to do some camping and more HAFs before everything completely dries up. Hopefully, we’ll see more wildlife (We saw a bear, coyote pups, and a blue grouse last time)–supposedly we’ll be by an area with sage-grouse so I’m hoping we get to see one! In the meantime to satisfy my wildlife nerd-outs, I’ve become pretty obsessed with all the insect life that thrives out here in the sagebrush desert. It’s amazing the diversity that is out there! And turns out all those holes in the ground aren’t snake holes, most of them belong to insects!

Found this terrifying black widow while collecting Poa secunda

This tiger beetle was trying to fight my camera just feet from the black widow den

At one of the Pony fire sites, these colorful long-horned beetles were on nearly every Sego Lily. Yay pollination!

A Mormon cricket spotted at a recent burn site.