Hello everyone! I’m Allen, and if the 2010 CLM intern list was any guide I’m the only intern on the east coast. Today marks the 4th week I’ve been a CLM intern with the C&O Canal National Park and I’m glad to have had the chance to do different things almost every week in different places. My first two weeks I worked with the NPS Inventory and Monitoring of DC and learned the identity of many plants as we worked plots in some of the National Parks in central-northern Virginia and central Maryland.

The 3rd week I spent in Catoctin Mountain Park in northern Maryland, marking with GPS and reporting the state-endangered Long-bracted Orchis. Though rather inconspicuous, it was still somewhat exciting as this was the first endangered plant I had seen in the weed.

This 4th week was different yet again. I worked with EA Engineering, Science and Technology employees  at the C&O canal in Hancock (western Maryland) and identified all plants along an unwatered stretch of the canal that is planned on being rewatered in the future. In addition to being a learning experience, this also ended up being a test of my botany skills and I was pleased to be able to keep up with the employees and be a true help rather than just a burden. Unfortunately my only photos are from this week.

If this past month is indicative of the future months to come, I think this will be an excellent summer.  See some of you at the Grand Canyon training in a couple weeks!

Allen Dupre

Hagerstown, MD

NPS