First of all, I never thought I would get to work where people actually pay to visit on their weekends. This is no surprise though, because coming from the remarkably flat suburbs of Chicago, the Columbia River basin and the surrounding landscape still astonishes me. Working closely with the regional floriculture and making daily observations has allowed me to witness first-hand the reproductive lifecycle of the general flower populations in my collection areas. And as for these collection sites, they’re not exactly tiny and they’re not exactly the easiest to navigate, but after hiking in a circle for 2 miles and finally looking and up and staring in to Microseris troximoides heaven, I get a greater satisfaction than I’ve had from any other internship. After patting myself on the back, I (and you will too, believe me) immediately thank god for my handheld GPS and mark the site for future reference. Any and every ecological/biological worker should know how to use GPS as easily as (s)he can ride a bicycle. But heck, when you’re in a beautiful area like this, the getting lost part is just as fun.

On a professional level, I’ve developed an understanding of the standard practices involved with working for a multisite organization which oversees so much land and so many employees. But nothing is arbitrary! Every bit of safety training can come into play when least expected. Going out alone as far as 2 hours from the field office can be downright dangerous without the right training. I never thought I would be unlucky enough as to get a flat tire on a 20 degree downhill slope, but all’s well. Folks, these are responsible research and life lessons … And never forget to shake out your clothes for ticks!

Michael Bolouri
Seeds of Success Intern
BLM Field Office, Wenatchee, WA