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.