On top of Mt. McLoughlin 9,500 feet

Fall is in the air! All I can think about is snow, snow, snow! Every day, as I drive past the (very) small ski resort in Lakeview, I am reminded that winter is around the corner, and I am into my final month as a CLM intern. It was just confirmed that I will be able to work another 2 weeks or so into the fall. Our field work is winding down, so I will be spending more time working on range Health Assessments, NEPA related assessments and other paperwork indoors. I am stoked to be able to experience a ton of different aspects of range management and also take a peek into a couple other departments such as wildlife forensics and watershed management. By helping out with the Environmental Assessments, I have been able to put what I have learned in my college NEPA class to use. I was also a part of putting together a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) spreadsheet that describes the health of each permitted range allotment as well as outlining the NEPA documents associated with them. It was quite difficult sifting through years of historical documents in order to find the information I was looking for, but I learned a lot in the end.

In between the long days of paperwork, I am enjoying my final days in the field. I am still seeing new plants and wildlife on a daily basis and even getting better at identifying small sagebrush birds. I am still enjoying exploring new territories around me and was able to climb Mt. McLoughlin last weekend!

As my position winds down, I have been avidly applying for jobs and seeking out new opportunities. I strongly encourage all interns and future interns to utilize their resources and connections they have made this summer to help them with their future plans.

Until next time,

Grace