Hello!
This is my first blog of my second CLM internship with the BLM. Last summer I was in Lakeview, OR and I have moved to the other side of the Cascades to the Roseburg District. I have just finished my first full week working directly with the botanist of the Swiftwater Resource Area. I am super excited to learn about everything involved with the timber industry and to be working with plants in such a beautiful area.
This week included a few site visits. The site visits were to check for weeds, follow up on a rare plant conservation project, and plan for a day-lighting project. The first photo I have included is from the day-lighting project site visit. The project is to prepare a road for an upcoming logging operation in order to protect the surrounding environment. The idea is to remove trees to allow more light in in order to decrease the amount of moisture on the roads. The botanist’s role is to make sure there are no special status species in the project area, and to avoid the spread of invasives after the disturbance caused by the day-lighting construction.

My first full week ended with an educational outreach opportunity with a group of 5th graders on a camping trip. Many folks from the office participated in this all-day event. I led an outdoor class on native and non-native plants, and a class on reading maps. It was an awesome experience sharing my love of the outdoors with these kids and I think it was super awesome for the school to provide this educational outdoor adventure for them.
This internship is going to be jam-packed with fun work. I will be working with invasive plants, special status plants, lichen, bryophytes, and fungi, participating in educational outreach opportunities, and more to be determined.

I am so happy, grateful, and excited to be here! Wish all the best to my fellow CLM interns.

Until next time,
Caroline Martorano
BLM Roseburg, OR

Photo from the day-lighting project field visit. Some folks don’t like the rain- but I sure like the lush forest the rain brings!

View from road leading to field site to check for weeds.