This is Justin checking in from Carson City BLM.  From a distance the entire Great Basin may look like one big xeric wasteland, but it most certainly is not. Well, the basin half comes close with just 5 inches of annual precipitation. But a week in the field on rangeland survey revealed plant diversity in the basins. And the mountains ranges are just teeming with life. My fieldwork notes are beginning to be dotted with memos saying, “return to ______ Mountains next weekend.”

So far I am enjoying the company of my coworkers. Like America’s population, the staff of the BLM are beginning to age. This is great for me because I hear humorous stories accumulated through years of working for the fed. They are also experts on their locals and make learning new ecosystems and management practices far easier than reading a book. I’m also lucky to be stationed in a field office with 6 other CLM interns, leading the old-timers to lament the “under-30 invasion.” That’s all for now!