Hello from the Jarbidge Field Office in Twin Falls Idaho! Springtime has arrived and so have the young plants and animals. Because of this, the monitoring season is starting up again and the race is on to monitor all the forbs and grasses possible before the hot summer sun dries them all up. Unfortunately, southern Idaho is experiencing very dry conditions already this year, making our job as a monitoring crew much more difficult. However, we have excellent mentors and leaders who will help us to efficiently completely all the required sites for this season.

Along with monitoring plant populations we have learned important skills such as using Trimble units and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. We have also experienced some adventures already including muddy two-tracks and sudden snow storms. I even managed to find an elk shed while walking a transect! As mentioned before, it is always enjoyable to see the young calves and other baby critters running around the desert. It’s pretty hard to beat the weather in southern Idaho right now, the mixture of cool nights and warm afternoons make for an awesome work day in the field. Being a local in this part of Idaho, I am fairly accustomed to the hot summer sun that burns through most of July and August and I can see why the forbs choose not to be out during this time! Like most deserts however, the Jarbidge Field Office is full of diversity and its own set of unique plant species that thrive all year long. I truly believe that this landscape is one of the most beautiful and underrated places on earth.

I can already tell that this summer will be full of great experiences and invaluable knowledge I will need for a career in natural resource management. Like my crew lead always says, “Every day in the field is an adventure!”

So long from Twin Falls! Good luck on all your internships!