Sadly, this will be my last blog entry. My time with the CLM is coming to an end. This has been such a rewarding experience. I’m glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone and took a chance with a position across the country. It’s been challenging, since my husband had to stay in Ohio. But with support back home and the amazing community of friends that I made in Utah, it has been one of the best summers of my life. I believe I have grown so much, both personally and professionally through my time here.
While I’ve had previous experience with fieldwork, this position has been far more autonomous in nature. I’ve been able to plan and execute projects both with my team and on my own. We’ve ran into many unexpected issues and worked through them. This has helped me to further develop my problem solving, leadership, and organizational capabilities. You never know when you’ll pop a tire or equipment will malfunction, but as long as you can keep calm and improvise, things usually end up working out.
We got a flat while we were out inspecting troughs and installing bird ladders. Luckily, we were on flat ground so it was an easy fix.
I’m grateful for all the skills and experience I have been able to hone out here. A few of the projects I have worked on while in Cedar City are:
Raptor nest surveys
Intensive wildlife monitoring
Avian point counts
Bat mist netting and assessment
Utah prairie dog capture and relocation
Utah prairie dog sylvatic plague research
Electrofishing
Seining and invasive fish removal
Riparian Proper Functioning Condition assessments
Riparian Multiple Indicator Monitoring
Rangeland Health assessments
Rangeland Trend monitoring
Trough evaluation and bird ladder installation
Seeds of Success
Okay, that’s more than a few, but upon reflecting, I was impressed by how many projects I got to contribute towards. I’ve learned so many new monitoring techniques and got the trapping and animal handling experience that I was very much looking forward to. Aside from the protocols and monitoring methods I have learned, I’ve also gotten to develop skills with many of the tools used in the field. Something I was really hoping to get better with was GIS and GPS usage. GIS is such an important tool in fieldwork, and I was finally able to get some hands on experience with it, both out in the field and in the office. I was even able to complete a couple GIS certificates through the esri website.
My mentor has been pretty amazing this summer by arranging for us to experience many different aspects of field biology. Since the BLM is in charge of managing land, most of our wildlife work for the BLM involved monitoring and surveying the land for animal usage. We completed raptor nest and wildlife surveys for a bike trail they were putting in and assessed the data in order to mitigate any negative impacts the trail would have on the surrounding ecosystem. We also performed avian point counts, raptor nest surveys, and intensive wildlife monitoring in Hamlin Valley. This allowed the BLM to move forward with some of their land treatment plans to improve habitat for the greater sage grouse, while balancing the needs of the other wildlife. This work has been of great importance to protecting the greater sage grouse and helping keep it from becoming classified as an endangered species.
Since all of this work was hands off, my mentor arranged for us to pair with the Cedar City DNR and obtain trapping and handling experience. Not only did working with bats, fish, and prairie dogs allow me to develop many new skills, it also gave me the opportunity to get a feel for the DNR and what it is like to work for another government agency.
These wonderful ladies are some of the DNR crew we worked with for the prairie dog sylvatic plague study.
One of my biggest worries about coming out here was that I would be moving to a completely new place and not know anyone. I didn’t know if I would fit in or if I would make friends easily. I am astounded by how many new relationships I’ve made through this internship and how amazing the seasonal biologist community is. I’ve met people from all across the country and gained many new personal and professional connections. My coworkers quickly became friends and we have explored a good chunk of Utah. I think I have hiked and seen more sights this summer than all of my previous summers combined. I will be leaving here with great memories and cherished friendships. Below are photos from a few of my favorite trips.
Hiking my first slot canyon!
Backpacking in the Uinta Mountains with my co-intern and wonderful friend, Zach.
Meeting up in Escalante and going on an adventure with fellow CLM interns Jessie and Jinny. After meeting in Chicago, we really hit it off and were lucky enough to be in the same state!
Finding petroglyphs in Zion national park. As avid hikers ourselves, Nathan and I were excited to find ancient backpackers!
Overall, this entire summer has been one grand adventure. Though it was challenging at times, it was an amazing experience and I’m grateful to have been able to participate in the Conservation and Land Management program.
-Amber Barnes