Pinedale, Wyoming: 30 hours away, my GPS read. I was excited and nervous about this new adventure! And so my sister and I set off on the epic road trip from Pennsylvania to Wyoming.
Well, here I am, five weeks later, at the end of another successful week of my internship at the Pinedale BLM Field Office. Never did I dream that I could have such a great time out in the field, GPS in hand, navigating the two-tracks through the draws and ridges of Sublette County, in our team’s bold quest for frogs! Our intern team is currently assessing different areas for potential amphibian habitat. This is done by walking the area, making note of location, emergent vegetation, shore type, and bottom type (among other things). We have found a couple of amiable amphibians!
Chorus Frog
Blotched Tiger Salamander
I even had the opportunity to assist my mentor Josh, and Justin from the Range crew in their AIM monitoring. This was loads of fun and entailed setting up the transects, gathering GPS data, and digging soil pits! I was especially fascinated to learn about the different textures of soil and was amazed at the difference in feel of each type. I’m also learning the different plants that are scattered throughout the Wyoming landscape!
Castilleja angustifolia (Desert Indian Paintbrush)
Penstemon spp.
Wild Forget-Me-Nots!
Green River Lake
Green River Lake