I arrived in the quirky town of Buffalo, WY on May 10th, which gave me a few days to settle in before starting work on the following Monday. Moving in was a relief after driving 2,000 miles from Massachusetts in a matter of days. I was pleasantly surprised by how welcoming the town’s residents have been. Buffalo is a far cry from my city of Worcester, MA, but it is a welcome change of pace. The close community of a small town like Buffalo has quite the charm. I’ve had the chance to explore some of the town’s shops and restaurants as well as the surrounding areas. The landscape is incredible, though vastly different from the New England forests I know and love.

Starting my internship with the BLM has been exciting, but not without hiccups. Getting my Access card and account set up for work has been a slow process as a result of some miscommunication. Luckily everything should be good to go next week! I haven’t been able to do much of the online trainings, so until then I’m filing paperwork and organizing data. I really don’t mind either of these tasks. I’ve found them to be meditative almost in their repetitive nature. I did get out in the field this past Wednesday to check out a small oil spill and an improperly installed culvert. Had I been by myself, I definitely would’ve gotten lost on the back roads we took. So far I’ve learned a good deal about navigating Wyoming and the BLM’s roles in resource extraction. Next week is packed full of training, and I’m sure I’ll have plenty to write about!

Until Next Time,

Jess McDermott