Staying true to my word, this is the 2^ndentry (the first was posted 12 October 2011) stating a couple of ways in which a career in conservation and land management have been satisfying my desire for variety in a job:

Cercis orbiculata (western redbud) seeds collected for SOS

• Tasks: The tasks I have been performing through my internship have been even more varied than the settings and conditions in which I work (refer to previous entry): collecting seeds and associated voucher specimens (which includes packaging and sending the seed as well as pressing and labeling the voucher specimens); identifying common plant species from which to collect seeds and monitoring these populations in order to collect the seeds when they are
  

  Collecting monitoring data for the federally endangered Ceanothus roderickii

  mature; recording rare plant monitoring data (transect, point intercept, plots, etc…sometimes while dodging poison oak!); developing spreadsheets for recordkeeping; conducting rare plant surveys; flagging rare plants and supervising an AmeriCorps team using chainsaws to cut down shrubs for a fuelbreak; distinguishing between male and female plants of the small dioecious rare bedstraw (also while trying to avoid poison oak);

  

  Stretching to find satellite reception with the GPS receiver

  operating GPS units to gather spatial data of both rare and invasive plant populations; making maps using ArcGIS; preparing website updates; engaging in trail maintenance; floating in a raft moving downstream to distribute cleaning supplies and toilet paper to composting toilets along the stream; meeting with neighbors to discuss fuel management concerns and solutions; removing yellow star thistle by hand or with a weed whacker; learning how to use a chainsaw; picking up trash; setting up a computer

• 

  A volunteer planting a propagated Ceanothus roderickii plant

  and projector for a public meeting at a community center or school; coordinating volunteer work days; participating in red-legged frog surveys and bird counts; shooting photos of our field work, plants, habitat, and human-inflicted disturbances/possible trespasses then labeling and organizing them; writing incident reports, press releases, annual reports, and blogs; designing a poster; revising brochures; creating and presenting presentations; guiding school students or adult members of the public on an

  

  Instructing middle school students about an oak woodland habitat

  educational hike through the Preserve; and more! I immensely appreciate that the diversity of specific jobs that need to be done require a well-rounded mix of physical activity, mental exercise, and social interaction.

• Job Opportunities: As an intern looking forward to a non-intern job, I can look in a variety of sectors (as long as I’m willing to be somewhat flexible and a bit broad-focused until I get a foot in the door and establish myself). In addition to federal agencies (such as the BLM), I can look for jobs at other government levels (state, county, city), in academia, in the business arena, with non-profit organizations, or other groups within the private sector.

Chaparral habitat of the Sierra Nevada foothills & the South Fork American River

As you can see (from ALL of these blogs posted by other CLM interns), a career in land management and conservation offers a wide range of jobs with a seemingly infinite variety of actual tasks to be completed…so if you get bored easily and need a job that is not routine, consider working in conservation and land management. To find out if this is something that you’ll enjoy, explore your options and take advantage of volunteer opportunities as well as apply for related summer jobs and internships…and check out the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Conservation & Land Management Internship Program!