![\"Erigeron](\"https:\/\/dev-clm-blog.pantheonsite.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/10\/ERLI_OR030-54_A.JPG\")
<\/a>Erigeron linearis population I found when I accidently took a wrong turn<\/p><\/div>\n
I am in charge of organizing and establishing the Seeds of Success program in Vale.\u00a0 This is the first year that the program has been in this district so I have spent a lot of time trying to find stands of plants that are big enough to collect.\u00a0 I’m originally from Pennsylvania where the diversity of plants is quite obvious.\u00a0 Previously, I had not spent any significant amount of time in the desert so I was skeptical about the diversity of plants that can grow in desert conditions.\u00a0 Well, I now know that there is an overwhelming amount of plants that can grow in the desert and have been challenged to try to learn as many as possible over the past 5 months.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/a>View along the fence line<\/p><\/div>\n
Besides seed collecting, the first week that I was here I worked with the botanist to do a fence clearance that will be used to keep wild horses out\u00a0of a spring that they have demolished.\u00a0 We mapped the special status plant sites that we found and moved the proposed placement of the fence accordingly.\u00a0 While walking the proposed fence line, we came to the spring and saw around 40 wild horses.\u00a0 The whole experience was such a great introduction now only to Vale and my internship but the\u00a0West as well.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Riding to the stream for riparian monitoring<\/p><\/div>\n
Most of my time has been spent out in the field finding and collecting seeds, but as the seed collecting season has slowed down I have gotten the opportunity to help and learn about riparian monitoring.\u00a0 Last week I went on a two day horseback trip to take pictures at monitoring points and assess whether the stream was properly functioning.\u00a0 Grazing has not occurred along the stream we were monitoring for 6 years.\u00a0 It was incredible to look at pictures from just three years before and see how much the stream has improved.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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![\"P9300376\"](\"https:\/\/dev-clm-blog.pantheonsite.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/10\/P9300376-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a><\/dt>\n- Dan taking pictures at photo monitoring point<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n
This internship has been a wonderful opportunity to experience life out west and to learn some of the ins and outs of working for the BLM.\u00a0 I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction into the work force.\u00a0 I will be sad when it is time to leave at the end of October.<\/p><\/div>\n
Maggie Eshleman, BLM, Vale, Oregon<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I’ve been stationed\u00a0at the\u00a0Vale BLM in\u00a0Oregon since the middle of May.\u00a0 The town of Vale is known for its murals depicting the Oregon Trail.\u00a0 Driving around the 5.5 million acres that make up the Vale District, you often come across … Continue reading
- Dan taking pictures at photo monitoring point<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n