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<\/p>\nJuly 30, 2018<\/p>\n
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Two weeks ago, I packed up my belongings and moved across the country from Illinois, where I have called home for most of my life. With my dad\u2019s help I drove all the way to<\/p>\n
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Carlsbad, New Mexico to begin my internship. As we drove, I watched the landscape\u00a0change from the lush greenery of the Midwest to the dry scrub of the desert. I found myself wondering what kind of desolate place I was going to be living in for the next five months. Truly, it felt like I had traveled to some kind of post-apocalyptic, dystopian world. Nothing like home.<\/p>\n
In our first week of work, we hit the ground running and started collecting seeds. I have so many new plants to learn! Collecting seed is tough work, both mentally and<\/p>\n
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physically. Especially in 100 degree heat. But, it was rewarding to come back to the office with a pile of seeds after all that hard work. I was also impressed and surprised to<\/p>\n
learn that there were so many different plant species in the area where we were collecting. Before, I just saw a bunch of scrubby plants and dirt. Now, when I look at the landscape, I see diversity. Now, a week after that first collection day and with several more collections under my belt, I am starting to feel more confident with this work<\/p>\n
.<\/p>\n
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After a couple weeks here, I am gaining an appreciation for the desert and the\u00a0incredible tenacity of the flora and fauna that inhabit it. I am learning to look for beauty,\u00a0like the bright splash of a cactus flower against a big blue sky. I am finding vivacity in the oasis that desert streams provide. Though Carlsbad may be different from the home I\u2019ve known in the Midwest, I am excited for this adventure and to continue exploring this unusual area!<\/p>\n
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-LMS<\/p>\n
Carlsbad Field Office, Bureau of Land Management<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
July 30, 2018 Two weeks ago, I packed up my belongings and moved across the country from Illinois, where I have called home for most of my life. With my dad\u2019s help I drove all the way to Carlsbad, New … Continue reading