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When starting a new job, I think it\u2019s important to set goals, and what better place to write them down than a blog post for all to see and read. My biggest professional goal, which I have already made huge strides in, is becoming a better navigator. I tend to rely on my phone for GPS quite a bit when I\u2019m driving in my personal vehicle, and I couldn\u2019t tell you which way a road runs. However, invasive plant sites aren\u2019t nicely saved into Google Maps, so we have to use our paper maps to navigate the dirt, sometimes overgrown Forest Service roads. At first, I was nervous about navigating, afraid to take us down a wrong road. I quickly learned two things– 1.) That it\u2019s not the end of the world to make a wrong turn and 2.) How to make less wrong turns. I\u2019m excited to see how my navigation skills will improve by the end of this internship!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most of the other goals I have are personal and some of them not directly work-related. Here are a few: see a wild bear, catch a fish, see a rare plant, learn and be able to ID 20 new plants (this number will only increase, as I\u2019m learning new plants every day in the dense and diverse forest), and form new friendships while I\u2019m in Ironwood. In the coming months, there\u2019s a lot I\u2019m looking forward to, the change of season with the spectacular colors of the trees, the different invasive species projects, learning about the innerworkings of the forest service, and of course getting to know my co-intern, Emily, and supervisor, Ian, much better. Field work can be challenging, especially because nature doesn\u2019t care if you\u2019re already covered in mosquito bites and your socks are wet, but even through long, itchy, soggy days, Ian always has a smile on his face and arrives the next day chipper as ever, excited for work at 6 am. It\u2019s an enthusiasm Emily and I have taken note of and hope to emulate even a fraction of. There\u2019s still a lot of adjusting I have to do before I feel like the forest is a second home to me, but I\u2019m finding doors to a new way of life every day. Each one starts to feel a little more welcoming and familiar than the last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tessa Fenstermaker, Ottawa National Forest<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
All too often, I see bright, passionate young people jumping into graduate programs right after their undergraduate degrees. This might be the best choice for some, maybe even a majority, but I\u2019m sure many have also felt the pressure to … Continue reading