Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

Over the summer of my junior year I was given an internship position at the Western Shasta Resource Conservation District, a non-profit organization. They resolve local problems in the Shasta County area. During my time there I vastly improved my knowledge pertaining to the fields of environmental science, botany, and ecology. I worked with the organization twice a week starting from 8 AM until 2 PM. My supervisor and I worked with a team on projects in our local forests. Working with a team that shared my passions about the state of our environment was very refreshing. Sharing our own personal insights helped contribute to the team's success and made our projects run smoothly. We practiced a lot of cooperation and compromise, which consequently improved my teamwork and communication skills. I enjoy working in a group setting because I find that it produces the most ideas and you can learn a lot from your peers. Likewise, the increase in proposals can generate a solution quickly and efficiently. My specialization was on a project designed to help restore the land and repair erosion caused by unauthorized off-highway vehicles. While working on the trails my supervisor trained me to use the GPS mapping tool, Trimble. Additionally, I had the opportunity to take an online GIS course, which taught me the basics of mapping and how to use the new knowledge to organize the data I collected on projects. During the weeks I spent with the team I learned more than I ever could have imagined. If I hadn't taken this opportunity I would've missed out on a great educational escapade. Moreover, my internship with the Resource Conservation District was one of the most influential experiences of my life.