Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

As a first-generation student and coming from a farming family, it was difficult for me to overcomes the challenges in life. I used to go to nearby parks for the refreshment from the frustration of life. Those trees, birds and fresh air used to be my best friend. I grow up by surrounding yourself with nature and mountains. With the great Himalayan in the north and with a plain fertile land in the south, I grew up in a small farming town in the old city of Bhaktapur in Nepal. Even as a kid, I wanted to proceed my future in the direction of working for nature and its conservation while turning it into a career. That's why I took a major decision in my life to assist Professor Steven Druschel whose emphasis area is in environmental engineering and came to the states with a hope. As I traveled more 12,725 km away to a new land from my home and family, I have still work to become close to nature. I know that our generation has to play a crucial role in the caring the only living planet in the solar system, the Earth. This can only come through education, so I want to complete my engineering degree and get a master's degree in environmental engineering to later work in the environmental conservation field.

The main reason why I chose to do an Apprentice Ecologist Project on the behalf of the Nicodemus Wilderness Project is; I have always volunteered myself to protect the wildlife and nature but this time, I want to take a bigger steps by working on behalf of the Nicodemus Wilderness Project. By conducting my project in Lions Park, I learn about the various plants that are planned in the area by the City of Mankato and University of Minnesota's Biology Department. The Lions Park is located in 491 Homestead Road of Mankato. The city of Mankato is in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the state of Minnesota while most of the city of Mankato is located within Blue Earth County. Being the fifth largest city in Minnesota outside the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area with the total population of 41,044 (According to 2015 US census estimates), the city has diverse places for wildlife and plants. Home to the state park and waterfalls like Minneopa Fall and Minnemishinona Falls, Mankato have huge green open space like Sibley Park.

For 2017, I study about the planet that was planted in the park and did research on the importance of the plane in the surrounding area. As the sites also include the pond, which is home to various kind of fish, with other amphibians and reptiles. My main focus was in plant and the environment. At first, I collected the name of the plant and search over the importance of that plan and ways of protecting them. With this project, I was able to gain knowledge about the plant. Getting to know the plant that was planted in the sites was important because it was near the residential area and also very close to the pond. So it was very important to know about the reproduction, growth, and behaviors of the trees toward the change in the weather. As the temperature of the city goes below the zero degree Celsius in the winter, it was vital for anyone to keep track of the behaviors of this part for that climate. With all the works I have done, I can say that my project would help the community in very different ways. By knowing about this plant, I was able to help the resident on giving them the information and helping them in the day to day life. As plant play the vital role in the ecosystem and the environment by various ways, photosynthesis is one of them, I have helped the community to know about the importance of the trees and things need to be done to protect them. My project will help the environment by making people aware of the plant and help maintain a high biodiversity. The project will help the community by giving them knowledge on the role played by animal and flora in our surrounding.

To talk about the effect on my life through this Apprentice Ecologist project, I can say that it has inspired me to do more and to never stop working for the betterment of the environment. This project has become a milestone for me and has presented a door of opportunity to enhance my skill to be a better environmental engineer. With all the knowledge and experience I gain from this project, I am encouraged to pursue the career in this field.

Even during my college life, I will strive to continue helping the environmental projects and boosting others in the environmental protection. As I also have previously involved in the environmental work from the different organization like American Society of Civil Engineers Mankato, I would be able to make a difference in any upcoming project like this with all those experiences. Since I have been attending a school for an environmental program, getting involved like this will be a plus point. I also hope that this experience has made me ready for my internship and summer research opportunities like the one I am doing now.