Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

Over the summer, I found myself living in the woods with ten strangers. Before calling Child Protective Services, allow me to explain why. Each summer since freshman year, I have embarked on excursions for volunteering and leadership. I even traveled to Mississippi for three weeks to help construct wheelchair ramps, test local water, and run a food drive. Dubbing myself a semi-bonafide treehugger, I came across the Student Conservation Association one day and decided to apply. Months later, I excitedly stumbled upon an email stating I was assigned to a roving crew in New Jersey. Instead of acknowledging my obvious lack of camping skills as a South Floridian, I packed a duffel bag and was off to Newark. Over the course of three weeks in July, the roving crew I joined aimed to assist three state parks and a forest: Cape May Point, Barnegat Light, Island Beach, and Bass River State Forest.
Our assignments included trail maintenance, invasive species removal, and fence repair. On a typical work day, we spent eight hours on the task at hand. For example, trail maintenance started by using a rake to spread fresh piles of dirt across the path and widen the area. Next, any debris was cleared and a tamp was employed to evenly distribute the dirt. As a final touch, any hanging shrubbery was cut by its root to ensure a successful regrowth. While the steps to paving new trails were strenuous, after a few days into the trip our team settled into the routine and faced a new challenge. As our team began removing harmful plants, we learned to identify them and safely use tools to extract them. In the name of safety, I would put on gloves, as well as goggles when using tools such as shears and handsaws. Species that we handled include Greenbriar, knapweed, and even the infamous poison ivy! Last but not least was fence repair. Our crew started by hastily removing protruding roots and pulling out the old fence. We would then dig holes for the new posts to be placed. I was able to learn how to use a post-hole digger to reach six feet underground, an exciting step in a seventeen-year-old girlâ€™s life. Alas, the new fences were up and preservation could now begin. Our fruitful labor allowed the parks to become safer and more accessible. Completing our trail maintenance led to a more walkable trail for visitors to enjoy. Next, removing invasive species allowed native species to flourish and reduced the threat of poison ivy in this area. As for fence repair, it was essential because plants and animals remained protected and were left exposed without proper fencing.
By the end of this Nicodemus Wilderness Project, I had completed 150 hours of hard work. Knowing that our efforts would benefit the public and state parks system for years to come was gratifying and I felt immensely proud of our team. From my time with the SCA, I fostered relationships with teens who shared my passion for the planet and learned to communicate openly in order to work well in such an intimate environment. Due to my experience, I now understand what a career in the environmental sector consists of and can envision a solid future for myself. As for the State Parks of New Jersey, our contribution was significant since theyâ€™re not equipped with sufficient funding to employ year-round maintenance crews. In most cases, the parks would have to wait for the next SCA crew to arrive in order to receive further assistance. Overall, I never pictured that my ideal summer would consist of manual labor and sleeping outside. However, by taking a chance and leaving the graces of air conditioning, I was able to sustainably leave my mark as a teen trailblazer.