This Spring, Wood River High School Senior Piper Green joined the River Program for an 8 week internship. Piper took the time to share her experience as a Wood River Land Trust intern.
Can you tell me a bit about yourself and what motivated you to apply for an internship with Wood River Land Trust?
As an 18 year old girl living in the Wood River Valley, I have been so immersed in nature and interested in ways to conserve, and learn more about our environment. This sparked curiosity and led me to think outside the box of how I can be more involved locally in environmental stewardship. I did some research, and the Land Trust values and mission aligned with my own interests and…. I reached out.
What specific projects or tasks have you been involved in during your time as an intern at Wood River Land Trust?
I have been working alongside Cory and Jori in the Land Trust’s yearly macroinvertebrate data collection in the winter months. I have also been learning how to use the program R-Studio, to create graphs with data.
What aspects of environmental conservation or land management interest you the most, and how has this internship helped deepen your understanding in those areas?
What interests me the most is seeing the impact non-native species have on the river and the environment. Through the internship, I have seen how non-natives species and enriched runoff has drastically affected the health of the river in different locations and that has been super interesting and insightful information.
Can you share a particularly memorable or rewarding experience you've had while working with Wood River Land Trust?
On the last day of sampling me and Cory went to Stanton Crossing, and on the last sample I caught a Wood River Sculpin which was such a cool experience because it's a species that is only found in the Wood River Valley, and it felt like a home run catch type of feeling!
How do you see this internship aligning with your future academic or career goals?
This internship has been insightful and interesting, as I am considering majoring in environmental policy or analysis and this has been really great to get first hand experience in the field.
What advice would you give to other high school students who are interested in pursuing internships or careers in environmental conservation?
Reach out and follow what interests you, get involved in your local community and build up your network. Everyone, especially in the Wood River Valley, wants to see the youth succeed and help you follow your passions.
Looking ahead, what are your hopes or aspirations for the future of environmental conservation, both locally and globally?
My hope is that my fellow peers, and the Wood River Valley Keep on coming together to cultivate a community revolving around conserving our environment. I also hope to see environmental conservation become more robust in our everyday lives, and flourish as a global inner value.
What would you tell people about WRLT now that you've gotten to see the inner workings of the organization?
The WRLT is filled with dedicated staff who not only care about our environment and the community as a whole, but love what they do. It's so incredible to see the passion and smiles in the WRLT, and it has really shown me the importance in pursuing a career that makes me feel fulfilled and happy.