I should be careful titling this entry "Sometimes You Learn Best by Doing". My own project for the internship program is to create a training tool, called a StoryMap, that will prepare future trail crews for the work they will do. Nevertheless, I'd like to...
Latino Conservation Week is an initiative of the Hispanic Access Foundation, created to support the Latinx community in getting into the outdoors and participating in activities to protect our natural resources. For Latino Conservation Week this year, my park is highlighting the Latino community in...
View of Spectacle Island from the Ferry If you had told me a year ago that I would be an intern for the National Parks of Boston, working with the Boston Harbor Islands, I would've never believed you. A large part is because I didn't even...
I wandered up and down long aisles of a chilly room, with shelves in every corner stacked high up to the ceiling. It smelled faintly of an old library, or of a museum of curiosities - and in a way, that’s exactly what it was....
My task over the past few weeks working on the Anza trail? Making movement meaningful. That’s the big picture view of trail work—working to build, plan, and design through trailwork means thinking about what traversing different built and imagined pathways can do. Whether that looks...
When I first got to Skagway, Alaska, I didn’t know the ins and outs of the park very well. I was still getting my bearings, and learning the names, histories, and map locations of the unfamiliar buildings. I remember overhearing a conversation between my housemates...
Hi everyone! It has been 5 weeks since I returned to Homestead National Historical Park and I have been keeping myself busy. Immersing myself into the museum collection to begin cataloging and examining the many items this park preserves has been an experience I will...
I smell rain! It's finally monsoon season in Southern Arizona, and the locals could not be more happy! Monsoon season signifies several things for folks living in this desert. First, the summer rains brings the harvest of the Saguaro fruit. Bright pink in color and full...
Hello all! I am so excited to begin my internship and to write this blog about my work at Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park. As an Interpretation and Education Intern, I will be working on an assortment of projects - including, but not limited to,...
I can’t believe my first month of interning with the Pacific West Region office has come to an end so quickly! In my first month of working as a Park Planning and Environmental Compliance Fellow, I visited my site at the Cesar E. Chavez National...
Francisco Vazquez on a Tide Pool Rove at Secret Beach in Point Reyes. My first few weeks here at Point Reyes National Seashore have been very exciting! There’s a lot of hustle and bustle here and I’ve learned to always be on my feet and on...
I have spent over a month exploring and learning about Fire Island National Seashore. The main duty of my internship is outreach and communication of unrepresented communities about the park. Fire Island is located on the southern part of Long Island, where an immense population...
Hi Everyone! Since my last blog post, there has been a major update on my internship and the Flagstaff Area National Monuments. As I mentioned in my previous blogs, my internship start date was originally postponed due to a wildfire (Tunnel fire) that broke out and...
What comes to your mind when you hear the term invasive species? Alteration of habitats, reduction of biodiversity, destruction of native food sources? Well, the truth is, invasive species do all that and more. According to the National Park Service, “invasive species are...
Some visitors have asked what I am doing and why is my job important. Cultural landscapes are historically significant geographic areas that sustain great diversity of interactions between humans and the environment. They also protect traditional cultures, both living and those that have disappeared. Cultural...
This week was the first time I got to present my project to some people! Unlike others in the program who may be working on more tangible research projects with set variables and such, mine is a bit different. I got to choose my topic,...
After a week of informative training, Salem Maritime National Park has an amazing Lantix and people of color diversity exhibit towards the back of the visitor's center building. The Dominican Faceless dolls art project and El Punto Art Museum information caught my attention the day...
From Great Falls to Mount Vernon, there is a scenic roadway honoring the nation’s first president. The George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) is one of the ten most visited National Park Service (NPS) units with 7.2 million annual visitors. Kayaking at the Great Falls, having...
An educational comic book I found from 1988 about sea turtles. It most likely was used to educate the community.My first year of graduate school in a history program prepared me for the tears, the laughs, and the constructive criticisms that accompany new experiences;...