Welcome back! Here at Dinosaur NM, my internship focuses on monarch butterfly conservation. The North American monarch consists of two populations: Eastern and Western. The extensive Rocky Mountain Range cutting across the continent acts as the dividing line. Through the months of April-July, monarch generations...
Every week, I drive to a designated field site that contains an abundance of milkweed and nectar plants. Milkweed is important because monarch caterpillars only eat plants in the milkweed family. Hence, female monarchs lay a single egg on the underside of a milkweed leaf*....
My long-term career goal is to become an interpretive Park Ranger for the National Park Service! My passion for science education stems from my desire to explore the great outdoors. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and learning from other curious people, regardless of the topic....
My favorite summer experience was joining the 4th Annual Monarch Migration Float. We conducted monarch surveys along the Green River that bisects Dinosaur National Monument. It is commonly believed that monarch butterflies use rivers as travel corridors for their journey to their overwintering sites. These...
As the title says, that's exactly what I did. Well the title makes it sound like extremely dangerous and I want to preface by saying, yes, anytime something like rafting a river can be very dangerous. However, I was very well taken care of and...
My first time entering a clean room to conduct a physics research project. Who am I and how did I get here? Working with Trachemys stejnegeri stejnegeri (Puerto Rican slider) at the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao under the guidance of Dr. Neftalí Ríos...
A few weeks ago here at Grand Canyon National Park, we saw our first monarch butterfly eggs which then became larvae just two days later. That morning, I had been out with my supervisor, Lonnie, as we were walking around the park to identify species...
My friend asked me the other day what my favorite part of my internship had been. I, of course, said the sea turtles and the hatchlings. But I was wrong. The people I have met during my time at Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS) have been...
Martha (left), Kristy (center), and Cynthia (right) at a Kemp's ridley hatchling public release.One of the reasons I took the internship at Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS) was because of Cynthia Rubio, a Mexican-American biologist. Cynthia has worked at PAIS for almost twenty-six years...
Hi Everyone! I hope you have all been doing well and staying safe! With this week's blog post, I wanted to give you all a look into my daily routine with the Flagstaff Area National Monuments. (Also, before we start I wanted to give you all a heads...
Imports and exports of goods is what everyone knows when you talk about Derby wharf at Salem Maritime National Historical site. The infamous ship still docked there today is no other then The Friendship. What many don’t know is that the 15 voyages the...
Hola amigos! As an undergraduate geology major, I have spent the last couple of years trying to understand our dynamic planet and the life it supports. Reading textbooks and traversing geologic wonders first-hand are two distinct experiences. Through these summer blogs, my hope is that...
Built to protect the Chain Bridge approach to the capital during Civil War, Fort Marcy’s earthwork walls and parade grounds are among the best preserved defenses from that era. Fort Marcy is a wildlife corridor great for walking located in Virginia. You can explore the...
This week we celebrate Latino Conservation Week. LCW celebrates the contributions of Latinx people to the natural environment and creates opportunities to deepen and strengthen relationships with nature. On this week, organizations and communities across the country uplift and elevate Latinx voices and create spaces...
So far I have enjoyed the internship, and I have met incredible people that are part of Fire Island National Seashore. I have interesting and important people such as my supervisor Chris Olijnyk, whose family has been part of the park, including his dad and...
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...
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...
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...
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...