06 Jul First week of my internship complete! :)

Hello! Jose Gonzalez here. I just completed my first week working at the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. I am working in the Archaeological and Cultural Resources Department. These images are of a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) map I am working on with another staff member to create new trail segments. I am so glad to be using GIS, because I know it is a skill which is in very high demand for environmental professionals. I was introduced to the software at Cal Poly Pomona and am glad to be sharpening up my abilities here at the Santa Monica Mountains. Tomorrow I am going on my first field visit, and it will be to the Paramount Movie Ranch in Agoura Hills, California. I am so excited to go on the set of hundreds of films made since the beginning of Hollywood’s movie history! We will be monitoring an archaeological site in the Paramount Movie Ranch, while other team members erect a fence in order to block illegal entry into the area.