01 Nov Here, There, and Everywhere

Hi there! It’s been a while since I last checked in. A lot has transpired since I arrived here at Grand Canyon. To quote the title, I have been here, there, and everywhere. But before I dive into all the fun that is Grand Canyon National Park, let me reintroduce myself.

Hi, I’m MacEva, the LHIP Rare Species Research Assistant here at Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA). As a part of my internship, I work with the GRCA Vegetation Program to promote monarch butterfly conservation throughout the park. This is done through habitat restoration via the planting of pollinator gardens, monarch tagging (a method used to track monarch migration), and monarch education. I love the work that I am doing, and I’m so excited to share all of the work that I’ve done thus far!

Catching fairies or butterflies? – North Rim Butterfly Count

Painted Lady Butterfly

Now that the reintroduction is out of the way, let’s get into all the fun! My first week at GRCA was pretty jam-packed. I met my coworkers and supervisors, explored a little bit of the South Rim of Grand Canyon, and learned about the different ways in which the vegetation program promotes plant diversity around the park. By the end of my work week, I had the opportunity to travel to the North Rim with a few of my coworkers for GRCA’s annual North Rim Butterfly Count. It was a blast! I had so much fun frolicking in the fields looking for butterflies, learning how to ID the butterflies we caught, and meeting new people who are so invested in pollinator preservation.

The weekend after the North Rim’s Butterfly Count, I attended Zion National Park’s Intern Retreat with four other GRCA interns (including LHIP alum Cassie!). This weekend was filled with so much laughter to the point that my ribs started to hurt. I loved this weekend so much because not only did I get to experience new things for the first time, like setting up a tent or hiking through the Narrows, but I also got to establish some great friendships with my fellow interns. It’s moments like these that make me say, “Wow, I love life.”

GRCA interns take Zion National Park – Josh, me, and Cassie (from left to right)

Monarch Conservation presentation at the Internship Career & Leadership Workshop

About a week or so after my weekend at Zion, I was back on that travel grind. Where was I headed to this time? Washington D.C.!! Are you screaming, ‘cause I know I am! I love D.C. so much, and to have had the opportunity to travel there for the second time was amazing. I was there to attend EFTA’s annual Internship Career & Workshop as an LHIP intern. Interns from all of the EFTA programs had the opportunity to listen to and learn from key figures within the conservation and park service field, present their work and accomplishments via oral presentations and poster sessions, build professional and personal relationships with one another, and explore D.C. It was a lovely experience. Being in a room filled with so many bright and passionate individuals each day was awe-inspiring. I loved spending time with my fellow LHIP interns and getting to know the other interns from the different EFTA programs. I loved listening to their presentations about the work that they’ve done during their internships. I loved it all. During that week, I felt seen, heard, and appreciated. If I could do D.C. all over again, I would, times 10.

On that note, I think it’s safe to end this here. I hope you enjoyed reading about my travels this past month. ‘Til next time; bye!

*Timeline of Events:

• First Day: July 10^th
• North Rim Butterfly Count: July 14^th – 16^th
• Zion Intern Retreat: July 21^st – 23^rd
• EFTA Career and Leadership Workshop: July 31^st – August 4^th