Week 2

Waders! 

Guess what hymnal I had stuck in my head all week? 

Evidence of Beaver Activity

Beavers represent a pretty constant problem at Sherburne. They'll build dams in front of water impoundments as well as more natural locations along the St. Francis River and its tributaries. No matter where beavers build their dams, the end result is the same: they can  greatly interrupt the flow of water around the whole refuge. When water levels become low, wetland ecosystems can suffer. This is a problem for the many species of birds and other creatures that live, feed, and nest in these environments. It is our responsibility on behalf of the refuge to maintain these habitats for those species.

 Sally the Bio-Tech!

Sally Zodrow is the authority on all things related to water on the refuge. She's been at Sherburne for 15+ years, and has water maintenance down to a pretty exact science. Sally regularly monitors water levels and quality at multiple pools and river points on Sherburne, as well as the surrounding area. She also regularly monitors for  beaver activity on her water rounds. When the dams become too developed, Sally clears the woody debris from the structure in order to maintain water flow. I helped Sally with this task this week, hence the waders (and impromptu whistled rendition of "Wade in the Water"). 

Turbidimeter

I also accompanied Sally on her water quality monitoring excursion. Sally monitors seven points along the portion of the St. Francis River that cuts through the refuge. Tests include analysis for electrical conductivity, turbidity (how cloudy the water is) and transparency, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH, as well as general appearance and recreational suitability. One of the instruments we used was a Secchi Tube, which totally reminded me of AP Environmental Science. Thanks Mr. Boyd! The information we gathered is shared with Minnesota's Pollution Control Agency (PCA), who, in addition to its staff, partners with volunteers through multiple monitoring programs in order to get a good picture of water quality across the whole state.   

In my adventures around Sherburne, I've already come across a ton of plant species that I'd never encountered before. I'm learning their names pretty fast!

Sage

Wild Strawberry

Big Blue Hyssop

Hyssop smells like licorice when you crush the leaves! 

Poison Ivy! 

There's a lot of poison ivy around the refuge. Some people get the rash really bad, and others aren't affected at all! Apparently Sherburne's strand of poison ivy is particularly potent. Awesome. I've been trained on how to spot it, and am always generally alert in order to avoid it. Hopefully I never come into contact with it! 

Cladonia Cristatella (Lichen)

 Bonfire with the Roommates

Things are good on the homefront. Over Memorial Day weekend we roasted hotdogs around a fire. 'Twas nice! 

Week 1 (end)

St. Francis Pool Impoundment  

Yesterday and today I was in charge of checking the water levels on St. Francis and Long Pools. We do this to make sure we keep water moving through the system at a rate that supports the biological goals we have for the refuge. With all the rain we've had this week, we wound up raising the gate on St. Francis a few inches to let some more water flow. Yesterday I had Kris, a bio-tech, with me to help, but today I checked levels all by myself! 

Red Wing Shoes

Yesterday I also got my own pair of work boots! Basically, our safety protocol requires us to have steel toe shoes for a good portion of the work activities we complete. Besides being super comfortable and supportive, I think they're cute!

Tyler and the UTV! 

This morning, I helped Tyler, one of the refuge's maintenance men, with trail maintenance. We rode around looking for downed trees that were blocking the path on Blue Hill Trail. Tyler cut them up into more manageable pieces, and it was my job to help throw said pieces into the woods, out of the way of hikers.

I've seen a good amount of wildlife in my first week here! We saw a Bald Eagle while out working today! I couldn't get a good picture, but I've been assured that that won't be the last one I see this summer (there are 14 eagle nests around the refuge). Tyler also spotted two turtles (one snapping and one Blanding's) sunning themselves in a small pool. I've also seen deer, turkey, Canadian Geese, Trumpeter Swan, foxes (up at Crane Meadows), and a myriad of songbirds, whose names I hope to learn better this summer. I think my favorite sighting thus far is a river otter I saw earlier in the week; it ran across the road and just swam away! 

Stickney Pool

In the afternoon, I spent some more time getting familiar with the refuge. The above picture is from Wildlife Drive.

Jesco and Mya

Abby and Ruben

These are some of the animals my landlord maintains at the farmhouse. They're all very sweet!

Today marks the end of my first week at Sherburne! Wow, that went by fast! Eleven more weeks to go! Stay tuned for more excitement and adventure to come!

Week 1 (beginning)

"Nature is not a place to visit. It is home."

This summer, I am completing a 13-week internship at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)  in Zimmerman, Minnesota. The refuge system is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), which is a part of the Department of the Interior. I applied to this internship through the Student Conservation Association's (SCA) Career Discovery Internship Program (CDIP). In addition to my 12 weeks on site, the program includes a week long orientation, which was held at Ding Darling NWR on Sanibel Island, Florida. 

A sea turtle skull

 Our days at Ding Darling were packed with good information and adventure! Our classroom time was spent learning about how to navigate within USFWS and SCA, as well as how to have a successful summer. The fun part was outdoors though: we did a beach cleanup, some hiking, small mammal trapping, and took a 2-hour kayaking trip! 

Sharon and Gisella

The entire week at Ding Darling, we were surrounded by FWS staff who were always ready to answer questions and share their story. We got a lot of great advice that I think will definitely help this summer as well as further into my career. 

Dr. Mamie Parker & Vicki Sherry

Dr. Mamie Parker, who recently retired from the Service, was our keynote speaker. Hearing her story was very inspirational; it was an honor to meet her. 

Through the CDIP program, interns also get a mentor to help answer any questions, give advice, and  support them during their internship. Vicki Sherry, my mentor, is the wildlife biologist at Minnesota Valley NWR. She's super nice! 

2013 CDIP Interns at Ding Darling NWR

After my week at Ding Darling, I moved into a farmhouse where I'll be staying for the duration of the summer. There are a ton of animals around, including peafowl, hens and roosters, dogs, a cow, and a goat! The farmhouse is right outside of Saint Cloud, so there'll be plenty to do in my off time! I also want to hit up the Mall of America while I'm here, and maybe find some good fishing spots!

My Supervisor, Mr. Anthony Hewitt

I was really nervous for my first day at Sherburne, but there turned out to be nothing to worry about. Everyone at the refuge is super nice, knowledgable, and helpful. I've only been to work three days and I already feel like I've learned a lot. This summer is going to be intense, but also a lot of fun! 

My Jeep!

A good portion of my first day was spent completing a defensive driving course. Which, in addition to saving me money on car insurance, also enabled me to get a GOVERNMENT ISSUED VEHICLE. Talk about job perks! 

Sally!

In the past few days, I've toured the refuge (including the main headquarters and shop), helped with a visiting school group tour, and begun reviewing Sherburne's CCP (Comprehensive Conservation Plan). Today I helped Sally, one of our Bio-techs, with water level readings and adjustments around the refuge. The refuge is well equipped with impoundments that can be manipulated to change water levels in the pools. Tomorrow I'm leading the taking of the water level readings! Phew!