This Week for internship has been super chill. It has been predominantly asynchronous work because my mentor is out of town for a few days, but I was able to go on site on Monday. It was a really productive day because Lonie got to spray certain invasives with herbicide and I was able to focus on removing Smilo at the entry station. Unfortunately with the rain later in the week, I was not able to go into the park which was a bummer because I planned to complete a few things onsite. I look forward to my last week and I hope that the weather clears up so I can get back to being outside!
Blog Prompt 1:
I think my project is going really well. As we approach the end of internship I am finishing the last parts of my projects and just putting on the finishing touches. I actually changed my project idea during Week 2 and now I am creating an Intern Guide for my mentor Lonie. It will provide information about what the intern will be doing at Cabrilo, what to bring for clothing, food and water, etc, what invasive plants to be familiar with that are common throughout the park, how to properly remove a plant, and information about the end of internship project. I found that I could use a lot more creativity with this new idea and I think my final brochure/pamphlet is going to look great. I discussed my rough draft with Lonie and she was very happy with my work and looked forward to being able to actually use my project. One challenge I have faced is not being able to go into the park for the last several days. Since it has been raining a lot I have been told to stay home, but there are a few things I need to go take pictures of at the park so I can add them to my project. I mainly need to take a few more pictures of invasive plants to add to the guide as well as maybe some of the tools and equipment we use on a daily basis. Despite this minor hiccup, I can go take all the pictures I need once I get back to the park. I am feeling really confident about my project now and I can't wait to see what the final draft is going to look like!
Blog Prompt 2:
I do plan to keep volunteering at Cabrillo even after my internship. The program Weed Warriors is every week on Tuesday and Thursday and as far as I know that is year round. Obviously I will not be able to with school, but every first Saturday of the month Weed Warriors gets together so I could come out and help on the weekend. I also plan to volunteer over Summer when I do not have school and when I can consistently commit to working on weekdays. These plans developed just as I talked to my mentor about volunteer opportunities as well as talking to some of the more experienced Weed Warriors. I will be helping Lonie remove invasive species just like I have with internship, but it is such a beautiful place and I can get community service hours which looks good on college resumes and applications!