Working as the eelgrass intern has been an amazing opportunity that I wouldn’t trade for anything. The projects I have worked on have taught me an incredible amount about what field work and research entail, and have helped me grow in confidence both in my ability to carry out such work, and in the work’s capacity to do good for the world.
But before I go any further, I must admit something. When I took this job, I had no idea what eelgrass was. Nonetheless, I was put in charge of overseeing a massive survey into its local population. The task was daunting at first, but as we started coordinating things, it became apparent that given enough work, the challenge could be met. With the help of our truly amazing volunteers, we were able to complete the sampling in its entirety! It was incredibly rewarding to see such a large project come to fruition, and with any luck, the data we collected will contribute to a better understanding of this crucial species.
But, the eelgrass survey was not the only project I got to be involved with this summer, as I also assisted the other interns on their projects. Through helping Patrick with the Headwaters and RiverWatch sampling, and Molly with the Marine Invasive Survey and Blue Mussel Monitoring, I was given more insight into the world around me. I have lived on the South Shore my whole life, but it was not until helping with these projects that I realized just how many beautiful places and how much biodiversity there is in the region. It helped me see the place I have grown up in through a whole new lens.
So, thank you to Dr. Grady and Samantha Woods for giving me this opportunity. Thank you to the amazing volunteers who sacrificed their time to assist with the eelgrass research. Thank you to Molly and Patrick, for being amazing friends to learn alongside and from. And thank you to everyone involved with the NSRWA, what a summer it has been!