Growing up on the North River has been an integral part of who I am and the way in which I see the world, thus the opportunity to intern with the NSRWA has brought me closer to my roots in greater detail. One experience that did so was conducting saltmarsh surveys with high school students from the Cohasset Center for Student Coastal Research (CSCR). Not only did it bolster my identification and transect skills, but to look out an expanse of what appears to simply be a unified green, then to discover that it is made up of so many different species and moving parts, is a beautiful thing that has pervaded other areas of my life. My involvement with the NSRWA has truly taught me a new way of seeing the world beneath our feet, even beyond the science.
The aspect of ecology that has always excited me the most is the implication that conservation is a people’s problem- how we must listen and respect traditional ecological knowledge and actively work with people to have any impact. Working with a small nonprofit organization and seeing first-hand the effort and dedication of those who I was able to work with, the citizen scientists, and simply locals alike, was incredible beyond anything I could have ever imagined. The meaningful and lasting connections made within the NSRWA are quite special.
My particular role this summer was in habitat ecology, which included working with invasive species management and the restoration of native species. Whether that was compiling and analyzing raw river herring and horseshoe crab data, releasing Galerucella beetles to control invasive purple loosestrife, snorkeling to survey marine invasives, or monitoring blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) in order to determine whether Fourth Cliff was a suitable enough habitat so that they would be available for the endangered red knots to eat during their migration, my projects were nothing short of engaging. I gained technical skills that I have already found myself using in my classes this semester!
However, what was particularly interesting about the internship was the way in which Patrick, Isaac and I got to work together on each other’s projects. This allowed us to collaborate, learn from one another, enjoy each other’s unique passions, and share the best laughs. A typical day never looked the same, with always something new to be discovering and aweing over.
I cannot conjure words strong enough to describe how much this experience and everyone at the NSRWA has meant to me and I am grateful to say that it has developed a lasting foundation for my future. Thank you to all!