Mianus River Gorge is delighted to welcome a new group of summer interns who will help with an array of projects and initiatives. At the same time, through a variety of research and land management projects, interns are trained in the skills they will need to pursue a successful career in the environmental sciences.
Mianus River Gorge welcomes Kristen Benes and Daniel Rivera, both from Pace University where they study biology and environmental science, respectively. They will be working on MRG’s “Improving the health and buffering ability of the post-agricultural forest in Mianus River Gorge” project funded in part by NYS DEC’s “Regenerate NY” initiative and Westchester Community Foundation.
Lauren Ahern, a junior at Scripps College in CA, will be collaborating with Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (LH PRISM) and Environmental Monitoring & Management Alliance (EMMA) to develop a standardized protocol for long-term monitoring of Beech Leaf Disease (BLD) with the potential of developing a lingering Beech tree program. Her internship is supported by a competitive grant awarded to MRG from the LH PRISM. As part of this cutting-edge project, Lauren will also be working with Maria Moska Lee and Kelsy McLaughlin of the NY DEC tasked with addressing this new challenge.
MRG’s College Internship in Suburban Ecology (CISE) interns are Melissa Lomas, a senior at Colby College studying environmental policy; Quinn Simmons, a junior at Bates College studying biology and gender and sexuality; Ori Slotky, a junior at Brandeis University studying environmental studies and politics; and Harrison Hurwitz, a senior at University of Vermont studying environmental science and business administration.
CISE interns will be working on re-sampling our 22 forest vegetation plots (overstory layer); continuing our invasive species mapping project; assisting staff and Wildlife Technician Program (high school) researchers in several projects, including pond fauna surveys, acoustic surveys of frogs and bats, and camera trap surveys. And, as always, invasive species management; vegetation and habitat restoration (e.g., planting trees, outplanting wildflowers from our restoration garden); and general trail repairs and facilities maintenance. Thank you to Rusticus Garden Club and the Henry Morgenthau Preserve for supporting the CISE program with summer internship grants.
Finally, summer interns, MRG staff, and volunteers will all be working on adding one mile of new trail to the existing trail system. The “Yellow Trail” will open in late June-early July. Stay tuned!