During the summer of 2016, I had the opportunity to intern with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Lakes and Ponds Division. While interning, I worked with three state employees managing aquatic invasive species at numerous lakes, ponds, and wetland sites across Vermont. Daily tasks included water sampling, plant surveys, active removal of invasive species, and interactions with other groups volunteering or offering services to maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems. 

The internship allowed me to experience a very specific area of natural resource management, and I learned a great deal about aquatic plant biology and the efforts that go into invasive species management. Frequently working with invasive water chestnut, I was able to observe the management of a single invasive species from multiple perspectives: I was involved in direct removal of water chestnut (weeding from kayaks) and volunteer water chestnut removal with community members, and I spoke with contracted companies hired to remove large quantities of the species from bodies of water.

I was originally drawn to the position as an opportunity to be involved in field work projects, gain technical experience, and engage with a state agency that I may want to work for someday. It was rewarding to observe my supervisors interacting with other division employees. Watching these interactions made me realize how diverse my field of knowledge and skills needs to be to operate effectively in a workplace that deals with such a variety of issues surrounding natural resources. 

These experiences, as well as other invasive species spread prevention programs that I was exposed to, embodied the complexity of natural resource management issues I have so often discussed in the classroom at UVM. I plan on further studying the field of wildlife conservation (specifically surrounding shorebirds) and look forward to applying my internship experiences as I move forward.