Dear Mr. and Mrs. Svitek:

I have just returned to Vermont a couple of weeks ago from my summer internship in Alaska; what an experience! I worked for the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Anchorage Forestry Sciences Lab participating in the Forest Inventory and Analysis program.

This program provides information necessary to assess America’s forests and projects how forests are likely to appear 10 to 50 years from now. This enables the Forest Service to evaluate whether current forest management practices are sustainable and to assess whether current policies will allow the next generation to enjoy forests as we do today.

My summer consisted of bushwhacking the Alaskan wilderness, taking vegetation samples and measurements, flying in helicopters, living on a boat and carrying a shotgun. We navigated mostly by photo and compass through some of the wildest terrain this world has to offer. During this internship I gained experience in bear safety, underwater helicopter escape, living on a boat, taking ecological measurements, and I also got my foot in the door for a possible career with the Forest Service.

When I first got the job I was not sure if I was going to be able to get all the way to Alaska. On top of getting there I needed to buy the required gear for flying in a helicopter and working in the woods.

I was able to get to Alaska, though, because of the generosity of a family I have never met. This summer was life changing in many ways from personal to professional and was only possible because of your generosity. I am honored to receive an award in the memory of your daughter. I am sure that she loved the outdoors and the environment and now other people can experience them in her name. Thank you so much for enabling this summer to happen; it means so much to me and my family. I have grown so much this summer and could not have done it without your help.

Sincerely,
Zachary Bergen