One of my goals for my summer as an NPS intern was to increase my plant knowledge. I realize that common plants in South Dakota will likely not show up too frequently back home in the Southeast, but I figure practicing ID’ing plants and noticing...
Though all national parks have complicated histories, Mount Rushmore National Monument is much more controversial and political than other sites. The monument was completed in 1941 by Gutzon Borglum. A member of the Ku Klux Klan, Borglum’s prior projects included the Stone Mountain relief sculpture...
When I flew out to South Dakota, I did not expect to be sliding down Badlands, holding onto my hiking pole for dear life, soon after my arrival. The Northern Great Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network (I&M) travels to various parks in the area, monitoring vegetation....
This summer I will be working in multiple NPS offices; Mount Rushmore National Memorial and the Northern Great Plains Network (NGPN). At Mount Rushmore I will be mapping social trails with GIS to determine how to restore and protect the vegetation affected in those areas. With...
My name is Sydney. I graduated a year ago from the University of Michigan (located on land belonging to the Anishnaabe peoples) with a BA in Environmental Sustainability and Art. While in school, I spent several seasons working on farms, growing my curiosity of plant...
I am passionate about environmental justice, helping people and the planet. For me, environmental issues are inextricably tied with social issues and working at a National Park seems like a perfect opportunity to learn about these interactions in a close way. I was also excited...