Hello! Welcome to my blog documenting my summer internship with the BCCDKY and what we do. I have never written a blog before, so I apologize in advance if it’s a little rough.
If you checked out my bio, you know that I was an intern at the Thomas More Biology Field Station last summer. I was part of the Stream Team, working with the Sanitation District No. 1 (SD1) and the BCCDKY to monitor Northern Kentucky’s streams by collecting biological, physical, and chemical data. This work inspired me to apply to the BCCDKY this summer where I could continue to protect watersheds and educate others about conservation. This summer I am also a part-time intern with the Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) team at the station.
Basically I do what Kevin did, but during the summer. So far I’ve helped out with educational programs teaching kids, leading a group during Conservation Kids Camp, picking up trash for River Sweep, and helping the Boone County Farm Tour run smoothly. There are some odd jobs here and there, like rescuing a baby racoon or searching for an endangered plant species. Other aspects of the job includes working with SD1 and the Stream Team collecting macroinvertebrates and monitoring the stream banks.
Conservation Kids Camp was a blast! The kids loved learning about nature. This year the theme was insects; my group was called the Hellgrammites (aka the Dobsonfly), my favorite insect. One of my favorite parts of the camp was watching the kids completely change their outlook on bugs. Originally they thought bugs were “creepy and gross,” but after holding a hissing cockroach or a giant millipede in their hands they realized there is nothing to be afraid of. Once they passed the insects around, they were arguing about who got to hold the next one. That is one of the reasons why I love this job: it changes people’s attitudes towards nature from completely grossed out to amazement and wonder.
Another one of the opportunities with this internship is gaining research experience. I have a few ideas in mind, but you’ll hear more about it in later posts. Stay tuned!
