When I was first offered a summer job with the Youth Conservation Corps at Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, I had no clue what to expect. The summer that followed was a welcome surprise.
Over the next few months, I learned about native wildlife, different refuges, and the history of the land. I was introduced to a variety of conservation and wildlife jobs within and outside the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Some of the opportunities amazed me and made me excited about what jobs may come next.
I also loved being able to help with the native plant gardens and seed projects. The beauty you miss in a simple flower along a rocky roadside is constantly overlooked. During my job, I was shown the value of every little part of the ecosystem we rely on and live in.
From learning how Indigenous people used native plants to survive to receiving an award from the Navy for our work in Dixie Valley, I learned a lot.
Some of my favorite moments on the job were also the hardest: digging canals for tui chub in water up to my stomach while being stabbed by Russian olives, falling into creeks while planting trees, and building a dam while wearing a hot pair of waders. Those experiences made me appreciate how much work it takes simply to keep our public lands healthy.
After my time working there, I was able to return and help the Northwest Nevada Bird Alliance conduct shorebird surveys at the refuge.
The species I learned about amazed me and helped further my love for the native birds that fill our state.
Black-necked stilts, phalaropes, and yellowlegs are commonly seen in our local waters but are often overlooked. The experience taught me to always keep an eye and an ear out because you never know what you may see or hear.
Our public lands will forever be important to me, along with the people who led me down this path. Thank you to the YCC crew and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff at Stillwater. You will always be my second family.
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