Empowering Tomorrow's Conservation Leaders – Reflections on the TRGT Summer Internship
By Quentin Miller
As the Spring season looms closer and closer, TRGT is excited to open our 2024 Internship Program for applicants! TRGT is proud to support a robust internship program since the 1990s. Over the years, the program has evolved to support students looking to break into the conservation field and gain valuable insight on the day-to-day operations of a nonprofit organization.
Past Internship Projects
The past few internship seasons have been a massive success with our interns playing a pivotal role in our organization. TRGT strives to make the internship program a unique and dynamic one with ample opportunities of hands-on experience and mentorship for undergraduate and graduate students. TRGT operates on 3 distinct principles: stewardship/research, land protection, community access and engagement. It is our goal to immerse the interns in each of these foundations to not only understand the dynamics of working for a non-profit land conservation organization but also learn critical skills that can be applicable to future professions as they develop their early careers. Recent internship projects include:
Set up a MOTUS wildlife tracking system to obtain critical bird migration data for the TN River Gorge.
Completed boundary patrols along our protected properties by boat, road and foot.
Assisted with a scientific vegetation survey on the rare Aetna Mountain Bogs with the Southeast Grasslands Initiative.
Provided necessary monitoring and maintenance of our trail systems, campsites, and other recreational areas.
Provided coordination and leadership during conservation events such as public bird banding days, field trips with the Promoting Ethnic Diversity in Zoos program, trail maintenance volunteer days, Sunset kayak paddle tours etc.
Learned and assisted in the methodological process of capturing native and migratory birds for target netting research and our bird banding station.
Created 3D models of Wood Thrush decoys for an upcoming avian research project.
Designed and implemented construction, paint and welding projects for trail systems, campsites, and bird observatory renovations.
Training the Next Generation
One of the first questions we ask each intern during the onboarding process is what their interests are and what they would like to achieve in this internship. We believe curating an individual’s career interests is critical for a successful and meaningful internship. TRGT has the privilege of having a conservation network across the State of Tennessee and beyond. Connecting our interns with as many organizations as possible remains a core objective. While we love to showcase all the great projects and work here at the Trust, it is also necessary for our interns to build relationships and network with other environmental organizations. For example, last year our interns were able to learn and connect with organizations such as the Chattanooga Zoo, Tennessee Aquarium, UTC GIS Lab, SkyTech Monitoring, TN Aquarium Conservation Institute and more. Depending on what the specific interests are of the intern whether it is avian research, botany, GIS etc., we aim to provide as much experience as possible related within TRGT and allow them to gain further experience with our incredible partners.
An Inclusive Experience
TRGT recognizes that there are many barriers to entry within the field of conservation and environmental science. While we continue to learn about these barriers, we focus our efforts on providing opportunities for a wide array of future conservation professionals. It is our core effort to create a diverse and equitable conservation community where all voices can be heard and valued. It is also our intention that the internship posting can be shared across wide ranging communities who seek hands-on conservation experience. Applications for the 2024 internship are due March 20, 2024. More information can be found here!