Biological Vegetation Intern

The National Park Service is committed to protecting globally rare plants and their communities. The purpose of this internship is to assist the park in a highly varied resource management program, while performing monitoring and data collection in the following resource areas: flora and fauna inventories, exotic species management, wildlife surveys, and disturbed lands restoration. You will support forest pest management projects including efforts to control the hemlock woolly adelgid and emerald ash borer. You will also work with team members at designated areas on the New River Gorge National River, Gauley River National Recreation Area, and Bluestone National Scenic River, with treating invasive plants and insects, and conduct vegetation inventory and monitoring activities using standard field collection methods. Additionally, you will record data collected and provide preliminary analysis and classification of the information. You will use computers to assist in compiling and reducing data from field surveys.EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: You will have the opportunity to work directly with resource managers, fisheries biologists, interpretive rangers, and river rangers. Through this assignment, you will participate in field trips and environmental awareness activities with interpreters to explore both the cultural and natural aspects of the park. You will also participate in river trips and hikes during their term. On your own time, you have limitless recreation opportunities including hiking, biking, climbing, fishing, and rafting. There are also music festivals, theatrical productions, and farmer's markets available in the area.