Week 8: July 23 - July 27

This week I worked more closely with the SCA crews which gave me the chance to work on some projects on the refuge and get to know them a little bit better. We painted the two story lookout tower which took 3 days! That was a lot of painting! We had to be extra careful because the tower extends over the impoundment. 

I also got creative with the Get Your Goose On! project. Here are some photos I took to advertise the FWS and how visitors can utilize a national wildlife refuge near them.

You know this is cool! 

Friday I went to the zoo with the high school crew and we had a blast! It was awesome going back after interning there about 4 years ago haha 

Galapagos turtle. She was super friendly

Going behind the scenes was awesome! The crew really enjoyed this day and so did I. I learned more about the zoo from when I interned there. I see the side of it where these animals are not just put on display for people's entertainment but a lot of these animals need human intervention (good of course) to increase there numbers. I also realized that day how hard the zoo is working to get these animals reintroduced into the wild once their numbers are stable. The partnership the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has with the Philadelphia Zoo is important in that they both share the goal of working towards species continue into existence. 

Week 7: July 15 - 20

The beginning of this week started off differently, I had an enviornmental education training with Erika the environmental ed specialist. We how to engage young children with concepts we understand and speak of abstractly. It was very useful information and I'm really glad I worked that day lol I never work on Sundays!
I also got a Project Learning Tree and Project Wet activity book for FREE O.O I will be using this in my future teaching/educating the little kiddies =)
This was the first week I actually worked more closely with the SCA high school crews. We went around the refuge and weedwacked along the benches and put wood chips down. It was very difficult because it was SO hot and I forgot my water bottle! A sistah had to get through it though :) It was fun because the kids were very funny and youthful throughout the whole day!

Tampering those chips! 

Yellow hats = SCA crews

Erica get back to work!

I also did another library program with Frankie. We were shocked when we got there. We were expecting no more than 10 kids. How about there were about 30??!! It was pretty difficult teaching them about nocturnal animals because they were so rowdy. You don't always get small groups that are easy to handle. Sometimes you get large rowdy groups that you have to bribe lol We waved the pelts in their faces then they quieted down haha No.. but it was a challenge.
I went to Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge in Long Island to visit another CDIP intern (My girl Jas!) and helped out with their summer camp. I had a lot of fun! The drive was a long way from Philly but when we got there it was worth it. I had the opportunity to see another refuge and see how they do things. They just opened up a new visitor center this past February and have launched their environmental education program with summer camp. I say they're doing a great job :)

Showing fellow campers animal skulls

A tooth! Whaaa!

Dissecting owl pellets! 

Love this <3 

I had a great experience working at another refuge! It was awesome and it was cool to see what makes each refuge special!