Internships with Buford Park
Buford Park, better known as Mt. Pisgah, is 2300 acres of native riparian, savanna, and prairie landscape on the edge of Eugene at the confluence of the Middle and Coast Forks of the Willamette River. Following are some internship opportunities with us.
- NATIVE PLANT NURSERY 1-3 credits Year Round
Learn how a nursery works. Help with seasonal propagation and maintenance operations including planting, irrigation, weeding, harvesting, sales, and recordkeeping. Observe and learn to identify dozens of native plants in different stages of development. May include research on the ecological roles and/or cultural significance of specific native plants. Training and supervision provided. Tuesday/Thursday morning schedule preferred.
- HYDROLOGY SURVEY 1-2 credits Fall/Winter/Spring
Measure and record groundwater levels in wells and surface water levels on staff gages. Enter data into fieldbook. May update spreadsheet file. Approximately 2-hour field route covered twice weekly. May develop report correlating field readings with river stage and/or precipitation data. Training and equipment provided.
- HERPETILE SURVEY 1-2 credits Fall/ Spring
Survey reptiles and amphibians (such as lizards, snakes, frogs, salamanders, turtles, etc.) to determine how they are using certain habitats. Weekly site visits, 2-3 hours per week. Primarily visual observation, some handling may be necessary. Occasional wading may be required. Possible exposure to poison oak. Knowledge of species identification techniques for herpetiles and general field survey methods helpful. May summarize and interpret data. Training and materials provided.
Internships are unpaid. Interns benefit by learning inventory and monitoring protocols, observing ecological interactions, developing plant & animal ID skills, consulting with our professional stewardship staff, and participating in a high profile, regionally significant restoration project!
Interested students please call Val at 344-8350, or email us.
