Support
This summer, I had the privilege of returning to work at Three Mile Island camp on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. Owned by the Appalachian Mountain Club, Three Mile welcomes campers of all ages to enjoy a week immersed in nature free from the distractions of screens and centered around community and relaxation. This summer, I worked as a crew member performing camp maintenance and daily chores, while designing an internship for myself as "Island Naturalist Intern" with the help of the St. Lawrence Internship Fellowship Award.
In my Island Naturalist Intern position, I acted as an environmental educator to campers and a resource for any questions about nature on the island. My main project this summer was helping to facilitate the "Three Mile Island Biodiversity Project" led by biologist Diana Jolles from Plymouth State University. This is a citizen science project, which means that all the campers could contribute to forming a collection of different plant, animal, insect, and fungi species specific to Three Mile Island by uploading observations to the species identification app, 'iNaturalist.'. Each week, I would lead an information session regarding the study and would teach campers how to make species observations using the iNaturalist software.
In addition to this program, I was able to run separate outdoor activities for campers. These included fairy house building for kids, kayaking trips to nearby islands, and nature scavenger hunts. By doing so, I was able to interact with the campers on a more personal level and promote connection with nature for a variety of ages.
By the culmination of the summer, there were 484 new observations added to the "Three Mile Island Biodiversity Project" on the iNaturalist app, with the most observations being of plant species. I was happy to be able to contribute to a study that will help researchers more accurately identify the biodiversity on the island and see how it may change over time due to influences such as human impact and climate change.
I would like to thank my manager Tori Staley, biologist Diana Jolles, and camper Kai Bicknell for their mentorship throughout the summer. Additionally, I extend my gratitude toward those that made the SLU Internship Fellowship Award possible to fund this experience.