Hello, my name is Cam Leavitt. I am a fourth year student at the UMaine at Machias and currently studying recreation and tourism management and I worked as a Rockefeller Conservation intern under Kyle Winslow this summer for DCC.
I began my internship in June. My first big project was at the Machias River Preserve. Kyle and I met a number of volunteers on the Homestead Trail and together we cleared out one of the historic cellar holes for interpretation. Trees and shrubs had been filling the rock foundation over the years to the point where one could barely see the hole. I was grateful to meet our volunteers, because I worked with many of them a lot more throughout the summer. I learned how to operate a line trimmer that day; it would become a skill I would use almost every day after.
Once I became more familiar with DCC properties, I began helping Kyle to maintain them. I cut back trails, mowed grass, and addressed small management issues like touching up blazes on trails and correcting signage. Sometimes I worked with Kyle on these projects and sometimes I set out on my own to brush out a trail. This kind of work would eventually extend all the way up to Lubec to places like Mowry Beach and Pike Lands Preserve. While this work could be exhausting, I always walked away from each project with a strong sense of accomplishment.
The most memorable day of my summer was the day we monitored some of our coastal properties by boat. Kyle and I met Board member, Robin Pinto, and her husband, Philip, at the Roque Bluffs boat launch. We went out on the water for the day to take a look at some hard-to-access properties. It was a beautiful day, and I’d never been out on the water in that area before. I remember being blown away by how fast we could travel from Roque Bluffs to Jonesboro over the water as opposed to traveling by car via Route 1! I have been able to explore so many new places in the area I grew up in thanks to this internship.
Towards the end of the summer, Kyle and I focused more on monitoring properties. That’s something we do to keep tabs on the land we preserve. It’s useful to have that data because if something happened on the property like a forest fire, we could look back on the reports and take the most appropriate steps for rehabilitation. Kyle and I would visit three or four properties a day while monitoring. We’d usually check the boundaries of a property and note any “problem spots” that might be present. A problem spot could look something like an eroding shoreline or a muddy section of trail that we like to check up on every year to record further change.
The biggest projects Kyle and I worked on were at Vining Lake Preserve to get it ready for the grand opening in August. We built bridges, leveled out an entire section of trail, and maintained the trail system for the event. We definitely worked our hardest at Vining, and it was worth it to see everyone at the opening enjoying the preserve and having a good time.
Even though my internship has ended, I am still working for the DCC as a part-time staff member of the team. I can’t even explain how awesome that is! I’m very fortunate to have gotten the chance to work with DCC as an intern and even more so to stay on with this organization now as a steward.
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Now Hiring for the 2022 Richard G. Rockefeller Conservation Internship: Are you interested in spending a summer learning about land conservation and practical skills involved in caring for land in Maine? THIS ENTRY LEVEL RESIDENTIAL SUMMER INTERNSHIP IS FOR YOU!
Wage: $14.00 per hour— free housing provided if needed
Requirements:
• Student in Maine (or some Maine connection) – undergraduate, certificate program, or trade school student applications accepted
• Available June 6 to August 12
• Must be self-motivated, willing and able to work independently or as part of a team, willing to learn new skills
• Must have reliable transportation
To Apply: Complete Google Form here
https://forms.gle/2vtbgLQjrf21P1Ez8
AND send cover letter and resume to interns@mcht.org
Application Deadline: February 23, 2022
Questions? email interns@mcht.org
Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) funds this program and helps match students with host conservation organizations for the summer. MCHT is a non-profit organization that conserves and stewards Maine’s coastal lands and islands for their renowned scenic beauty, ecological values, outdoor recreation opportunities and contribution to community well-being. MCHT provides statewide conservation leadership through its work with land trusts, coastal communities and other partners.