Thank you, summer 2024 interns!

Our internship program helps us support the next generation of environmental leaders on their career paths. This summer, we had two interns supporting the work of our Land Conservation department. 

Learn more about these leaders and the efforts they made possible.

Ethan Phan: Summer field ecology intern

Ethan assisted everyone in the Land Conservation department on a wide variety of projects. He participated in our long-term monitoring surveys for birds and monarchs, recording and entering data into our records. His field skills were invaluable. He also wrote portions of a natural resource management plan for a neighborhood group. His contributions helped us collect more data and survey more sites than we would have been able to accomplish without help.

Ethan impressed us with his positive attitude and willingness to learn new skills. He's extremely adaptable and a pleasure to work alongside in the field. 

Ethan's reflections

"I had the joy of working with the Land Conservation team on a wide array of amazing projects, ranging from early-morning bird surveys to evening volunteer pollinator events. A highlight from the summer was getting to conduct vegetation surveys while riding my bike along the Mississippi River Greenway. Every experience and opportunity granted to me this summer helped grow my knowledge and appreciation of the natural resources field, all of which could not have been possible without the amazing work and guidance of everyone at FMR. It was truly an honor to work and learn alongside such talented and motivated conservation superstars!

"This fall I'll be returning to Flagstaff, Arizona, where I'm working towards a degree in ecology and evolutionary biology with a focus on statistical ecology. Once my time in school wraps up, I would love to return to Minnesota and further my career in conservation and environmental education."

Nick Levine: Summer field ecology intern

Nick brought his native plant knowledge to our Land Conservation team, conducting flower and vegetation surveys and developing a species-specific guide of management techniques. His work will contribute to FMR's research assessing habitat for the rusty-patched bumble bee and other bumble bees, and provide a valuable resource for FMR's ecologists to reference when conducting habitat restoration and designing natural resource management plans. 

Nick impressed us with his attention to detail, independence and motivation. He was interested not only in doing his job well but in challenging himself to learn as much as possible along the way.

Nick's reflections

"I worked alongside Julia Leone to survey prairie and oak savanna habitats for flowering vegetation and pollinators like bees and butterflies. I learned so much! From finding state-endangered flower species to IDing my first rusty-patched bumble bee, this summer was full of new experiences. I'm immensely grateful for all the time I spent swimming through seas of tallgrass prairie, and I can't wait to take my expanded knowledge of habitats and apply it to landscaping work. 

"I've started a landscape design business based in Duluth, and servicing the Upper Midwest! It's called Nick's Natives, and I create native plant landscapes that serve local ecosystems."