While days are going fast as the blistering summer dry lushes verdant fields into
a golden hue. These past months I’ve been enriched with a community that
dedicates its time to maintaining vital resources for future generations. By far,
I’ve been intrigued by the in-depth discussions shared within the SFWO by
exchanging information. I’ve learned a few things by one and one conversations,
training, and the care that SFWO strives daily to make service members content.
Since conservation agendas and policymaking can be an ear full due to
ambiguous terminology, it is immersing when it can be applied to protect and
manage an endangered species or critical habitat. It may seem inconsistent with
exorbitant setbacks; however, I view environmental policy as adjustable, flexible,
and adaptive to long-term ecological changes due to direct and indirect drivers
from human-induced factors. It’s what resonated within me as everyone else in
SFWO. It’s a sense of inner duty to not only preserve our resources but to
prevent a lingering feeling of what flora and fauna used to be when these resources
were available. Despite current climate disturbances, nature does resilient
wonders to resurface these magnificent displays yearly. Before I elaborate on
what I’ve done as an intern, I want to introduce myself to the Hispanic Access
Foundation Familia.
My name is Teresa Franco that is currently under the Military and Waterway
Planning Division team in the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office. I have
recently graduated with a degree in Environmental Studies, which involved
mainly learning topics about environmental policy, restoration, sustainability,
decision-making, water resources, plastic pollution, coral bleaching, and
mangrove forest secretion. While education is vital, the knowledge should be
applied to various fields by networking, which is essential for future professional
development by interacting and developing communication skills. During the
Beale AFB site visit, I learned that clear, concise communication exchanges are
necessary to allow conservation to occur. It symbolizes the automatic virtue FWO
service members dedicate themselves to nourish, conserve, and restore
resources. While communicating through the office is convenient, going directly
to discuss issues and projects is an essential key point to improving mutual
understanding and trust with site stakeholders. It increases the prospects of
future conservation developments and potential practical conservation measures.
The site visit mainly involved vernal pool discussions and a walkthrough of
possible project alternatives. It’s necessary to set a tone that will increase
cooperation to establish better options when discussing conservation measures
and project mitigation. Listening to a stakeholder’s reasoning allows them to
address any concerns and potential conflicts while suggestions can precede
throughout the discussion. In Beale, I learned exchanging conversations with
mutual respect enables agreements to be settled, preventing misunderstanding
with feedback and recommendations to make the conservation process less
intrusive. As an environmental steward, I’ve noticed that effective communication
tremendously impacts the outcome of conservation developments and is a
component of Section 7 consultation success.
Besides the Beale site visit, I’ve been working on the Valley Elderberry Longhorn
Beetle time frame reports, mainly along Feather River. As well as side tasks by
organizing information from conservation measures, Tails, and Ecosphere. The
highlight of this month was the Beale site visit and an opportunity to develop a
forthcoming exclusionary fencing method alternative for California Tiger
Salamanders by using empirical evidence and evidence-based frameworks from
previous studies.
Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Program: US Fish & Wildlife Service
Location: Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office
