I am the Conservation Educator and help with the wildlife crew. I’ve learned and done so much more than I ever imagined in such a short time. Throughout this experience I’ve had the opportunity to conduct Mexican Spotted Owl surveys, small mammal trappings, set up bat monitoring and interact with the public by doing events in the Smokey Bear garden and environmental fair events.

One of the events I was able to hold was doing a scavenger hunt with the Boys and Girls Club, where we walked around the station to find nature items. I also had the opportunity to go to Albuquerque for the 6th Annual Isleta Environmental Fair, where our theme was how nature not only sustains wildlife, but our lives though resources by providing opportunities for supporting local economies, recreation, and conservation. I’ve also had the opportunity to explore the White Sands Missile Range and learned about the plants there.

Another place I was able to explore was the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, where we learned about sinkholes and the many birds, and mammals that reside in that area. While doing these surveys, we hiked through Lincoln National Forest and explored various sites. I’ve met so many people throughout this time that I now call good friends. Before arriving to Ruidoso, New Mexico I had the opportunity to meet mostly everyone in the Hispanic Access Foundation in Denver, Colorado. In Denver, we were able to find out more information about the foundation, Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management that helped us prepare for our positions.