I knew something was strange when, instead of just taking the number from the machine, Betty Ross made me listen to the message.
The message was from a botanist, Dave Moore, at the Kisatchie National Forest. At first, I was confused. This couldn't possibly be about the post I made to a Google group less than 20 minutes ago. Then, my heart leaped with glee. I thought, he's going to offer me a job or an internship or something. Home. Kisatchie, even. But as I listened to the message he sounded a bit unsettled, curt even. Before leaving his number he stated that he was calling regarding the "lack of botanical opportunities in Louisiana." I new my comment on Louisiana Native Plant Society's discussion board was a bit brazen and presumptuous, but this guy seemed to be on a mission to find out who I was. After all, I had not even attached my phone number to the post. He must have hunted that down online. All in less than 20 minutes from clicking the "send" button. So here is what I posted, in response to native plant job opening in California:
Hello everybody... I'm new to this google group but have lived in
Louisiana most of my life and have been interest in LNPS for a few
years. I left Louisiana only in the last two years for professional
development in natural history and environmental education. I'm
looking to come back home soon, and so my question is this:
Why aren't there more opportunities in Southeast Louisiana for amateur
naturalists, botanists, etc. (young and old) to participate in native
plant education, monitoring and conservation? Most parts of the
country have botanical gardens or universities that sponsor citizen
science programs, that reach out for volunteers, that offer
internships for professional growth and citizen literacy. Why don't we
have them?
California is so far away. I just want to work on conserving my home
in Southeast Louisiana, even if I don't have my masters in plant
ecology, I think I should be able to contribute my energy and
enthusiasm, right?
Matthew
Extension Naturalist
Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center
Yellow Springs, OH 45387
What I thought would go unnoticed, elicited quite a few responses. Six, in fact, and the most board activity in almost a year. Some touted the opportunities that are out there. Some referred to Louisiana being in the dark ages. After only a few hours, the discussion was quite diverse and healthy. I stayed late in the office that day to finish the following response:
First of all, thank you everyone for your responses. I hope I did not make
anyone feel unrecognized or unappreciated by my loaded, vague questions.
There is certainly a burgeoning community of naturalists, birders, buggers,
botanists and conservationists out there doing amazing things in Louisiana.
And there are some amazing gatherings in Louisiana. I just learned about
the BBBBB which is great! Bugstock, LEEC's annual symposium and CRCL's
volunteer plantings are fantastic as well. Charles Allen is fantastic! I
burned much fossil fuel to meet him and be his sole attendant on a
wildflower walk in the spring of 2010.
But if you will stick with me for Part II in the discussion, I think we
might be able to all agree that there is a unique "market gap" that could
be filled in Louisiana, in particular around the urban centers where
natural (and human) communities are being lost to development. The key word
is internships and volunteer programs.
A few examples may help illustrate my point, if you would not mind looking
over the following links briefly.
Texas Master Naturalist Program
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/land/programs/txmasnat/
<http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/land/programs/txmasnat/>
New England Wildflower Society's "Plant Conservation Volunteer Corps".
http://www.newfs.org/volunteers/conservation-volunteers.html
California Native Plant Society "Rare Plant Treasure Hunt".
http://www.cnps.org/cnps/rareplants/treasurehunt/get_started.php
Chicago Botanic Garden's "Plants of Concern"
http://www.plantsofconcern.org/
Iowa Natural Heritage Program's "Land Stewardship Interns"
http://www.inhf.org/inhf-internships.cfm
Five Rivers Metro Park's Nature Programs
http://www.metroparks.org/GetEducated/GetEducated.aspx
Whether BTNEP, Louisiana Natural Heritage Program, LSU's Museum of Natural
History, TREE, LOOP or even Barataria Preserve... I have not observed one
website that offers internships or structured volunteer opportunities in
environmental education, land management or rare plant conservation. Of
course, everyone has a section on their website that says "Want to
volunteer? Contact___." But that isn't the same as planning for volunteers,
committing to volunteers by offering them a program that promises
intellectual and professional growth and publishing these opportunities
online.
But volunteering isn't the same as an internship either. Our young adults
(high school and college graduates and beyond) are a terribly under
utilized resource. They have young energy, new ideas, idealism and the will
to learn new professional and life skills. What non-profit or government
agency wouldn't want to get twice the labor for half the price, all while
training the next generation of environmental leaders?
Of course, Louisiana isn't an internship dead zone. But such opportunities
are too often passed through biology departments or other convoluted,
bureaucratic channels like usajobs.gov or thesca.org. Regardless, such
opportunities are not published on websites and open to the competition of
citizen scientists, amateurs and the talented passer-bys.
Now to my story: I studied literature in college (the transcendentalists,
go figure) but came to Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center to spend a year
outdoors and learn how to teach better. But while here, I fell in love with
natural history and scientific inquiry. When not working over 50 hours a
week (for only $150/week, keep in mind) I looked to Ohio Certified
Volunteer Naturalists or other . became dedicated citizen scientist and
sworn amateur botanist. If I could have had an internship like this in
Louisiana, I would be so much closer to beginning my career in Louisiana.
Such internships are not uncommon in other parts of the country, as you
might have seen.
So with that I pose a new question: Where are those internships, those
structured learning opportunities for adults? The kind that help people
start careers? Would you agree that this is an interesting "market gap"?
Thanks in advance for those of you who indulge my philosophical,
job-desperate rantings. I apologize if I've taken over the group. Best of
wishes to all my brethren nature geeks!
I was a bit embarrassed by the type-o I left, but chose not to acknowledge it. One person suggested I run for governor. Another made notice of a new Master Naturalist program in the works out of LSUAgCenter. (This, by the way, is TREMENDOUS news and is a real game changer for Louisiana.) Many people seemed to agree that there is a "void" that could be filled.
Throughout the whole process (that began yesterday at noon), I've been on edge, checking my email frantically to see who might respond. It seemed my whole life has been leading up to this moment and that perhaps I had planted a seed that would one day grow broad and strong as a live oak. There will be much to research and report on this subject in the near future.
But until then join Louisiana Native Plant Society's Google Group for the full discussion and to learn about hip botanical madness in Cajun Land.
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