Careers in Conservation By Sarah Brewer
Having returned for its seventh consecutive year this summer, Careers in Conservation has remained a favorite program for various staff and volunteers in the Parks Department’s Natural Areas Division. A beautifully collaborative effort between Parks, the United States Forest Service, and John Muir High School in Pasadena, what began as a simpler program with a smaller scope has grown into a life-changing growth experience for the participating student interns, as well as the staff who have the pleasure of running the program.
Originally, the goals for C.I.C. were simple enough: introduce students, largely those with limited outdoor experience and conservation-related career exposure, to different career possibilities in the field of conservation. Along the way, however, the program grew to fulfill various unanticipated roles: bringing shy students out of their shells; giving youth the feeling of self-empowerment and worth; and changing the lives of the supervisors who plan and oversee the program. Far more than just offering students and supervisors alike the chance to grow professionally, CIC has branched into the rare and wonderful territory of promoting immense self-discovery and creating lifelong memories.
Now a seven-week program that runs over the summer, CIC brings together supervisors from both the Natural Areas Division (who oversee and operate the County’s Nature Centers and Natural Areas) and the US Forest Service, who together carefully craft and implement a busy full-time schedule for the students. While much of the program is spent completing various fieldwork and restoration projects throughout the County and Angeles National Forest, the students also obtain naturalist training and attend special presentations by career professionals. This includes representatives from agencies such as other
departments within the County of Los Angeles, the National Park Service, California State Parks, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and other wildlife conservation and historic preservation organizations. Additionally, the students learn about first aid and survival techniques, as well as acquire skills in hiking, interpretation, and public service.
During their adventures across all corners of Los Angeles County, students also learn to keep specialized field journals, recording their observations and activities, which allow them to leave the program with an enriched and detailed resume to take into their college years. Many of the students who have graduated from the program have gone on to alter their career paths to focus on conservation-oriented careers. Many of the students are the first in their families to attend college and are attending UC and CSU schools across the state, with majors including wildlife biology, forestry, environmental engineering, education, wildland firefighting, and veterinary sciences. These students continue to inspire their supervisors year after year, and as the program continues, it will be thrilling to see these young adults graduate college and enter their respective fields, making the world around them a better place.
It is with great optimism and gratitude that the Careers in Conservation staff look to the future of the program, with the hopes of its longevity and growth. In the meantime, we’ll see you on the trails!
Yenesis Cruz “I believe that I changed that summer from the moment I came the first day to work...I felt happier, courageous, strong, brave, and basically like a female Tarzan. I learned so much about the environment, our land, and about myself that summer. Every time I go on a hike with my friends I always point out the native plants and tell them what they do. Because of C.I.C., I was well-taught about animals, plants, botany, and more.”
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