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[From Fall 1995]
I arrived on the Eastern Shore of Virginia in May from Ohio, fresh out of school with a degree in Wildlife Biology and excited by the prospect of new surroundings, experiences and opportunities. A job as the environmental education/biotech intern at the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge has provided me with all of these things.
While working here, I have gained experience in developing interpretive programs designed for leading groups around the refuge trails, and led several school groups on these trails during the spring and summer. I have had the opportunity to work with respected ornithologists on such projects as the piping plover survey and the 21st annual colonial water bird survey, both conducted at Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge. In addition, I have done my own weekly bird surveys, both on the Eastern Shore and Fisherman Island refuge. During these surveys, data was also collected on beached sea turtles for the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. I have also participated in projects such as royal tern banding, bluebird box checks, and monitoring population numbers of the endangered northeastern beach tiger beetle in a cooperative program with Kiptopeke State Park.
Many other tasks, too numerous to mention here, were included in this internship position. I must mention, however, that the people on the Eastern Shore are some of the nicest I have met anywhere and I have enjoyed working with them. The only bad thing about this job is that the time has passed too swiftly. Soon my husband Tim, my three year old son Blane and I will return to Ohio. I will then pursue more internship positions and a graduate degree in conservation biology.
Cheryl A. Dolen,
Environmental Education/Biotech Intern
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