Welcome 2017 Seasonal Staff

We would like to welcome the 2017 seasonal staff on board for the summer! Each summer, Wildlands Trust hires seasonal employees to help out with the stewardship of our properties, administrative tasks, education, events, and more. The seasonal staff members are often college students who are home for the summer, and many have been or will be involved with Wildlands year after year. We’re excited to have these four fantastic employees here this year!

From the Left: Hugh Grey, Maura Coughlin, Ryan Duty, and Hunter Wiese

Maura Coughlin is a rising sophomore at Simmons College studying Nursing and French. She’s passionate about her studies but also shows her love for the environment through spending time outdoors hiking, swimming, and slack-lining. Maura was a Green Team member last summer. Now in college, she returns as the Education and Stewardship Assistant at Wildlands Trust, helping out with Green Team and more!

Ryan Duty joins us for his second summer as a Seasonal Land Steward, helping Property Manager Erik Boyer out with stewardship projects at various Wildlands Trust properties. A rising sophomore at UMass Amherst, Ryan studies Clinical Psychology. He loves working outdoors, exploring new places and meeting new people!

This is Hugh Grey’s first summer working for Wildlands Trust as a Seasonal Land Steward. Hugh is going into his sophomore year at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont majoring in Environmental Studies and Music. He has spent all of his life outdoors whether it be skiing, hiking, sailing or playing football. Hugh is looking forward to the rest of the summer and fun projects to come!

Hunter Wiese is a rising sophomore at the University of California Berkeley studying Physics. He’s been volunteering and working for the Wildlands Trust since his sophomore year in high school, taking part in 2015 Summer Green Team and other projects. This summer Hunter is helping to create and organize Wildlands Trust's new online database before heading back to California.

Massasoit Students Canvas for Brockton Audubon

On a beautiful Monday afternoon in April, Massasoit Community College Honor Students led by professor Susan Martelli met up with Wildlands Trust staff, Erik Boyer and Ryan Krapp, to canvas the neighborhoods surrounding the new and improved trail system at Brockton Audubon Preserve. 

Massasoit students, professor Susan Martelli, and Wildlands Trust Property Manager Erik Boyer at the 20 ft. boulder, or "glacial erratic", at Brockton Audubon Preserve. 

The goal of the day was to hand out over 100 invitations to come enjoy the new trails located in the backyards of Brockton residents. There are now over 1.5-miles of trails with two new boardwalks, a large kiosk at the Pleasant St. parking lot, and five interpretive trail-side signs along the way. If you haven’t been to Brockton Audubon Preserve in a while you better stop by to check it out! Get the map here http://wildlandstrust.org/trail-brockton.

Thanks Massasoit Community College honor students for your volunteerism and enthusiasm for the work we're doing in Brockton!

One of the new boardwalk trails at Brockton Audubon Preserve.

Eagle Scouts Complete Project at Willow Brook Preserve

Willow Brook Preserve is experiencing a makeover this fall with the help of twins, Camden and Colton Cappa, from Pembroke Boy Scouts Troop 105. Both have hiked the preserve in the past and saw some ways that they could enhance visitor experience.

Camden is working on the carpentry side of things, replacing older benches and installing a picnic table which will allow visitors to stop and grab a bite while taking in a view of the picturesque fields at Willow Brook. Colton will be installing signage to help guide walkers to Willow Brook Preserve's most visited spots which include the Tower and the Mary-Harry Todd trail. Colton is also partnering with local drone photographer, Lee Woodward, to get some beautiful HD aerial shots of our preserve which we will be sharing on our Facebook page and website.

During this project, Camden and Colton received help from friends: Coleman Earner, Lucas Evans, Justin Geiser, Connor Giese, Eric/Greg Kaplowitz, Nicholas Palmer, Coleman/Sean Spring, and Thomas Tremblay.  If you know of any Boy Scouts who are looking for an Eagle Scout project, feel free to contact eboyer@wildlandstrust.org.

Trust "Green Team" Gets Outdoors

Seven local students completed Wildlands Trust 2016 Green Team this summer.  Despite being in the midst of a July heat wave, Green Team members spent two weeks learning about an array of topics in the environmental field from local professionals and volunteering with them as well.  Some of the highlights included:

• Constructing Bluebird boxes for Cape Wildlife Center in Barnstable and learning about wildlife rehabilitation from Lynn Miller.

• A birding walk and workshop with Brian Harrington at our Great River Preserve, followed by trail maintenance throughout Great River.

• A beach cleanup at Center Hill Preserve in Plymouth.

• Constructing a trail at the Halfway Pond preserve to connect to Myles Standish State Park trails.

• Learning about organic growing from Kofi Ingersoll of Bay End Farm in Bourne and harvesting garlic.

Wildlands Trust’s Green Team provides job training for high school students interested in natural resource work. Under the supervision of Wildlands Trust Staff, students undertake trail maintenance and construction, wildlife nesting box construction, beach cleanups, and invasive species removal and farming projects. Students who complete the program receive a stipend for their efforts.

Summer Intern Position's Available at Wildlands Trust

The Wildlands Trust has 2 summer internship opportunities available for the summer of 2016.  Preference will be given to qualified candidates who are college students majoring in an environmental concentration. 

Position #1-  Natural Resource Monitor
Location:  Plymouth, MA

Hours:     10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  12 weekend days between June 25th and August 21st    
                   (some flexibility for you to pick days)

Duties:    Intern will monitor the public usage of the Halfway Pond Conservation Area in
                   Plymouth collecting data that will become the foundation of a management plan.
                   Training provided.

Skills:      Great attitude! Data collection and observation skills, strong interpersonal skills,
                   good judgement, ability to ride a mountain bike, interest in being outside.

Stipend:  $500 upon completion of project.

Position #2 - Trail Intern
Location: Plymouth, MA

Hours:      16 hours per week, through August

Duties:     Work to ground truth the accuracy of maps of existing trails so we can prepare a
                   new publication on hikes in Plymouth. Training provided.

Skills:       Great attitude! Comfortable hiking in the woods alone, valid driver’s license,
                   self-starter, experience with hand tools, strong computer skills. Ability to use GPS
                   unit desirable.

Stipend:   $500 upon completion of project.

If interested in either of these positions, please send a cover letter along with your resume to admin@wildlandstrust.org. No phone calls please.