My name is Savanna Lopez and I was born and raised in rural central Iowa. My love for the outdoors started when I could walk. I grew up on a homestead out in the country and my father is an avid hunter and fisherman and was the first to teach me about land stewardship and how to respectfully enjoy...
Man’s relation to the outdoors has always been of great significance to me. Having grown up near the Cascade Mountain Range on a small farm in the town of Graham Washington, I was fortunate to have a great wealth of exposure to the outdoors. Raising livestock, hiking, running, hunting, and fishing...
I grew up in the west metro area of the Twin Cities, MN. I spent many summers as I grew up going on expedition canoe trips organized by my uncle and mother. I had very mixed feelings about them when I was young, but looking back appreciate them as an important part of my life. I went to college at...
Hello, my name is Alexander, and I was born and raised in Chicago. I attended Southern Illinois University from 2014 to 2019 and studied architecture, landscaping, and history. Currently, I am in Chicago as a landscape designer for a high-end residential firm. Previously I worked as an AmeriCorps...
I grew up in Texas but moved to Carnation, WA during the latter half of my childhood. I have many siblings and soon began experiencing the beauty of the PNW with my family - mostly my father and brothers. During adulthood, I have continued to visit wilderness regions but have done so mostly in...
My name is Tanner Blake and I love being outside. I grew up in Renton, Washington, riding mountain bikes, and when I was 13 my family moved to Cle Elum. While living in Cle Elum I learned that I really enjoyed hiking, backpacking, and nature photography, so when it came time to graduate from high...
I grew up in northern Wisconsin, on the south shore of Lake Superior where I was able to explore and foster a passion for the outdoors. I spent a lot of my free time on the water and in the forest with my younger brother, which made me realize how much I value the land and life around me. This...
I realized pretty quickly after graduating from the University of Missouri - Columbia that an office job just wasn’t going to do it for me. Languishing inside during the most beautiful days of the year was just too painful for me to continue with. Then I found the perfect opportunity to get...
The Umatilla National Forest (UNF) recently restricted access to the public due to unfavorable fire conditions. The unprecedented heatwave that washed over the Pacific Northwest in June set record-breaking high temperatures causing fire season to come early. Until the forest closure, I was working...
When the pandemic hit, I was living in Minneapolis, MN and working as a corporate copywriter in the healthcare industry. I slowly realized that I needed a change. A year and a half later, my life could not be more different. I never thought I’d be working in the outdoor education industry with...
What an incredible three months this has been for me, when I first started this program, I really didn’t know what to expect, was I going to love it or hate it? Are the other interns and forest service employees going to be good people? Can I handle living away from...
My first summer on the west coast has been filled with adventures both professional and personal. I’ve explored Mt Hood National Forest and the Columbia River Gorge, as well as Portland, all the while really getting to know the Timberline lodge inside and out. My...
I am so excited to be serving an Americorps internship with the US Forest Service through the Mt. Adams Institute’s Public Lands Stewards program! I have been working as a wilderness ranger at Mt. Adams Ranger District for about 10 weeks now and already have been able...
The first week I was at my internship I went on a walk around the wetlands by myself with the goal of learning the names of 5 flowers and 3 insects. I had just downloaded the app Seek by recommendation from my boss. Seek is an app (that I also now recommend to...
I have been an avid outdoorsman my entire life. Hiking and exploring the bountiful forests of Washington State has been a favorite summer pastime for me, but it was never something that I thought I’d actually be paid to do. My AmeriCorps internship with the Entiat...
This is my second Americorps position, and there are many reasons why I decided to serve another term after my first one. My position title is Wilderness Backcountry Ranger and I currently serve in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in the Entiat Ranger District....
Every job has its ups and downs. Being a backcountry wilderness ranger is no different. Today is a down day. I have a bit of a migraine, and our original trip plans to work our way up the Prince Creek Trail doing logout have been thwarted by the fact that the river...
One can engage in few activities more rewarding than meaningful labor done willingly. That is the core of public lands stewardship. I grew up playing in the woods and creeks of western Pennsylvania, but sometime in my teenage years, I lost my connection to the land....
Conboy National Wildlife Refuge As a Public Lands Steward with AmeriCorps, I’m stationed at the Conboy National Wildlife Refuge in Glenwood, Washington. Conboy is a refuge hosting various waterfowl, elk, reptiles, amphibians, and many species of birds. The most...
Trout Lake, WA - Mt. Adams Institute has received a $1,149,768 grant from AmeriCorps the federal agency responsible for national service and community volunteerism. This funding will support up to 74 AmeriCorps members across the country participating in Mt. Adams...