Land Stewards

In her captivating short story, Sophia Mosbrucker recounts a thrilling night as a Refuge Technician during her MAI Land Stewards Internship. Amidst the stillness and starlight reflections, she learns the intricacies of frog calling and the excitement of wildlife tracking, all while overcoming her fear of the dark.

Meet Nate Jensen, one of our incredible AmeriCorps interns working with the Willamette Resources and Educational Network (WREN) in the beautiful West Eugene Wetlands! Since May, Nate has jumped into environmental education headfirst, teaching K-12 students about local ecosystems, creating curriculum, and getting his hands dirty with fieldwork.

Jessica Rodriguez reflects on her transformative journey as an MAI Land Stewards intern, From wielding chainsaws to exploring fire ecology, her experiences at Mt. Hood have reshaped her career goals and deepened her connection to the outdoors. Join her as she shares how this season of learning and growth has sprouted new possibilities for her future.

Aaron Lindsey reflects on how his MAI internship with the USFS Entiat Ranger District allowed him to merge his lifelong passion for dirt bikes with his love for the outdoors. Spending a summer working in the stunning Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forest, Aaron shares his gratitude for the experience and the incredible people he met along the way.

Jonluke’s journey as a Land Steward intern has been nothing short of an incredible adventure! From finding morels to working on the frontlines of forest fires, he’s embraced every challenge and opportunity along the way.

Land Steward Maiya McAuliffe, talks about invasive species control at Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Glenwood, WA. This is my first position as a biology. “This is my first position as a biology technician post graduation and I couldn’t have stumbled across a better first job.” 

I grew up in Indianapolis a very active kid - playing sports and spending most of my time outside in our yard and neighborhood. I fell in love with public lands and the outdoors at large after high school when I started rock climbing. I bounced around for a while...

I grew up in a rural area and spent most of my childhood outdoors. Family camping and hiking trips were a central experience for me growing up. I received my degree in Anthropology, and worked indoors for a long time. I missed the outdoors and had to get back out...

Hey y’all! My names JonLuke Mowell and I’m from Myersville, Maryland. My love for nature begins with my home and childhood; my surroundings were farm fields mixing with the Appalachian Mountains. This landscape became the backdrop for my passion in many different...

I grew up in Spokane, Washington in a tight-knit family, all with a love for the outdoors. Living in Spokane gave me a lot of access to outdoor recreation; I grew up Nordic skiing, hiking, kayaking, fishing, and so much more. I've always found being outdoors grounds...

Hi y'all, my name is Palmer. I grew up in Georgia and moved to Seattle when I was about 11. I fell in love with the outdoors from an early age as my family often went camping, and after moving to Washington this was increased tenfold. I feel as though the mountains...

Hello! My name is Maiya McAuliffe; I am from Tacoma, WA, as well as a recent graduate from Pacific Lutheran University with Bachelors Degree's in Biology and Hispanic Studies. I have been active outdoors person, whether it’s hiking, backpacking, scuba diving,...

My name is Aaron Lindsey. I grew up in Maryland in a small town called Hancock. I later moved to Hagerstown. I do not recommend visiting either of these places. I was fortunate enough to have two parents who thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors and consistently took me on...

My name is Bill. I grew up in southwest Washington where I spent many of my days in the woods on my family's timberland. I enjoyed my time in the woods, from Mt. St. Helens to the Cowlitz River, hunting to fishing. I am a hunter, a fisher, a hiker and a logger. I...

My name is Nate Jensen and I grew up in Salt Lake City, UT at the base of Millcreek Canyon. I am grateful to have grown up in such a beautiful place with the opportunity to explore Utah’s diverse ecosystems. With the Wasatch Mountain range in my backyard and the...