By Ryan Zamonis, VetsWork Intern serving with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service out of Vancouver, WA.
What have you worked on, and how has it benefited your service site or community?
During my service, I balanced complex technical data management with field operations to support the recovery of threatened and culturally significant species in the Columbia River Basin. I strengthened monitoring efforts by installing fish weirs on Pinhead Creek and conducting Pacific lamprey surveys at Willamette River, Multnomah Channel, East fork Lewis River, and I-5 bridge sites. I enhanced operational efficiency by assisting as a technician in the installation and troubleshooting of equipment such as solar-powered RFID antenna arrays at Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge. Additionally, I ensured mission readiness by maintaining research vessels and verified over 605 survey videos, and proofing data sets, to maintain high data integrity.
Read more via the slideshow below!