Interns had the opportunity to network with professionals and learn more about projects happening in Contra Costa County to protect local watersheds. Read more about one intern’s experience:
” I attended the Creek Invaders event, hosted by the Walnut Creek Watershed Council, and I had a wonderful time. I learned a lot about invasive species that I didn’t know before. I had no idea that there were 50,000 invasive species in the U.S. or that only a few were actually intentionally brought into the U.S. For example, the Kudzu vine grows up to one foot a day and completely overtook the South and the Brown Tree Snake has infested itself into just about every nook and cranny that Guam has to offer.
I talked to a ton of different people about things that they were passionate about. There were these guys at the meet and greet talking about possible usages for a bad invasive plant species. They said that they may be able to dry the plant out and use it to build homes for bees. It was creative and helpful, as there is an excess of the plant, and if you’re going to have an apiary, you need a little bee house.
As far as careers go, I learned that I can be a drone operator, head of an organization that cares about Trout, or someone who studies watersheds. I didn’t really know that these careers existed. I guess I never really thought about how all of these things got taken care of in our society.
I’m really glad that I went to the DVC event because I bonded a lot closer with my fellow interns. I got to know a lot of really cool people and made quite a few new friends. “
-Emma Lubinger, Earth Team Intern at Pinole
Zaid and Tricia watching a drone demonstration