“Mom, I can’t believe they’re actually paying me to do this!”
General Biologist Chelsea Corcoran/Quadt makes an important friend. (Photo: USFWS)
My first job with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was on Metinic Island, 12 miles off the coast of Rockland, Maine, restoring the tern population, endangered and threatened seabirds off Maine’s coast. This door into the FWS was the first, of many, that would open for me.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would continue to be the only agency I would work for, from my freshman year of college and, at 25, am still here today.
After several summer field opportunities throughout the east coast, I now have the privilege to work at the home of the FWS, the National Conservation Training Center, where — go figure — I am able to create youth programs and recruit others to be able to have the same amazing experiences I’ve had throughout college and grad school.
I was hired under Secretary Salazar’s ‘Youth in the Great Outdoors Initiative’, which engages youth from ages 15-25 to pursue a conservation career, utilizing whatever passion they may have, from graphic designers, to pilots, foresters, and educators.
I am a piece of this Initiative.
I am a part of that target audience.
I am a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Chelsea Corcoran/Quadt, General Biologist, Division of Education Outreach, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Conservation Training Center
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This is like one of my favorite pictures in all of conservation.
Great blog post… short, to the point, but a powerful testament to our youth hiring programs!
One of the things many kids do during the summer is join a reading program at their public library. Those libraries are always looking for low-cost presentations and animals are especially popular. This is a great way to reach children who are suffering from nature deficit. In fact, I would be delighted to see a partnership with the Association for Library Service to Children to create an entire summer reading program focused on wildlife conservation.
The Florida Park Service, is celbrating July as Recreation and Parks Month. Kicking off during Recreation and Parks Month, but lasting through September, the Kids Exploration Challenge will be promoted to our younger audience. Parents and kids can go to http://www.floridastateparks.org, print the rules and checklist of activities, brink a book and camera to a state park and take the challenge. Kids are required to complete five activities on the list, including reading a book in a state park, and send a photo of each one to enter the contest. Not only will this build our kiddy photo inventory, it will also encourage kids to read in state parks and visit with their families.