My Richard G. Rockefeller Conservation Internship

By 2022 MCHT Richard G. Rockefeller Conservation Intern Hannah Bradish

Hello, my name is Hannah Bradish and I’m part of the Richard G. Rockefeller Conservation Internship at Maine Coastal Heritage Trust. I am currently attending the University of Maine majoring in Business Management and Environmental Science. Over the course of this internship, my time will be split up across three different land trusts—Falmouth Land Trust; Chebeague and Cumberland Land Trust, and Freeport Conservation  Trust. This is a unique opportunity to work with multiple land trusts and experience how each trust operates. Another unique aspect of my internship is that I am working along side another intern, Vladimir Reed, at each of these land trusts.

While working with the Falmouth Land Trust, Vlad and I were able to help with some bridge-building projects. It was so fun to learn basic carpentry skills and put together small walking bridges along the trails. There’s a real sense of accomplishment that comes from completing each bridge and walking over it.

Also, while working with the Falmouth Land Trust, I was able to GPS map trails in multiple preserves. Vlad and I walked most of the trails at each preserve we mapped and marked locations with any structures such as footbridges or signs. While walking along the trails, I was able to see so much beautiful scenery.

While working with Chebeague and Cumberland Land Trust, my favorite experience so far was being able to visit Chebeague Island and help lead a volunteer work day. To get to the island, we all rode the ferry—which was so fun! Once on the island, I helped volunteers who participated in the work day identify and properly remove invasive species.

Overall, I have learned a lot about land trusts and everything involved in creating trails for the public. I can’t wait for my next stop at the Freeport Conservation Trust to finish out my summer internship