We were so fortunate to have had an incredible intern with us over the course of the summer…we’re so grateful for all of your efforts, Molly!
Tell us a bit about yourself, where you grew up, your connection to the Cape, where you’re going to college and what you’re studying:
I grew up in Franklin, MA, just about an hour from the Cape, and spent summers camping in Falmouth with my family. Eventually, my family bought a house in Falmouth, and I still love to spend time there. Now, I’m a Natural Resource Conservation Major at UMass Amherst.
What made you want to intern for a land trust on Cape Cod this summer?
Cape Cod has always felt like home to me, and it felt important to give back to my community and the land. It also gave me the opportunity to learn in a place where conservation is becoming an increasingly important issue.
What skills did you learn as a result of your internship with Orenda?
I learned so much during my time with Orenda. I’ve developed specific skills for turtle protection, I am more comfortable having educating conversations about local environmental efforts, and I have a much deeper understanding of local land protection and nonprofit work than I did before.
Do you see the skills you learned helping you in a future career/life in general? How so?
The skills I’ve learned during my time with Orenda make me a strong candidate for future research and field work positions. They also make it easier for me to get involved locally, as I understand more about how community work gets done.
What was the most challenging part of this internship? Favorite part?
My favorite part of the internship was getting to visit properties across the Cape as I helped monitor conserved land for proper use and wildlife activity. The most challenging part was that sometimes this meant trekking through high brush and thorns to monitor across the property!
