Not only did I get to meet the other fellows for the first time, but I was also able to fly commercially for the first time which was a whole other experience on its own. It was a great and fun experience overall though and I learned a lot from others who have been working in the refuge system for a long time. I also learned a lot about what the expectations are for us in this phase which will be until about the end of August. It has been a busy few weeks since I got back to the Texas Gulf Coast from reviewing literature on vulnerability assessments as well as viewing the best possible vulnerability tools for this assessment. Since I got back, I have been able to go out to Matagorda Island and drive along the beach from the North to South end. I received my UTV certification with the Fish & Wildlife Service and took two Texas A&M university researchers and an employee of General Land Office (GLO) to collect samples for a survey they are conducting on petroleum along the entire Gulf Coast. I was also there to survey the beach for stranded sea turtles where I documented the species, length, and general age of the turtle. The number of sea turtles that I found was reported back to Ecological Services and will be kept on record to help determine why these sea turtles are not making it all the way onto shore. I am excited to see what the next few months will be like for me as I go on in the fellowship and hopefully, I can meet the fellows in person again down the road!

Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Program: Civilian Climate Corps Program (CCC)

Location: Aransas NWR