This fall we welcomed another set of new faces to our Sustainable Forestry Internship program, led by FSI Director, Sam Perron. During this 6-week session, interns learn and work alongside staff on forestry, conservation, habitat management and landowner outreach projects. This year’s interns have been performing invasive plant control, practicing pre-commercial thinning and low-impact tractor logging, performing wildlife habitat and landscape-level ecological assessments, tree planting, firewood processing, and landowner consulting.
Alex DeRoehn – Alex was born and raised in the Northeast Kingdom before attending the University of British Columbia, where he studied Urban Forestry and Greenspace Management. After receiving his degree in 2018, Alex worked as a forestry consultant in British Columbia with B.A. Blackwell & Associates Ltd. where he focused on urban forestry, wildfire hazard abatement, and tree risk assessment work in the urban and peri urban landscape. Outside of forestry, Alex enjoys playing the guitar, hiking, and backcountry camping.
Rachel Poppe – Originally hailing from southern Minnesota, Rachel spent the past couple of years romping around the country. After graduating from Boston University in 2018, she worked in conservation and outdoor education in Idaho, northern Minnesota, Vermont, and New Mexico. She excited to be back in New England and learning more about forestry. In her free time, she likes to cross country ski, run, hike, and knit misshapen socks.
Devin Straley – Hailing from East Dorset, Vermont, Devin originally came to NWSC as a member of the White Mountain Backcountry Pro Crew, spending ten weeks this summer doing historical stonework on the Glen Ellis Falls Trail in Jackson, NH. He is now eager to learn all he can about forest management during his present position as a Sustainable Forestry Intern. Having grown up tromping the woods with a nature loving family, Devin found meaningful connection to the natural world early on and never looked back. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Ecology with a concentration in Natural History from Sterling College in 2019, with his senior research project focusing on novel approaches to enhancing site attractiveness for breeding success in Barn Swallows. Learning opportunities and inspiring mentors have come (in gratifying abundance!), a few being working with Audubon VT’s Winged Warbler Habitat Study, Project Owlnet’s saw-whet owl banding station at Petit Manan Point (and two amazing Boreal Owls), teaching children New Games in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, studying native forest regeneration in the Scottish Highlands, carving gourd canteens with rocks in the Southwestern United States, and countless humbling hours trying to discern the behavior implications of the tracks, gaits, and sign of the wildlife with which we share this landscape during many an eco-tracking workshop with David Brown, Janet Pesaturo, and Susan Morse.
When not out tracking, birdwatching, hiking, canoeing, pulling invasive species, moving stone, digging trail tread, assessing trees — or gently tapping them to see if a flying squirrel will pop out of it’s cavity, Devin may often be found woodworking, playing trumpet (pretty badly since leaving high school), playing hockey (pretty badly since leaving high school), reading ancient and medieval history, and exploring his love of all things Scottish.
Amanda Sanfiorenzo – Raised in the tropic forests of Puerto Rico, nature is my biggest and truly inspiration. In my 30 years, I have been learning and knowing about our earth, the environment and our surrounds, how to care and protect them so our next generations can enjoy it and keep passing it.
The farming and working experience I have gather in the Northeast for the past 7 years, have positively impacted me, finding places like this that helps me to keep learning and promoting a healthy path in life and to be responsible with our environment. NorthWoods Stewardship Center is the most similar place to home far from home. The living experience, been in the outdoors, working with trees and wood brings me the most memorable memories of my childhood with my family.
As an artist and anthropology student, nature is always an inspiration for my work. The opportunity for me to completing the internship program at NorthWoods is giving me the tools and teachings for me to be able to go back to where I was raised and help the forest in its process of recovery from the hurricanes damages in the past, and see it flourishing back like I remember it was before. Thank you to all the team at the Center for their hospitality and for making this a more than a memorable experience.