Mentoring the Next Generation of Wildlife Champions

By Steven Hammerich Wildlife Specialist

Pepperwood’s Conservation Science Internships (CSI) provide career development, mentoring, and training opportunities for the next generation of environmental scientists and stewards. The program is run in partnership with the Santa Rosa Junior College’s Math Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) program serving students from traditionally under-resourced communities. MESA plays a critical role in helping to recruit interns and provide a supportive community on campus. CSI interns analyze thousands of photographs from Pepperwood´s wildlife cameras to identify the number and type of animals observed. This work is an essential step in the process of understanding how we can use data to measure trends in our native biodiversity.

Thanks to the generosity of Pepperwood´s private donors, the CSI program has grown in size and scope over the past year. We have added a new type of position for experienced interns with a focus on learning advanced field methods, data collection, tracking, and mapping. We are delighted to announce that Vivianne Fuller is the first person filling this new Wildlife Field Technician role. She is working closely with Pepperwood staff and partners from the North Bay Bear Collaborative to collect black bear field DNA samples and to increase our understanding of black bear population dynamics across the region through coordinated efforts. We are grateful for the support to grow this impactful program in partnership with the SRJC!