Summertime in The Coastal Prairie

An SRJC-BML Internship Story

by Cabrilla Wiecek
November 12, 2024

I just finished the Santa Rosa Junior College and will be transferring to The University of California of Santa Barbara in the fall. After a few years of trying to figure out what I wanted to study I have decided to pursue a bachelors of Environmental Studies with an emphasis on conservation work. After working at the Bodega Bay Marine Lab with Luis (Morales) I feel very confident with where my studies are going.

Two people crouching in a dry coastal prairie — Luis Morales and Cabrilla Wiecek

This summer Luis showed me the different components of what being a land steward is. I have participated in a few internships in my college career and this one made me realize that working and stewarding the land by the ocean is what I want to do for a career. Interning at the lab was an incredible hands-on learning experience. We focused on maintaining the coastal dunes, coastal prairies and the mudflats on the reserve. I learned a diverse range of skills as a land steward, from using mapping software, changing signs in the mudflats, surveying harbor seals and using different adaptive management techniques to controlling invasive species. To be honest; I wish I had more time working with Luis so we could have gone more in depth in more areas of this job.

Not only have I become more confident with stewarding the land and the processes that go into planning projects, like learning about the natural history of the landscape I’m working in, I have also had the opportunity to look into future career paths. Spending time with Luis looking at what kinds of jobs are offered in this field has inspired me to finish college. We talked about the skills that are required and what employers are looking for when hiring. He also gave me advice on classes to take in university and encouraged me to continue working at reserves. These experiences have made me excited to see where my future projects take me.