One Cold Wednesday

Karalyn and Carly snipping Phragmites. Photo Credit: Carly Hlbassko, ©TNC

One of the most memorable days in my experience of the Newton County Conservation Internship was not the most exciting, warm, or easy. It pushed me out of my comfort zone in a way I am most grateful for. There is an invasive species named Phragmites australis, also known as common reed, but most often just called phrag. Because this species’ preferred growing space is wetlands, shorelines, and ditches, a lot of properties that I was able to work on through the internship are affected by this invasive plant.

On a cold Wednesday afternoon, I was scheduled to work with Carly Hlebasko, Kankakee Sands Land Steward, to drive out to a targeted area, snip the Phragmites, and treat it with an herbicide. After a thorough rundown and preparation for the rest of the day, we set off in a UTV (Utility Task Vehicle) through the bison pastures and down the worn path to the area infested with phrag. We took a careful route through the pasture, making sure to maintain a safe distance from the bison while still being able to observe the bison closer than I ever had before. I watched them intently, and they seemed to look back with equal curiosity. Even the calves, young enough to still have the shaggy orange fur, peeked out from the herd of powerful adults and looked at us. I took it as a sign of them wishing us luck in our pursuit. The ride was bumpy, and with the last few days being rainy and gray, the entire area was soaked and flooding in some places. As the UTV rolled over the tall native plants, water flicked off and coolly misted our faces.

We reached the patch of Phragmites and began the treatment task, which Carly had told me was called “snip and drip”. It was a repetitive process: crouch down, snip the phrag at the base, and carefully drip the herbicide onto the exposed surface. We set into a quiet rhythm, each working at our own pace. After almost two hours of treating Phrag with the herbicide, my pants were soaked up to my knees, and my neck was aching from being crouched. At last, Carly’s work area and my work area came together, and we tackled the final patch together, both ready to be finished for the day. But despite the conditions I was in, I only felt fulfilled.

It is an incredible feeling to know that your work is meaningful and is making a difference. My temporary discomfort was another step in progress towards a healthier, thriving environment. That day taught me how much value I put on being able to work with my hands for the goal of a brighter future, and it reminded me of how much there is to be grateful for in my environment. I was grateful for the soft sounds the native plants made as the wind rustled them. I was grateful to see the bison, birds, frogs, and all wildlife so intimately and closely. I was grateful for the sun peeking through the gray clouds, which reminded me that there is always warmth ahead. I was grateful to be a part of the change.

I have had many rewarding experiences during my time as an intern for the Newton County Student Conservation Internship (SCI). I’ve removed lymph nodes from deer to test for Chronic Wasting Disease through the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and released pheasants at sunrise for hunters at DNR’s Willow Slough. I’ve designed and created informational pieces for kids and adults to interact with and learn from at The Nature Conservancy (TNC) community and outreach events. Spending time at the Soil and Water Conservation District has forged connections with peers and professionals that I will value for the rest of my life. So many of my work hours were spent exploring prairie, oak savanna, wetlands, and agricultural areas, collecting seeds for regenerative plantings, surveying soil health, and covering crop establishments in the most beautiful lands of Newton County. On the days I would come home from work and share stories with my family and friends, I was always met with, “Wow, you really did that?” But when I think about the cold, tough days I also worked through, there is just as much learning done, memories made, and value for my future as the new and exciting journeys I have been a part of.

Since that cold, wet Wednesday, Phragmites has seemed to follow me everywhere. Once you know how to identify it, you can’t go anywhere without seeing it. Although the sight of invasive species isn’t encouraging, every time I see it, I am reminded of that Wednesday I spent surrounded by it and of the lessons I have learned from this internship. But it’s not just the Phragmites that will follow me after this internship; I have been irreversibly shaped by the memories I have made, lessons I have learned, friendships and connections that have been built, and one in a million experiences I have been able to be a part of. I know that no matter what, these experiences have given me the best foundation for success wherever I go.

Karalyn and Ava at Bison Pasture
Photo Credit: Gus Nyberg, DNR

Intern Office Day 
Photo Credit: Alyssa Nyberg, ©TNC