Program Highlight: Forest Conservation Internship Program

Spencer and full-time Audubon Vermont forestry professionals discussing future management for the Green Mountain Audubon Center's bird-friendly sugarbush.

Meet the interns and professionals from the Audubon Forester Training and Endorsement Program developed right here in the Green Mountain state by Audubon Vermont! Spencer Ogden spent his summer completing a Forest Conservation Internship with Audubon Vermont. Forest Conservation and Bird-friendly Maple internships at Audubon Vermont provide opportunities for young adults to receive mentoring and paid, hands-on training in conservation. These experiences also provide early professional development opportunities and a pathway to becoming the next generation of Vermont foresters and conservationists.

Spencer and other interns participating in the Audubon Vermont forestry-focused internships receive mentoring from wildlife biologists and forestry professionals and training in forest management, forest inventory, GIS, and landowner education. Interns work with Audubon staff to improve forest and working land habitat health, creating a pipeline of trained young adults interested in careers related to forestry, conservation and land management.  

Supporting a new generation of conservationists is critical because Vermont lies within the northern forest which is home to some of the richest bird communities in North America. Healthy forests are essential for both resident and migratory birds, and stewarding forests with birds in mind can benefit biodiversity, as well as climate resiliency and carbon dynamics, which are key goals in Vermont’s Resilience Implementation Strategy. Most forests in Vermont are privately owned, and Forestry Interns gain experience engaging with and helping private landowners steward these forests. Stewarding these forests is the drive behind the Audubon Forester Training and Endorsement Program (FTE).  

The FTE program seeks to foster enduring partnerships across a network of foresters, working to ensure the application of bird-friendly management practices at scale. Birds are a compelling tool to engage landowners, as they are diverse and charismatic - as well as readily observable indicators of forest ecosystem health.

Catamount Outdoor Family Center

Forestry Interns from Audubon Vermont have also had the incredible opportunity to participate in monitoring an ongoing University of Vermont study where researchers were able to mimic old growth forest conditions at Catamount Outdoor Family Center and Talcott Woods in Williston. The project is part of the Climate Change Response Framework, a collaborative effort spanning the US and Canada exploring strategies aimed at increasing forest resiliency in the face of a changing climate. Audubon Vermont interns and staff have been assisting in this exciting climate resilience project by conducting point counts throughout the study.

With guidance from their supervisor, Tim Duclos, Audubon’s Forest Conservation Interns have taken their skills to the next level and conducted these surveys solo. Tim shared that this project has been both perfect for intern skill development and allowed Audubon to substantially increase their capacity for landowner support. This summer, Spencer, a recent UVM graduate was the Forest Conservation Intern collecting data. In June, Spencer’s days often started by heading into the forest at sunrise to visit forest management locations where he identified and recorded birds they heard or saw, as well as gray squirrels, red squirrels, and chipmunks, known to prey on forest bird nests.  

Talcott Woods

An 88-acre forest located in Williston, Vermont. The forest was donated to UVM in 1962, with a designation that the land be used for teaching, research, and extension activities

With guidance from their supervisor, Tim Duclos, Audubon’s Forest Conservation Interns have taken their skills to the next level and conducted these surveys solo. Tim shared that this project has been both perfect for intern skill development and allowed Audubon to substantially increase their capacity for landowner support. This summer, Spencer, a recent UVM graduate was the Forest Conservation Intern collecting data. In June, Spencer’s days often started by heading into the forest at sunrise to visit forest management locations where he identified and recorded birds they heard or saw, as well as gray squirrels, red squirrels, and chipmunks, known to prey on forest bird nests.  

The data collected tells a story of hope. Recreating old growth-like conditions has improved biodiversity. Bird and mammal sightings increased from year one to year three – including nine of the Birder’s Dozen species. Researchers were encouraged to find that species preferring interior, mature mixed hardwood forests found suitable habitat just two years after the forestry work took place highlighting both the resilience of ecosystems and the ability of species to recover from disturbances.

This summer for the first time, American Woodcock, Indigo Bunting, Common Yellowthroat, and Mourning Warbler were also observed. All four species found suitable habitat, which would not have been present without the forestry management work completed by Audubon and UVM. They also encountered their first Wood Thrush this summer, demonstrating that the forestry work conducted created habitat for yet another species that was previously absent.  Spencer wrapped up his internship with an article, Forestry in Action: How Forest Management is Helping Birds in Williston | Audubon Vermont about his experience and the data he collected. He wrote that, “Overall, our data helps us conclude that the forestry work enhanced structural diversity and created a range of habitats, leading to a healthier, more diverse wildlife community in just two years.” 

Experiences in engaging with landowners, conducting forest inventories, using GIS, participating in habitat resilience research and professional writing all go a long way toward preparing Audubon’s Forest Conservation Interns with the skills they need to become the next generation of conservation professionals stewarding Vermont’s forests for the future.