A Summer Spent in Streams
Summer 2024 with Riverscape Restoration Intern, Danielle Terry
At the beginning of our busy field season, we equipped each of our four summer interns with a waterproof film camera so that they could capture the unique experience of their Sageland Collaborative internship.
For our Riverscape Restoration interns, Danielle and Harmony, this meant setting out to conduct water quality and habitat surveys at our restoration sites across Utah - from the striking orange sandstone formations that tower over Fish Creek to the sparkling shores of Smith & Morehouse Reservoir near Red Pine Creek.
Get a glimpse into Danielle Terry’s summer experience with us through her photo blog and interview below:
What has been your main takeaway from your time interning with Sageland Collaborative? How do you see this work making an impact?
I have loved being around the team at Sageland. I've learned so much this summer, but the most important lesson is this: we can only make progress together.
When I began this internship I knew I would emerge a different person than before, and I'm glad with how it turned out. This was both an extremely challenging and rewarding summer. The hot, tiring days made the days with shady streams all the more rewarding. I see the impact that Sageland and the riverscape team have on the community around us through our interactions with agency partners, landowners, and volunteers. People are excited about what we are doing! And, I hope that the passion Sageland Collaborative imbues in others can continue to grow in the coming years.
It is a gift to show others the beauty in nature they might otherwise miss, beneath each silt-covered stone is a world we might never know. Within the tangles of willow are complex systems we can only begin to understand. Between the beaver and the people, motivations are easily lost and common interest becomes a matter of force rather than listening. It's important that we are there as mediators. Their value lies not in what use we may see for them but in their kinship to us. Should it be an inconvenience for us to allow nature's reclamation, when all she needs to thrive is so little? This is what it means to be a steward, to preserve and protect. Preservation is not a passive task, and I've seen how Sageland is an active player.
How has your understanding of "riverscapes" changed since you started this internship?
Of course, I have learned many technical and scientific aspects of riverscapes this summer: how to conduct Rapid Stream-Riparian Assessment (RSRA) surveys, test water quality and health, identify macroinvertebrates and plant life, and understand beaver natural history. But, I would say that the most important thing I learned about riverscapes is how crucial water is, especially in such an arid landscape. We know rivers are the arteries of the Intermountain West, but we may not truly understand that until we have walked so many miles through them in meticulous detail. We know beavers transform the land around them, but until you behold such an intimidating pool as a beaver pond, you won't grasp this fact.
This work is made possible through the generous contributions of our volunteers and donors.
Will you make a gift today to sustain the future of wildlife and land conservation in the West?
Any memorable experiences that you'd like to share from your internship?
My best memory from this summer is from Parley’s Canyon. Harmony and I were out on our first RSRA survey on our own and it was swelteringly hot. I was walking along the stream in a pair of waders when I came upon a magnificent beaver dam analog (BDA) with a small waterfall cresting overtop. The water below looked shallow enough to simply jump over into it, but when I leapt I was engulfed and I came to rest with the water nearly above the top of my waders! That was the day I really got to test out the 'waterproof' rating of my backpack.
What's next for you? Next steps, big dreams?
I have big dreams, I think you have to in order to be successful in the field of restoration and wildlife biology. Today I still have the dream I had when I was a little girl: I dream of working with wolves.
We are proud to foster the next generation of natural resources professionals - from the sciences to communications, it takes all of us to make an impact for the wildlife and lands we love.
Fill out the interest form on our Career Opportunities page to stay up-to-date on opportunities to join the Sageland Collaborative team.
Article by Sierra Hastings
Photos by Danielle Terry & Harmony Brenish