2016

Fairbanks, Alaska

in 2016, I was hired by the bureau of land management through the Geological society of america’s (GSA) GeoCorp program as a soil scientist in the outdoor recreation management team.

Fairbanks, AK - Based at the Eastern Interior Field Office (EIFO) in Fairbanks, I coordinated outdoor recreation management plans as they appealed to soil and watershed conservation management practices with a team in the White Mountains National Recreation Area (WMNRA), Steese National Conservation Area, and Birch and Beaver National Wild Scenic Rivers. I assisted engineers with surveying projects to develop a detailed digital elevation analysis using differential leveling at various field sites. I worked with a fire specialist to coordinate an Alaska Fire Service Crew at Fort Egbert in Eagle to mitigate the intense wildfire risk by implementing a controlled tree and debris removal.

Below are a few of the other projects I had the opportunity to work on and alongside great mentors.

Quartz Creek

White mountains national recreation area

Utilizing my advanced understanding of soil science and hydrology, we were able to identify at-risk zones in the local watersheds and use heavy machinery and backcountry tools to control and protect those areas by employing senior trail design practices to prevent turbid water from entering the drainage system and potentially impacting the delicate fish habitat and water quality. These practices included building rolling grade dips, outsloping, and properly aligning switchbacks. I also helped our team maintain the main road running through the WMNRA, Nome Creek Road, by utilizing heavy machinery and power tools to lay and grade fresh gravel. I acquired basic carpentry skills during the construction and restoration of various backcountry public structures. 

Mt. Prindle

White Mountains National Recreation Area

Various outdoor recreation management projects were carried out surrounding Mt. Prindle - including trail maintenance, planning and design. I wrote an Environmental Assessment report that proposed safely developing a new trail to Mt. Prindle in accordance with soil erosion and watershed sedimentation mitigation.

SCA Trail Crew

summit trail to Wickersham dome

I helped manage the efforts of an SCA (Student Conservation Association) Trail Crew to control erosion on several hiking and ATV trails in the WMNRA. Pictured below is the project that took place on the popular Summit Trail to Wickersham Dome. Before the crew’s diligent work to divert the standing water, the trail had large sections of extremely boot-sucking, muddy conditions.

Stream restoration

Steese National Conservation Area

I spent several days and nights working with the BLM’s Hazardous Waste Specialist and crew on a stream restoration project in the Steese National Conservation Area in east-central Alaska. Gold mine operations from the 1800’s and early 1900’s left the rivers clogged with heavy metal rich sediment and uninhabitable for native fish populations.

installing a gage station

Jack Wade Creek in Chicken, AK

I assisted the EIFO’s chief hydrologist to install a solar gage station and collect measurements for a stream reclamation project along Jack Wade Creek in Chicken, AK. The stream had been impacted by local mining operations. We performed a field analysis of cross-sectional stream flow and bed load characteristics. We also calibrated the gage to the site’s ground temperature by installing a probe at the permafrost boundary in the soil column.

Birch Creek float

Towards the end of my internship, I went on a ~two-week float trip with our team down Birch Creek, a national wild and scenic river and Yukon River tributary. Our objective was to record any sites that displayed signs of excessive human activity, large and abandoned mining materials, and potential cultural sites that might require further preservation or excavation.

Lee’s Cabin

white mountains national recreation area

As part of the Outdoor Recreation team, we hauled in construction materials via ATV over a 15 mile ride to Lee’s Cabin - a public use cabin in the White Mountains National Recreation Area - to repair damages done by a local porcupine.

Table Top Mountain

Trail Maintenance

Chickenstock

Bluegrass Music Festival (Chicken, AK)

While on assignment with the BLM’s chief hydrologist working on installing a stream gage station alone the nearby Jack Wade Creek, we were able to take a much invited break and join the festivities of the 10th annual Chickenstock bluegrass music festival in town.

Granite Tors

Chena River State Recreation Area

Often after I got off work, before heading back to the barracks on Fort Wainwright, I would drive out to the Granite Tors Trail (15 mile loop) and hike into the night under the safety of the ever-present dim summer sunlight.

Denali National Park

From working so many overtime hours, I had the fortunate opportunity to take a week vacation and meet my friend who works as a Mine Geologist at an underground mine in Juneau, AK. We decided to go on a backpacking trip in Denali National Park.

Weekend Adventures

Exploring the Eastern Interior

living at fort wainwright

While working for the BLM at the Eastern Interior Field Office (EIFO) in Fairbanks, I lived at Fort Wainwright, a United States Army Post, in the Alaska Fire Service barracks along with the Hot Shots.

training

The first week of being in Alaska consisted of an intensive training schedule involving ATV certification, chainsaw safety, wilderness first aid, and bear awareness.