This summer, I’m living and working in Yellowstone National Park! I’m very grateful for this opportunity and I am proud of myself for working hard to get myself here. “A Summer in Yellowstone” is a new blog series that I created to share my experience.
An Introduction
About ten years ago, Jill and I vacationed in this park. We were amazed by all of the characteristics that make this a unique and wonderful place. Since our visit, we yearned to return some day. I never once dreamed of working in the park. Most of my life, I thought that a career in wildlife was too farfetched to consider. However, much has changed since then and my reality has surpassed dreams. A summer in Yellowstone promises to be a grand experience and it’s one that I would love to share with you.
What am I doing in Yellowstone?
I’ve been hired by Yellowstone Forever to work for the Yellowstone Wildlife Health Program. Basically, I get paid by a non-profit and get my orders from the National Park Service. My job entails working with various animals – amphibians, small mammals, and bats – on projects associated with wildlife disease research. This is an extraordinary opportunity for a “self-proclaimed generalist” to work with many species and support a variety of research projects on wildlife and ecosystem health.
Living and Working in the Park
A visit to the park is unforgettable; living and working in Yellowstone will change you forever! Although I’ve named this series “A Summer in Yellowstone,” my stay in the park lasts from mid-May through mid-September. In a dorm setting, I reside in Mammoth, Wyoming and most of my work takes place north of Yellowstone Lake. Outside my door, bison and elk lumber about the way, travertine steps steam across the street, snowy mountain peaks touch the sky, and the Yellowstone River rushes towards Montana. My morning commute is full of sights that are placed on postcards. My days afield promise adventure and sights that are grander than I described. I anticipate that my work and play this summer will be a life changing experience!
What does it mean to me?
I was looking for more exotic experience before grad school – something beyond the familiar – something that will expand my horizons. There is no argument that working in Yellowstone is a great career opportunity and I’m sure that it will look great on the resume. However, exploring a new ecosystem and working with new species is most important and exciting to me. I’m still wrapping my mind around the fact that I am one of those charged with caring for this great land. I’m eager to see how this chapter will influence me; in what ways will I grow?