Author: LCF Fall 2024 Intern Brie
Week 1: Introductions
This week is the start of my very first internship. I was nervous but even more excited to start! We began the day with bagels and introductions. I met some of the staff at Laguna Canyon Foundation; Erika, the Field Coordinator, Marjorie, the Restoration Project Manager, and Taylor, the Education Coordinator, gave me a warm welcome. Taylor showed me around Priscilla’s Garden and shared a lot of interesting plant knowledge with me. The other intern, Victoria, and I spent the day going over the history of LCF. We learned about how LCF was formed when the local community protested to prevent building on critical habitat. LCF was formed to help the community to acquire the land in 1990 and has helped in protecting it since, including expanding into restoration and education work in 2007. This land is now publicly owned so that it can be protected forever. We learned about LCF’s Board and how they are integral to the work that the organization does. We also got to attend a board meeting on Thursday which was really cool to witness. It was interesting to see how different issues and topics are addressed and dealt with behind the scenes. I felt incredibly lucky to be there!
Week 2: Volunteering
We began our day by watching a presentation on the partnership LCF has with OC Parks to enable folks to volunteer according to their interests. We got to attend a volunteer-assisted event by Shelbi, the Resource Specialist at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. We went on a short hike to observe leaf adaptations on plants in the Coastal Sage Scrub ecosystem. After our hike, we got to look at leaves up close in a microscope to compare their different adaptations and what their purposes are. Afterwards, we got to join the group for an art project based on what we learned. We used leaves and flowers to dye bandanas by hammering them into fabric to release their chlorophyll and other pigments. It was such a creative idea for an art project. I might have to steal it for when I babysit my cousins! The whole day was a lot of fun, and I could tell the attendees enjoyed it. Everyone was engaged and having a good time, me included!
Week 3: Leadership
Week 3 was all about leadership. Victoria and I spent the day with Alan, the Deputy Director, and Christie, the Senior Director of Outreach and Education, learning about different leadership styles and what scenarios they are best used in. For example, autocratic leaders are great in situations where the group has less experience and not a lot of time to get a project done. On the other hand, when the group is experienced and trust has been established, a delegating leader would be the best fit, as they can assign tasks and trust that they will be done in the appropriate manner. One of the key things I took out of their presentation was that to be a good leader, one must be flexible and know what style is necessary for the situation at hand. We did an interesting exercise where we figured out what our most important values are and discussed how they are reflected in our daily lives. It was a cool experience, and I look forward to revisiting my values on a yearly basis to see how they compare! After the presentation and activities, we got to attend a 1:1 meeting with Alan and Marjorie, where we got to see first-hand how Alan establishes trust with his employees via open and honest communication and feedback. At the end of our day, we attended a field coordination meeting where we listened in on the crew discussing the week and planning for the next. So far everyone at LCF seems to really love it here, and I can see why!
Week 4: Community Partnerships
This week was so much fun! We started our day with Alan and Derek, the Senior Director of Development, where Derek gave a presentation on the different partnerships LCF has within the community. The close work LCF does with Orange County Parks was something I found interesting. I learned that OC Parks works directly with LCF to train volunteers. This means everyone who volunteers within an OC park receives the same standard of training. After the presentation, we headed out to attend a meeting with Alan and Derek where they would be discussing and revising the City of Laguna Beach’s General Plan. LCF Staff have been involved, along with other members of the local conservation community, in the process of updating parts of the City’s General Plan. It was super interesting to see how these things happen behind the scenes. I also got to meet LCF’s Founding Executive Director and a representative from Laguna Greenbelt Inc. They were lovely people, and I can really tell just how passionate they are about conservation. After the meeting, we went to lunch with Alan and Derek down by the beach. It was so much fun! We had chips and salsa for the table, and I ordered my favorite type of salad (Caesar!). This week was our first week where we got to get into the field and see some of the restoration sites LCF has worked on. We rode along with Alan and Derek as they did a back country survey through the hills (in willow canyon, I think?). We hiked up to the Dozer Scar Restoration Project where we saw some of the areas LCF had worked on previously. It was a beautiful hike and an exciting experience driving through the bumpy hills in the back of the pickup truck. I had so much fun!
Week 5: Conservation
This week has been one that I have been really looking forward to. We started our day with Marjorie, one of the Restoration Project Managers. She took us along with her on a hike through the land LCF’s office is on, known as Berns Canyon Preserve. She showed us several types of plants, making sure to explain how and why they are important and answering all of our questions. After our hike, Victoria and I met up with Alan, where he gave a presentation on conservation and habitat restoration. One thing that really stuck out to me was when Alan mentioned that since 2012, LCF has 7 completed projects (42 acres), 3 ongoing mitigation projects (57 acres), and 7 more ongoing restoration projects (37 acres), as well as future projects of 85+ acres! He showed before and after photos with this information and I was blown away. It is extremely inspiring to see how much their work is paying off. After the presentation, Marjorie and Erika took us to visit some of the project sites where LCF has been conducting restoration. We got to see the site where Erika worked her first week on the job as a conservation technician. I saw the site in pictures on the presentation, but getting to see it in person was something else. It made me so happy and hopeful. We also got to visit Aliso Creek where restoration projects have been ongoing to help bring back populations of endangered species like the Southwestern Pond Turtle (Actinemys pallida). Within 5 minutes of arriving, we spotted a Southwestern Pond Turtle swimming under the surface of the creek! It was almost unbelievable, but it was proof that restoration works! The creek is beautiful, and it was so relaxing to just sit by and watch. I honestly could have sat there until the sun went down. When we got back to the office, we helped Marjorie and the Field Specialist Cade with some of their tasks before we finished for the day.
Week 6: Development
Today we learned all about development and how a non-profit like LCF recruits and maintains their funding sources. Victoria and I started the day with Derek and Kelli, the Education and Development Consultant, who together make up the development team at LCF. I was excited for today because I hadn’t known much of anything about development before this—I thought it had something to do with land development and building stuff. Derek and Kelli were both so nice and funny, they’re easy to talk to, which makes sense given what they do for work. They discussed what skills are necessary to do this type of work, and what vehicles they use to get it done. To be successful in this field, you must be sociable and skilled at communication and marketing. Development requires you to build and maintain connections and relationships with past, current, and future donors! That is a lot of socializing that not everyone may be best suited for—I know my social battery runs out quite fast! I learned that although general donations are a huge help, most of LCF’s funding comes from grants, either from federal or state organizations, or private foundations. Derek explained how they usually receive about 11 grants a year, all of which must be applied to and get accepted. At the time of our meeting, Kelli was actually in the process of finishing a grant application that Victoria and I got the chance to proofread! It was helpful for me to actually see a physical example of what we were talking about. Writing and reading these seems like very tedious and detailed work. Plus, they have hard deadlines that must be met, which I think adds to the importance of having a development team (especially one as skilled as Kelli and Derek!). Towards the end of the day, we got to help staff write thank you cards to all of LCF’s donors. I really liked this part because I used to write cards at my old job, and it was my favorite pastime. Overall today was wonderful!
Week 7: Trails
It’s trails week woooooo!! I’ve been really looking forward to this week and it didn’t disappoint. Victoria and I started the day at LCF’s office with Craig, LCF’s new Trails Project Manager. He was so much fun! He gave us a brief presentation on the trail program and the basics of trail maintenance, like how important water drainage is. He emphasized its importance with a self-written song, MOVE H2O, performed to the tune of Chappell Roan’s HOT TO GO! It was incredible. I wish I recorded it because it was so good, I couldn’t believe he wrote it himself.
After the presentation, Nick, LCF’s Trails Coordinator, met us at the office, and we got ready for a day on the trails. Nick showed us to the tool shed and explained what tools we would use for the day. We got some work gloves to borrow and helped Craig fill up big jugs of water that are used for trail work, then we headed out. We went to Nix Nature Center, and before we started, Nick and Craig gave us a quick demonstration on how to safely use all the tools. Afterward, we headed to the trails for a quick survey to assess any problem areas. Many drainage areas were created; they just needed maintenance. We started on one of the drains towards the beginning of the trail and got to work! We started by sweeping the area and then breaking up the soil so we could re-carve out the drain. Once that was done, we added water to the dirt and started tamping the soil down to pack it in. This part was the hardest for me because it required so much energy, and my arms got tired with every tamp. It was really hard work, but that made it so much more rewarding at the end of it. My arms and hands are still sore as I write this a day later! So far, trails day has been the most exciting for me, but also the most challenging—which I appreciate. It was such a cool experience to get outside and get my hands dirty while doing something important for the community and the ecosystem. One thing that Craig said during his presentation that stuck out to me is that trails are “corridors of sacrifice.” Trails are created as a way for us humans to appreciate nature with as little disruption to these precious ecosystems as possible. Without these trails, people would not have the opportunities to experience and fall in love with nature, which is the ultimate goal—to help people understand that they are stewards of this land, and it is theirs just as much as it is anyone else’s to appreciate and protect.
Week 8: Education
It’s education week! I’ve been so excited for this week since the start of this internship because we get to work with kids, which is always so much fun for me. Victoria and I arrived at LCF’s office at 8 a.m. to help Christie, the Senior Director of Outreach and Education, and Taylor, LCF’s Education Coordinator, prepare for a field trip. We loaded Christie’s car with supplies for the trip and headed to Nix Nature Center to meet with the Field Educators and help set up for the day. Once we got there, Victoria and I got to slip in some birdwatching before Debbie and Dan, two of LCF’s Field Educators, arrived. They were both so kind and welcoming; they even let us interview them about their work here, which was a really cool learning experience. Before the kids arrived at 9 a.m., Victoria and I were assigned to educators to shadow and help during the field trip. Victoria went with Dan, while I went with Debbie to help her set up the activities for the day. The education team at LCF creates these really cool learning stations that the educators set up in areas along the hike for students to interact with. Today the kids would be learning about different adaptations that plants and animals have that help them survive in their respective habitats. My favorite station we set up was one that focused on camouflage. We had a bunch of different colored craft pipe cleaners that we scattered throughout the bushes for students to “hunt” like they were coyotes looking for prey. When the students got to this station, they were having so much fun, and it reminded me of an easter egg hunt! They quickly caught their bright-colored “prey,” while the earth-toned pipe cleaners blended with the environment, resembling an animal’s camouflage. The students learned the concept thoroughly and were having so much fun doing it, and it made me really happy. At one point during our hike with the students, we spotted a California scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica), and the kids got so excited. The jay was calling out, almost like it was talking to them, which they took and ran with. They started playing the game Red Light Green Light, where they would stop walking every time the jay called and wait for it to call again before walking again. It was hilarious and had us and all the parent chaperones cracking up! When we finished the hike, the students all gathered for lunch in the picnic area where we got to chat about everything they learned. I got the chance to sit with some of the students and hear what they thought of the day. Everyone had so much fun; I even talked to a lot of kids who said they wanted to come back here with their family. One student said he loves this place and wants to work here and be a scientist when he grows up! That made my entire day because that is the whole purpose of this program—getting these young people outside to inspire an affection for the wilderness that cannot be replicated in a classroom. After the field trip, Christie took Victoria and I to a restaurant in the canyon for lunch. The food was so good I’m drooling thinking about it right now. I ordered Eggs Florentine with potatoes, and ate every last bite. When we got back to the office, Emma, LCF’s Volunteer Coordinator, and Taylor gave us presentations about LCF’s education department and teaching skills, then we got to grade quizzes that another school’s 6th grade class took after their field trip.
Week 9: Finance and Administration
This week Victoria and I got to spend our day with Theresa, the Senior Director of Finance, and Sara, LCF’s Operations Manager. We started our day at 9 a.m. at LCF’s office, where we met with Theresa and Sara for a presentation on non-profit accounting. We were joined by Mike Austin, LCF’s Interim CFO, via Zoom. They explained how, as a non-profit, all money they make must go directly back into the organization, and although they don’t pay taxes, they must still file yearly reports of all spending to public record. We learned all about what being part of a finance team is like: bookkeeping, monthly financial reports for the executive committee and the board, grant budgeting and reporting, and contract review, to name a few. Something I had not known before was that the finance team must also have strict financial controls in place to prevent scammers, fraud, and human error. This involves separation of duties, like having two different people issue and sign checks, and dual controls, such as having two people open mail at once. This is all stuff that makes sense, but I had never really thought enough about working in finance to know it’s something that is essential. Sara gave us a presentation on HR and operations, where we learned about everything she does at LCF. HR and operations must work across all departments and are responsible for hiring employees, updating the employee handbook, training, processing payroll (along with finance), and adapting in the face of challenges like funding cuts, staff turnover, or unexpected costs. It’s a lot of work and it seems like it is very detail-oriented. They have to be extremely organized in order to do this work, which requires a lot of skill! Towards the end of our day, we attended a grants meeting with Derek, Sara, and Theresa. This was an interesting meeting since we got to see a real-time example of everything we had just learned about. Everyone was so kind (as usual!), and I really like Sara and Theresa’s personalities; they were quite easy to talk to! This is my second-to-last week here, and it started to sink in today. I don’t want it to end! Before I left today, I got to say goodbye to Christie and give her a hug and thank her for everything. She will be on vacation next week, so this was the last time I would get to see her before my internship is over. I’m sad it’s ending, but I am so grateful that I got to experience it. I’m excited for next week!
Week 10: Fuel Modification
The time has flown by, I can’t believe it’s already week 10. This week Victoria and I ended our internship on a high note with Chris, the Conservation Program Manager, and Ryan, LCF’s Conservation Specialist, learning about fuel modification and land management. We started with a quick presentation on what fuel mod is and why it is done. Ryan talked about how Laguna is a place where precious natural ecosystems meet the urban environment, giving rise to more chances of damage and disturbances to both. I learned that 87% of Laguna is in a very high fire hazard zone, making things like fuel modification, weed abatement, and home hardening essential in this area—especially considering only about 10-20% of the Coastal Sage Scrub ecosystem remains in comparison to its historical range. The purpose of fuel modification is to reduce the intensity of fires near homes and businesses by 75%, giving more time for fire crews to get on scene and for residents to evacuate. They do this by thinning out vegetation, which is the “fuel” to the fire, in areas by up to 50%. Since LCF is focused on conservation, they prioritize threatened species and make sure to flag them so that the crew doesn’t disturb them! We learned about Nature’s Image, a contracted crew that works under LCF supervision and direction on the weed management that’s necessary on these projects. I could tell these guys are really hard-working and pay close attention to detail just by the way Chris and Ryan talked about them. They seem to really care about the work they do and always make sure to avoid removing any protected species. After the presentation, we got to go along with Ryan as he did a survey transect of one of the fuel modification zones that’s located on the land next to LCF’s office. This part was really interesting. We got to see how Ryan measures and records the data that determines whether the 50% reduction goal in these zones is met. He started by laying out a 50-meter transect. Then, meter by meter, we would record all plant species observed. This was fun and gave me the chance to feel like a research scientist for a brief moment.
After we finished the transect, Ryan took us to visit a few of the fuel mod zones in the area (there are 27 in total!). This part was so much fun. We drove to a couple of different sites and got to see their work up close. Some of the areas we saw were on hills that were so steep that I can’t even imagine working out there without breaking something! It made me appreciate what they do, even more; it’s hard and dangerous work that not everybody is cut out for. Ryan is also super knowledgeable about plants, which is something I admire. He answered all my questions and named every species without a second thought!
Overall, today was so much fun and I learned so much. I’m ending this internship surer than ever that I’m in the right field. Seeing the passion that drives everyone who works here has been so special and inspiring to me. I will carry everything I’ve learned and experienced over these past 10 weeks close to me for life. I am so beyond grateful for being given this opportunity and getting to meet all of the wonderful people at LCF.