The Missouri Department of Conservation is offering a 9-month Graduate Plant Ecologist Internship based in West Plains, MO, beginning in May of 2008. Here is the internship description:
Learns to identify the major plants in woodland, forest, glade, savannah and prairie natural communities, and shares this knowledge with others. Performs surveys to understand the ecology of a few rare plant species, and assists in developing management guidelines for these plants. Acquires a solid understanding of our native flora and the natural communities that they represent, a valuable asset for anyone seeking a professional position in conservation (e.g. wildlife biologist, natural history biologist, resource scientist, private lands conservationist, forester or naturalist). Asssists with botany training of seasonal vegetation crews. Performs vegetation sampling with the forest community ecologists and their crews in a variety of habitats. Inventories plant species with the plant community ecologist. After approximately 2 ½ months of intensive plant identification training, begins career exploration rotations, working with various MDC professionals for a week at a time. Benefits from these rotations by gaining knowledge and experience from a wide variety of professionals, and in return, assists the professionals with the identification of plants and natural communities. Alternates career exploration with field work studying rare species through fall. During winter, develops management guidelines based on the summers field work, assists the plant ecologist with data analysis from the MOFEP ground flora and soft mast studies, works with the field station herbarium, and performs other duties as required. For more information, go to http://www.mdc.mo.gov/about/jobs Susan Farrington Plant Community Ecologist Missouri Department of Conservation 551 Joe Jones Blvd. West Plains, MO 65575 (417) 255-9561 x 307 Fax (417) 256-0429
