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Intern embarks on Adirondack Land Trust project

Jessica Henshaw Grant (Photo provided)

KEENE — Jessica Henshaw Grant has been selected to fill the Adirondack Land Trust’s first internship. She will work this summer to document places protected by the conservation organization that provide recreational benefits to Adirondack communities.

Originally from Homer, Alaska, Grant completed a bachelor’s degree in conservation biology from SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry in 2019, with a minor in environmental policy and communications. She is currently an intern with state Sen. Rachel May, of Syracuse. Previously she worked as a kayak guide in the San Juan Islands and as a trail crew volunteer with the Student Conservation Association, and she has conducted academic research, including a fungi inventory in Ecuador and a capstone project to create a plan for recreational use of a 120-acre property in Central New York.

This summer, Grant will explore more than 20 sites conserved by the Adirondack Land Trust that provide public access, sharing her travels via social media and an ArcGIS StoryMap, which combines text, interactive maps, photos and other digital media. The internship is an independent conservation communications project.

A recent survey reported that 35% of students who have accepted summer internships nationwide learned the internship was canceled, and 24% of students have been told their internship will be virtual. This internship is expected to proceed, barring unforeseen changes in public health and safety guidance.

The Adirondack Land Trust expressed gratitude to board member Barbara Glaser for providing support to initiate the internship. Glaser, along with the late conservationist Clarence Petty and his son Ed, has also founded internships for the Adirondack Council and The Nature Conservancy’s Adirondack Chapter, giving dozens of young people a substantive start on careers in conservation. For information on how to help the Adirondack Land Trust internship continue in future years, contact Nancy Van Wie, director of philanthropy, at nancy.vanwie@adirondacklandtrust.org.

The mission of the Adirondack Land Trust is to forever conserve the forests, farmlands, waters and wild places that advance the quality of life of our communities and the ecological integrity of the Adirondacks. The land trust has protected 26,632 acres since its founding in 1984. To learn more, visit adirondacklandtrust.org or contact info@adirondacklandtrust.org or 518-576-2400.

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