The Big Ditch

As of today I will have been living and working in Grand Canyon National Park for 1 month!

I’m an intern with the Vegetation Department of the Science and Natural Resource Division—Vegetation, Geology, Wildlife, etc, etc. The Veg. Department deals with revegetation projects, invasive species control/removal, and native plant propagation. Essentially, the goal is to kill non-native plants, and keep native populations alive and well. The department is full of outdoorsy, nature-loving, 20-30 somethings. I am one of 4 interns here for a 3 month stint, helping the Veg dept do what they do best.

We’re housed in a group of cabins called the Labor Cabins. (I share Labor Cabin #64 with fellow intern Steph). Now, it may sound like I live in some sort of communist work camp… but they are actually quite nice! No life of luxury, but warm, livable, and conveniently located. We’re just a 2 minute walk from the rim and the lodges, and the ranger ponies live next door!

Working at a National Park has felt a bit like getting a behind the scenes tour of Disneyland. It’s not that it’s disenchanting. I just now know how it all works now. I am no longer a visitor, I’m part of the process. It’s cool.

It has made me start to think that my dream job may actually exist in the world. So many NPS jobs are a beautiful mix of science and outdoor work within an awesome community of like-minded people. The kind of job that would keep me constantly learning and constantly doing. Manual labor…. with thinking! It may lead to a life of seasonal jobs with the National Park Service. Horsepacker in Yosemite? Trail Crew in Grand Teton? Biological Technician in the Rocky Mountains? Who knows… All I’m sure of is that I can get PAID to be OUTSIDE. And that’s all that matters.

This job will be a great jumping off point for all of that… and perhaps even more than a “jumping off point.” Somehow in the last week and a half…. (after 2 ½ weeks of regular intern duties: sharpening tools, shoveling snow, inventorying the camping supplies, etc, etc) I became the manager of the entire Grand Canyon Native Plant Nursery……..

Yeah, it sounded ridiculous to me too.

Thanks to a glitch in the NPS hiring process, my supervisor’s contract ran out at the start of March, and he can’t come back until April 12th. Leaving intern Kathleen to run the show for a little while. And as long as I don’t kill the plants in the next 5 weeks…. I’m good to go.

To sum: life is great with the Grand Canyon as a backyard. I even got an “employee” sticker for my car, so I can drive in and out of the park with just a wave to the ranger at the gate, snickering at all the tourists lined up to pay the entrance fee.