Nature Nexus Institute and LA Audubon Society Internship

Ryan Stanley, Spring 2023

Hello, my name is Ryan and I am a junior environmental studies major with an emphasis in oceans, life, and people. This semester I interned with Nature Nexus Institute and LA Audubon Society. Nature Nexus is a local organization which works to foster community engagement with nature and wilderness projects in Los Angeles, while LA Audubon works to preserve bird populations and engage the public about bird conservation. Both serve to make the environment more accessible to Los Angeles communities.

As an intern, I perform habitat restoration at Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook and Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area. My work consists of removing invasive species such as wild radish, mustard, chrysanthemum, and planting California natives such as the California Sunflower and various native sages. Nature Nexus also maintains greenhouse programs at each site, at which I have performed transplanting, watering, and seeding. As part of their community outreach, Nature Nexus also has greenhouse students who are local high schoolers working on environmental projects of their own. I have been able to interact with them on multiple occasions including giving them a presentation on an aquaculture project I do outside of my internship.

During my duties for LA Audubon, I have been able to participate in surveying Snowy Plover populations at local beaches.

I have found my habitat restoration, surveying work, and interactions with the greenhouse students extremely rewarding. I have been able to learn much about my local environment and see how nature and communities can best interact.