Off Road Adventure

So there hasn't been much change from last week, except for a lot more work! Last week I was the new, naive intern, and now I am carrying my weight and then some in our office. As with most state offices, we have far too much to do and not enough staff to do it. I have things that are starting to be time pressing and the procrastinator in me is rejecting the concept of deadlines. I am trying to learn which things should be priority and which ones can be on the back burner for a bit. With this upcoming PIC conference, my main focus has been preparing for not only the conference but the dinner event we are putting on as well. But on the other hand there are a few more things that have to get done right after that event is over and I have to make sure they aren't forgotten in the hustle planning stuff for PIC. But enough about the boring parts of work...

This weekend was awesome, want to know why? Cuz the New Zealand All Blacks won the Rugby World Cup, on home turf, after 24 years of being the best in the world and just not winning the World Cup. It was so awesome to go hang out with my Aunt and Uncle who were just as big All Blacks fans as I am. I was so proud of them! They really did something amazing, they held off France (barely) 8-7 and the festivities since have shown just how much their country loves them. And it has made me miss NZ soooo much, especially seeing everyone celebrating in giant groups and watching the celebration parades. I know a couple of them are taking a vacation in the US, wonder if they are going to stop off in Hawaii :) I wish!

Doing our Haka pose, though nearly not as scary as 15 large rugby guys doing it!

 Unfortunately my very awesome weekend was tainted by illness on Monday morning. I felt bad missing a day from work so early on, but it was just not possible for me to leave my bed. The good thing was that it only lasted a day which meant I was free to go on a field trip today! We went to Waikele valley today to look at a giant property. The owner wanted us to take a look so that they could enter a Safe Harbor agreement. This sets a baseline for any endangered species on the property and allows for you to improve the habitat and possibly "take" (kill) an endangered species as long as you dont go below your baseline. It protects people from getting in trouble with the endangered species act. I also think he just wanted to show us what his plans were. He was really cool, worked as a geologist but also has a passion for restoration. He taught us various native plants and kept us going at a very quick pace as we went up from the valley onto the ridgeline. Our trails were ones created for a tunnel system to move water 70 years ago, but then there were also some extremely dangerous trails that he had created himself. I just kept hoping that I would channel some grace and NOT fall off a cliff face and die. The road getting up there was insane as well. Our car was bouncing for an hour like we were on Indiana Jones at Disneyland. At one point we got out of the car to put sticks and vegetation on the mud because the car was not moving! It was definitely an adventure and incredible seven hours in the field. Heres some pics!

First Field Trip!

So I have now completed only 3 days at my new job and I already feel at home. My bosses are great and have so much knowledge to share! My first day was filled with lots and lots of reading. I am working for the forestry department, but mostly focused in land assistance programs, so similar work to what I did for my senior internship at the NRCS. The projects I am focusing on have been the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and Forest Stewardship Program. Haven't heard of them? Well that makes two of us. So my first day was spent reading about these various programs and becoming educated on them. I also got introduced to a couple more projects that I am still waiting to learn more about.

While the first day was a bit of a bore (reading dense material on the computer for 9 hours) the second day was much better. I was going on my first field trip! So I am assisting with a Pacific Islands Conference at the end of this month and we were hoping one of the FSP projects could host a dinner for all the islands. These islands include American Samoa, Palau, Guam, Federated States of Micronesia, and a few more, to come to Hawaii to discuss forestry issues specific to Pacific Islands. I am so excited to get to help out with this conference and meet all these incredible people especially since I have such a focus in the Pacific Islands. Anyway, back to the field trip, we went to this beautiful agroforestry farm in Kalihi called Ho`oulu `Aina where they are working to grow medicinal plants and all native Hawaiian plants. We discussed menu ideas for this dinner and they described things I haven't even heard of so I am super excited to be involved and learn new things. It was also great getting to go outside and experience a new ecosystem. It is amazing how much I learned going on field visits with the NRCS, without even realizing it. I learned what plants are invasive and native to California, but none of that applies here. Its a totally different forest and I have a lot to learn. So far we have gone over Albizia which is all over Manoa and Hawaii and invasive to Hawaii and Kukui, the state tree, which is also invasive. I also got to see what Koa looks like when its not the kitchen table I am eating off of! I am so excited to become familiar with a more Polynesian ecosystem.

Another project I am working on has been changing the rules in their statutes, which means I am putting all those law classes to work. It is a bit weird how much I enjoy reading statutes and knowing why particular language is used over another. I am excited to get going on this so that hopefully by the time my internship is coming to a close, I can say I helped change a statute! I am also working on the Big Tree project to help get Native Hawaiian trees on a national register and just got an email from someone doing the same thing but for New Zealand! So I hope to either get a few of our trees on the national list and a couple more on the Pacific Islands list in New Zealand.

So enough about work. Many of you ask how I am doing and what I am up to. To be honest, I've only had one weekend so far and it was spent unpacking my giant suitcases and becoming settled in my new life. Most of the time my days include work, going for a run, dinner, then relaxing before retiring quite early (as many of you know I am a bit of a night owl so this has probably been the hardest part). Running has been so enjoyable here, and I am not sure if its because the humidity makes it easier to breathe, the downhill at the beginning of my run, or the slight mist that is always hanging around Manoa in the evening. I just feel happy while running, which hasn't been the case since I took 3 months off after spraining my ankle. It has been a highlight of my day and I am hoping possibly a key to making new friends since I plan on joining a running club soon. This weekend I look forward to meeting up with some family returning from the World Cup in New Zealand (I am soooo jealous) and watching the All Blacks take on Australia. Hope to check in soon!

Heres a couple of pics from the field visit!

New Resident of the Great State of Hawaii

So I am not completely sold on wanting to do a blog for my time in Hawaii since I am just going to be living here and its not like im a tourist, considering how many times I've been to Hawaii. But I am thinking that it would be a good way to reflect and to share hopefully what will become really cool things related to my new job.

So in case you are unaware of what the heck I am doing in Hawaii, im going to fill you in. After graduating from UCSC with a degree in Environmental Studies, I went out into the real world in search of a job. I applied mostly to federal jobs because I had experience working with the NRCS already. I also knew that I wanted to work in Hawaii at some point. I decided to go the Hawaii Conservation Conference in the beginning of August in the hope that I could network and maybe get hired. I learned a lot and met tons of great people, but wasn't offered any jobs. What I did learn was that there was a group called KUPU that placed people in environmental positions in Hawaii using Americorp funding. They had year internships with a living stipend and an educational award at the end. After inquiring about my chances to actually get picked, I was pretty sure I had found my next employment.

So I was interviewed by a couple of groups that were interested after looking at my resume and application. It was all phone interviews mostly asking what experience I had, what I was most interested in, and what my responsibilities would be if I worked at their office. Both of my interviews were with the Dept. of Land and Natural Resources: Div. of Forestry and Wildlife but were different focuses in that department. I quickly heard back from the Forestry section and agreed to be their intern for the year!

I have been lucky enough to have experience with traveling and moving somewhere new, whether it was moving to Santa Cruz for college or studying abroad in New Zealand. I kinda thought that this would feel the same way. However, as I was on the way to the airport, I realized that this was probably the last time I would call LA home. There is no return home ticket waiting to bring me back to all the friends and family in California this time. It was a bit of reality check since I had made this big decision on a whim. Add in a bit of stress about having two very large suitcases (at the maximum weight and still short of belongings) and two bags pushing the boundaries on the term "carry on" and I had a bit of a freak out.
Once I got to my gate, I heard they were offering a $400 flight voucher, $30 food vouchers, a hotel room for the night, and 1st class tomorrow if you gave up your seat and I instantly agreed. Then I had a voucher to come home at some point AND got to fly 1st class. So I got a shuttle to the hotel, and Heather D. joined me at the hotel for some dessert, compliments of Delta. The next day I flew in style, drinking mimosas, coffee, tea, eating an egg omelet and chips, and pretty much over indulged in a way that only a coach flyer would.

Yesterday was my first day and I went and picked up my car which we had shipped out so I wouldn't die riding a moped (thanks mom) and then ran some errands. Mostly it was me attempting to put off unpacking, which I successfully did (still incomplete). I am staying with family in Manoa which is pretty close to work, which is in downtown Honolulu. I went to check out my work today to pick up paperwork and to get a feel for the office (aka figure out work appropriate clothing). Turned out they were doing a meeting going over their various projects in the office. I got a general overview of what my responsibilities were and even ended up with my name on projects despite not officially starting work until Monday. The most exciting thing was learning that there would be a lot of new things to learn. I will get a lot of opportunities to build on skills I already have (private land conservation projects, GIS) but I also get to learn new ones like spatial analysis, compliance, lobbying for legislation, all things I am eager to do. Best part, there will be island hopping in my future! DOFAW (Dept. of Forestry and Wildlife) has a couple of easements on various islands and each year they have to do monitoring of the property and I get to go along! Theres at least one on the big island and one on Molokai that I get to go see. I also have a field trip planned to do some invasive control at a marsh on the winward side so hopefully I will have some fun pictures for you all soon.

Well I guess I should probably get back to unpacking, still have a whole bag and a half to deal with :)