My Nonprofit Reviews

The great thing about IJNR is learning about emerging environmental issues on the ground. You're hearing from the experts, while you're also in the field. It's like going to a cool seminar, but you're not in a sterile classroom or conference center. You're actually outdoors and learning.
I remember one night in southern Georgia helping with a controlled burn while on an IJNR fellowship. I'd often spoken with experts about how fire can help forests, but seeing how controlled burns are conducted was eye opening. It was interesting to learn the preparations that go into it, then how the burns are managed. We later discussed what the burning would do for the landscape. It gave me much greater insight and perspective on an issue I only knew in the abstract before.
Another great experience was simpler. Our group was taken to a mixed forest in South Carolina. In the forest, we heard birds, squirrels and other sounds of wildlife that lived in the woods. We then were taken to a pine plantation. The thing I remember most is how eerily quiet it was in the pine plantation, since it lacked a diversity of tree species. No birds or animals making sounds. The only real sound was the spring wind blowing in the pines.

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