DETAILED JOB DESCRIPTION:
The internship represents an opportunity for a student to work with members of the Land Preservation Society of Norton (LPS), collecting geospatial data and using GPS technology to layout and map trails in the Woodward Forest and other areas in Norton. This project involves working with data from Assessors Maps, ESRI ArcGIS PRO mapping software, satellite imagery from Google Earth, and other online mapping tools.
This is a multi-year project that includes, but is not be limited to, developing a documented process for mapping the holdings of the Land Preservation Society of Norton. The first phase of the project is largely completed, thanks to the efforts of Wheaton students and LPS volunteers. During this academic year the results of their effort will serve as a template, to be applied to other conservation properties that are part of the LPS. The larger goal is to place the maps on the LPS website (http://nortonlandpreservation.org ), where they could be easily downloaded. The maps would also serve the purpose of providing a digital foundation for ongoing conservation and ecologic studies by the Norton and Wheaton communities. In particular, these digital, online maps will be a valuable tool for investigations of environment by Wheaton students and others.
The approximately 1000 acres of LPS land support a variety of habitats and a rich biodiversity. For example, numerous vernal pools serve as breeding grounds for various amphibians and insects, and a home for fairy shrimp, wood frogs, spotted salamanders, blue-spotted salamanders, Jefferson salamanders and marble salamanders. Glacial deposits record the advance and retreat of the period of continental glaciation. Native American and 18th and 19th colonial activity have left their mark on the landscape as well.
This internship will appeal to students with an interest in the environment, natural resources and/or urban studies, who are:
• Comfortable reading and working with maps
• Comfortable with working in the woods, when conditions are appropriate and safe
• Desire to learn GPS and GIS technology, which are essential tools in
The intern will not only learn how to creature digital maps, but how to design and implement environmental projects. The project will also provide ample opportunity to work with a small group of other interns to design and implement a significant environmental effort. Moreover, the experience will be of value for those who are considering graduate school or employment in environmental the environmental sciences. Further information can be found in the current LPS newsletter, where there is a report on the activities of Wheaton College interns this year.
http://nortonlandpreservation.org/downloads/files/LPSNews%20May%202019.pdf
The time commitment for this internship is flexible.
LEARNING GOALS:
• To learn how to produce digital maps, using GPS and satellite imagery, and GIS software
• How to use these maps as a basis for designing studies of the biological, geological, and anthropogenic imprints on the land
• To document tools they develop, so others can continue their work
