Brynn clearing invasive yellow flag iris at Lower Donovan Creek Preserve.
Please welcome summer intern Brynn Ballard to the Land Trust team!
Brynn joins us from Austin, Texas, where she was born and raised. She’s heading into her junior year at St. Edwards University in Austin, where she’s pursuing a major in Environmental Biology and Climate Change, with minors in Environmental Policy and Photography.
“My career goals are best aligned with field work, especially with land stewardship,” Brynn says. “During my time with the Land Trust, I’m excited to be getting a better understanding of forest ecology, as well as a wider scope of management strategies for noxious weeds through hands-on experience.”
Brynn joined us in mid-June for a 10-week internship. As part of our preserve field team, she’s giving us a huge helping hand on various projects across our nature preserves, assisting with trail maintenance, invasive weed control, and more.
“It’s such a rewarding feeling to see the progress we make and see how our work creates an impact,” she says. “I learn something new every day.”
So how does a lifelong Texan end up in this corner of the world?
“After falling in love with the Pacific Northwest from my past adventures, I began researching different land trusts in Washington, and Jefferson Land Trust really tickled my fancy,” she explains. “I couldn’t have chosen a better place to be! The community is so welcoming and I’ve had no trouble acclimating.”
In her free time, you’ll probably find Brynn outside or on her way there, often with her camera in hand. “So far, I’ve been enjoying my time hiking along the Peninsula, but I’m aiming to explore the Olympics pretty soon,” she says.
Great to have you on the team, Brynn!
