Field of career dreams: Grad student spends summer identifying and protecting native plants

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Growing up in Winchester, Virginia, Jordan Edlich would often visit Blandy Experimental Farm on field trips as a child. Now a graduate student in environmental science and policyat George Mason University, Edlich just spend a summer interning at the farm, which is also the State Arboretum of Virginia, cataloging native plants. One of Edlich's main goals for their master's research is to create a local floristic survey to help the rehabilitation and revitalization of native plants in Northern Virginia.

Why did you choose George Mason and how did you decide your major?

Graduate student Jordan Edlich surveyed the arboretum's native meadow by sections, documenting populations and locations of plant species. Photo provided

I chose this program because it provides students with both the background of environmental science and the political and social tools to address environmental problems. I also grew up in the area and have always been passionate about conserving our local biodiversity. I am looking forward to helping preserve and strengthen regional biodiversity.

What projects have you been assigned during your internship?

My main project at the State Arboretum of Virginia, also called Blandy Experimental Farm, is closely related to my master's research. Using old maps and a GPS device, I surveyed the arboretum's native meadow by sections, documenting populations and locations of plant species in each section. I was also able to rediscover a rare plant species that the arboretum curators can now conserve and collect seeds from. These include the Green Fringed Orchid (Platanthera lacera) and the Green Milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora), native plants not originally planted at Blandy. After I conducted the plant survey, I also wrote up a management plan of how best to conserve native plant communities in the meadow and tactics for establishing more of these communities in the future.

How have your courses at George Mason helped prepare you for the internship?

My courses at George Mason have allowed me to think about my work at Blandy from various points of view. While I was studying plants from a scientific botanical lens, I was also helping in restoration projects that related to my studies of the logistics of solving conservation-related problems. Practicing ecology from different scientific, political, social, and economic views has helped me understand more about how Blandy is able to successfully work as an arboretum and a conservation entity.

George Mason graduate student Jordan Edlich (left) working at the Blandy Experimental Farm. Photo provided

How does this internship tie into your career goals?

My career goals include working in natural resource management and biodiversity conservation. This internship directly helped me better understand how to survey and maintain native biodiversity. I could even see myself returning to Blandy in the future, continuing to work in curating and conserving the arboretum's native habitats. This internship gave me both the hands-on skills in how conservation and restoration projects are done, and the resources for understanding the logistics behind these projects. I hope to use these skills to conduct similar projects of my own in the future.

What advice would you give to students starting an internship?

Don't be afraid to explore a field or a type of career that you know little or nothing about. Not only did this experience allow me to become more of an expert in native plants, but it also helped me realize that this was a field I wanted to pursue and continue working in. I would not have been able to know how much I enjoy this field of work and research without trying it first as a beginner. Just the ability to be adaptable and willing to learn new things is a strong ability to have in your career.

You mentioned you've had a long relationship with Blandy. What have you done with them over the years?

On summer breaks during my bachelor's, I volunteered at Blandy Farms and assisted with maintaining their native plant trails. Volunteering in projects to remove invasive species and protect native habitats gave me a way to make a direct beneficial impact on my local environment. It was nice getting to know the local arboretum curators and other volunteers who had the same passion for protecting our regional biodiversity. This would ultimately help guide me further toward a career in conservation work. When I applied for the internship, those same curators remembered me and were excited to have me back as a summer intern. Everyone at Blandy was passionate about their work and always willing to teach me something new. I am grateful for how much Blandy has taught me over the years and how it has inspired my academic and career path.