Hi there! My name is Jaclyn Gary, and in June 2022 I joined the Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (FWCO) as a Student Conservation Association intern. I primarily work with our Aquatic Invasive Species team (AIS) doing early detection monitoring on Lake Huron and Lake Erie. The goal of this program is to detect the next new invader of the Great Lakes so that we may take early action to prevent its establishment. Based on their proximity to the Great Lakes region, Bighead Carp, Silver Carp, and Northern Snakehead are species that we think might make their way into the Great Lakes ecosystems, but there鈥檚 really no way to know de铿乶itively until we catch something new. That鈥檚 part of what I like most about this work: it keeps you on your toes.
As I approach the end of my internship, I鈥檝e been re铿俥cting on just how much I鈥檝e learned in my seven short months here in Alpena. Growing up in New Jersey and attending college at Colorado University Boulder, I鈥檇 never been to Michigan, nor had I ever seen any of the Great Lakes prior to accepting this position. After graduation, I decided to move to Alpena sight unseen and dive head铿乺st into the Lakes (literally and 铿乬uratively). I鈥檓 so glad I did. During my time with AIS, I鈥檝e learned how to work with a variety of sampling techniques like fyke nets, trawls, gill nets, minnow traps, and electro铿乻hing boats. My head was constantly on a swivel as I was taught 铿乻h identi铿乧ation while also trying to become familiar with other aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial organisms. Throughout the 铿乪ld season I also sought out opportunities to cross-train with our Habitat Program, Partners Program, Detroit River Native Species team, and Grass Carp Response team, which supplemented my technical skills and allowed me to collaborate with a greater diversity of USFWS sta铿. I learned how to work with set lines, PIT tags, beach seines, and backpack electro铿乻hing equipment, as well as how to adapt on the spot to new environments, expectations, and people.
My internship experience has been incredibly rewarding. The skills and experiences I鈥檝e gained form a solid foundation upon which I feel I can start to build a ful铿乴ling career in conservation. In college, I chose to major in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, and I always found my courses very interesting, but it鈥檚 one thing to learn principles in a classroom. It鈥檚 a totally di铿erent beast when you鈥檙e tired, sweaty, and covered in gizzard shad scales. However, this job con铿乺med that I love conservation in practice just as much as I do in theory, and that I am indeed on the right path.
I feel immensely grateful for all that I鈥檝e been able to see, learn, and do through this opportunity, and I鈥檇 like to thank each and every person I鈥檝e worked with in the past seven months for enriching my time here with the Alpena FWCO.
