Eugene T. Polk Science Fellowship - Vegetation Program - North Rim

This internship will support Grand Canyon National Park’s Vegetation Program on the North Rim.  The vegetation program coordinates a wide range of activities including exotic plant management, native habitat restoration, site landscaping, seed collection, pruning, monitoring and surveying, and others. 

The intern will live and work in the North Rim Developed Area, and will be part of a 2-3 person vegetation team.  Most work will be focused in the village area, with periodic work at established viewpoints, such as Cape Royal and Point Imperial, and along trails and roadsides.  The primary duty of the intern will be to install and maintain new plantings in the North Rim lodge area.  They will also survey for and remove high priority invasive species throughout the developed areas.  The intern will have the opportunity to hike and explore more of the North Rim while collecting seed and cuttings for future restoration projects.  The intern will work very independently, as part of a small team, and will serve as one of the primary representatives for the Vegetation Program on the North Rim. 

The primary objectives of this internship will include: 1) implementing and monitoring restoration projects; 2) collecting seed and plant material; 3) inventorying, surveying and mapping native, exotic and rare plant species; 4) removing priority exotic plant species; 5) using GPS units, compasses, digital cameras and multiple data forms to document exotic plant management and site restoration activities; and, 6) coordinating, educating and supervising volunteer groups to complete the above-listed work.