BFEC Summer Student Assistants Work Hands-On with Nature

When Julia Unangst ’20 began volunteering at the Brown Family Environmental Center (BFEC) during her first year, she didn’t expect it would lead to summer employment. “I was excited to learn more about the ecology around here. It’s important to know what lives around you,” says Julia, whose interest in nature conservation and preservation led her to get involved initially as a visitor at the BFEC. Over the course of a year, the time she spent in the gardens and on the trails would translate into behind-the-scenes access.

Julia applied to be a BFEC Summer Assistant at the suggestion of Noelle Jordan, BFEC Manager. After an interview with Noelle and her colleagues, Julia knew she wanted to spend her summer at the Center. “The job really appealed to me… I feel like I have a role to get people down to the BFEC,” Julia says. “It’s fun to be a part of that.”

BFEC Summer Assistants engage with every aspect of the Center’s functions. A typical day begins with gardening in the morning, where Summer Assistants learn to ensure that the garden is constantly in bloom. “I didn’t realize how particular you have to be with what types of flowers you plant. You have to time it perfectly so that certain flowers will bloom at certain points throughout midsummer to early fall,” says Julia. After lunch, Summer Assistants tend to the trails that Julia often runs on while off duty. “We have to make sure the trails look beautiful, because if they don’t look nice, then people don’t want to hike,” she says.

Living in the BFEC farmhouse as part of the summer position provided an opportunity for Julia and the other Summer Assistants to experience a lifestyle very different from dorm life. “It was nice to be able to cook. And my backyard was the garden—it was beautiful,” Julia says. Although campus can be quiet during the summer, Summer Assistants have ample opportunity to spend time in the community. “I explored Knox County on my bike, which was fascinating. I went for a few drives, I went to Columbus a few times. Every weekend they have the farmer’s market in Mt. Vernon, so that was a great way to connect with the community.”

The summer of 2017 had a few special projects in store for Summer Assistants. The BFEC created a labyrinth on the edge of one of the prairies.  Last summer, the groundhogs invaded creating large holes that presented tripping hazards. “There was kind of a groundhog invasion at the BFEC, so we had to fill in the groundhog holes. It doesn’t hurt the groundhog, because they have lots of routes into their little homes,” Julia says. Summer Assistants also monitored bluebird boxes, which protected Eastern bluebird babies, a native species, from invasive house sparrows. This was one of the BFEC’s functions that included collaboration with the community, as volunteers from Knox County stepped up to protect the species alongside Summer Assistants.

When they weren’t working on the trails or in the garden, Summer Assistant completed a research project. “I decided to do something related to research that I had done in the spring: measuring soil respiration rates, or the amount of Carbon dioxide that’s coming out of the soil, ” Julia says. “I made a mini brochure about how Carbon moves through the ecosystems at the BFEC. People don’t think about that, but it’s very important.”

Julia’s research project complemented her biology major, but candidates don’t need to be involved in the sciences to apply. The most important part, Julia says, is an enthusiasm for the BFEC and its mission—past volunteer experience is a plus. “Just know how important the BFEC is to the Kenyon community, and to the Knox County community as well.” Because the job is somewhat physically demanding, applicants need to have stamina and a will to persevere. “It’s a hard ten weeks, but it’s a rewarding ten weeks,” says Julia.

Younger visitors can also enjoy the BFEC over the summer. The Center typically hosts summer camps for local children, who learn about nature conservation and biology. “Education is a really big part of the BEFC mission,” Julia says. Without students working to keep the Center running smoothly, community outreach wouldn’t be possible.
Students interested in playing a role in the BFEC’s mission of nature conservation and education can apply to be a Summer Assistant through Symplicity. Applications for this position are due by March 9th. The BFEC is also hiring Student Managers for the 2018-19 academic year; applications for this position are due by March 30th.

by Amelia Yeager '20