SER-UW Native Plant Nursery Internships
SER-UW is a student chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration, an international organization that works to “promote ecological restoration as a means of sustaining the diversity of life on Earth and re-establishing an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture.” SER-UW manages several restoration sites on campus, as well as a native plant nursery located at the Center for Urban Horticulture (CUH). The nursery is a fully student run operation that houses several thousand individual plants and over one hundred different species native to the Puget Sound. Our mission is to provide a local source of native plants for student projects and our on-campus restoration sites, to educate students on best nursery practices for sustainable native plant production, and to continue to improve those practices through research and collaboration with students and community partners.
Request for internship applicants
The native plant nursery is seeking undergraduate student interns for spring quarter. Interns are expected to devote an average of 9 hours a week to nursery projects. In conjunction with the managers, interns will develop learning objectives based on individual interests and strengths, receiving credit for ESRM 399 or their school’s equivalent. The interns’ time will be split between routine plant maintenance, plant propagation, nursery infrastructure projects, helping with weekly volunteer work parties, and individual projects. Each intern will have a different focus to help tackle the many and diverse needs of a native plant nursery. Past internship projects include the construction of a coppice garden, development of a seed provenance database, design of beneficial insectaries, and a nursery sustainability assessment.
Potential future projects include:
● designing and installing an irrigation system for our coppice garden
● generating a germination success record to improve propagation protocols
● monitoring for pests and beneficial insects to improve our Integrated Pest Management program
Both Interns are expected to:
● be willing to get dirty, get wet, and work in all weather conditions
● be on time and follow directions closely
● work well with fellow interns and co-managers, and be comfortable working independently
● problem solve and know when to ask for help
● work well with volunteers- be available for weekly volunteer work parties
● be able to lift 40 lbs and walk on uneven terrain
Interested?
To apply send a resume and a 300-500 word description of why you are interested. Please indicate why you would like to be considered, what you want to learn, and how your previous work experience and/or coursework apply to this position. To apply or request more information, email the nursery managers, Derek Allen and Sarah Shank, at sernursery@gmail.com.
Applications are due by Monday, March 5th.