Combining habitant conservation with geospatial information technologies is Hannah Taylor\u2019s mission this summer.<\/p>\n
Taylor, a wildlife habitat management major at Delta State, is a data management\/field technician intern under the Rice Stewardship Partnership at Ducks Unlimited, partnered with USA Rice, at the Southern Regional Office located in Ridgeland.<\/p>\n
She assists in day-to-day operations, creating and updating project tracking databases, mapping in GIS software, and generating facts and figures for reporting to partners.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope to gain the knowledge and experience of how a conservation organization operates,\u201d said Taylor. \u201cBeing a part of this organization has been a great opportunity for me as a wildlife habitat management major, and I hope to pass my knowledge on to other students who may be interested in seeking a career in wildlife habitat management.”<\/p>\n
The internship was a dream come true for Taylor, who grew up attending youth camps at Ducks Unlimited.<\/p>\n
“My family and I are members of the Ducks Unlimited Bolivar County Chapter and have been for as long as I can remember,\u201d she said.\u00a0\u201cGrowing up, my brother and I were involved in the youth camps that DU had every year and were made ‘Greenwings’ at the age of five. We attend every DU banquet we can to show our support.\u201d<\/p>\n
Founded in 1937, DU is the world\u2019s leading conservation agency for wetlands and waterfowl. Its mission is to conserve, restore and manage wetlands and habitats for North America\u2019s waterfowl. The organization\u00a0has projects in all 50 states and has conserved over 13 million acres of waterfowl habitat in North America, according to its\u00a0website.<\/p>\n
When the time came for Taylor to apply for her internship, Dr. Ellen Green, chair of the department of biological sciences and associate professor of biology, knew of Taylor\u2019s interest in studying waterfowl and GIS and suggested she\u00a0apply to DU.<\/p>\n
\u201cHannah expressed to me last spring that she wanted to find an internship that would combine her interests in studying waterfowl and GIS,\u201d said Green. \u201cThis internship appears to be the perfect match for her. After talking with her recently and hearing more about her summer experience, I am confident that the knowledge and skills she is learning through Ducks Unlimited and through her environmental science degree will make her a very competitive candidate for a wide range of positions.\u201d<\/p>\n