The WellKind
Forestry Internship Program
WellKind’s Forestry Internship provides college-level education and vocational training in science, forest and wildlife management and environmental communications to high school students. In this way, we prepare them to be the next generation of green professionals and environmental stewards.
Interns dive deep into learning about issues that are directly on point to address present-day issues like climate change. They complete real-world projects and meet experts in the fields of science, habitat management, wildlife protection, environmental communications, and media.
Past expert speakers include Dr. James Powell, who served on the National Science Board under two U.S. Presidents; U.S. Congressman Jared Huffman, a leader on environmental policy at the national level; and Ayano Hayes, Watershed Biologist for the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network. The speakers provide our interns with the most cutting-edge knowledge from their fields as well as their mentorship, helping interns build a professional network. We make sure to include young leaders as role models, such as Goldman Environmental Prize winner Nalleli Cobo.
Learning how to share knowledge with the public is another important aspect of the internship. Interns learn about environmental communications and media trends. They write blogs and create videos to showcase new developments in science, habitat management, and wildlife protection.
After successfully completing the internship, we provide former interns an opportunity to continue working with WellKind at a greater level of responsibility.
WELLKIND FORESTRY INTERNS SYLVIE, SOPHIE J. AND SOPHIE D. ARE HERE TO SHOW YOU WHY TREES ARE IMPORTANT.
What Our Interns Are Saying:
“I feel I already had an understanding about global warming, but this internship opened my ideas to concepts I didn't realize played a role. It also showed me avenues for ways to mitigate and slow down climate change. The fact that I could go home every day and tell my family a new way to manage forests, a misconception about conservation, a policy that is doing the opposite of what it entails, etc., just showed how much I took from this internship.” Intern, Summer 2022
“I learned more real-world strategies with this program. Although I've taken an environmental course already in school, there weren't any real-world experiences to learn from. This program showed us what real people do to manage habitats.”
Intern, Summer 2021
“I plan on studying environmental science in college, and this internship furthered my knowledge of forestry, habitat management practices, grassroots organizations, and general environmental advocacy. I also feel better prepared to tackle reading and understanding research papers, as well as incorporating them in my writing.” Intern, Summer 2022
What Our Partners Are Saying:
“We are fortunate to have a robust partner who has been best in class at providing real, challenging opportunities at WellKind. All students are individually supported. . . All students feel like they have “found their voice” as being positively supported during the internship to produce real work that will be part of their future portfolio they will use when they venture forth into life after high school. I offer many internship opportunities, but I rank WELLKIND my top option. I know my students will have a life-changing experience, and be able to use it to move forward in their career path. Any program would be fortunate to have WELLKIND as a partner to enhance student’s experiences and prepare them for the real world.” Greg Davison, Marin County School to Career
Get in Touch
If you are interested in our internship program, please email Walker Laughlin, Development and Forestry Program Manager: internships@wellkind.org.
You can read more about the program here.