ACE wildlife monitoring member assisting refuge
The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge reported that as part of the American Conservation Experience (ACE), Jacob Baker will assist biological science technician Avery Renshaw through mid-November at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge as a wildlife monitoring member.
ACE, a nonprofit organization that helps recent graduates and those interested in environmental fieldwork, connects and finds internships with organizations such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“For the most part at ‘Ding’ Darling, I set out cameras to monitor marsh rat species and assist with rookery bird surveys, restoration project planning and many other aspects of the biology research, both on and off refuge,” he said.
From Mechanicsville, Virginia, Baker graduated from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies. He comes to the refuge from the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana, where he worked on a wild turkey research project for Louisiana State University.
“I really appreciate the habitat and wildlife of Sanibel Island,” Baker said. “So many of these species are completely new to me. In particular, I find the mangrove hammocks fascinating, both in terms of their natural beauty and how they function as part of a broader aquatic ecosystem.”
More refuge assistance next season will come from interns supported by the DDWS.