LLCT had a fantastic summer with three summer land stewards helping on various projects, from invasive plant monitoring and management, to trail repair and native plantings.
Iain Corkhill graduated from St. Lawrence University in 2024 where he majored in Environmental Studies and Philosophy and minored in Outdoor Studies. With a strong background in landscaping, this summer he expanded his skills in land management and native plant identification. Iain’s summer reflection:
I have had a great summer working for LLCT and the Lincoln Conservation Department. It is great seeing how well the people of Lincoln take care of their land. It felt like every week I was seeing a new trail or a new plot of land that was being preserved. Lincoln is a very good example of how people should treat their surroundings.
Towards the beginning of the summer LLCT was working on the Nature Link project. A project that if the town vote went through, a lot of land would be placed under conservation restrictions. Seeing how hard the members of LLCT were working to get this passed was amazing. I could see that it was on their minds nonstop. How could they help their chances? How could they get the word out to more people? What else could be done? It was very eye opening to see how much LLCT cares about the land and how they would do anything to protect it.
My background in working outside comes from landscaping, being in people’s yards making sure everything was up to their standards. This summer I had a chance to see a different part of land management. Recreation areas used by many have to be maintained so that people can continue to use them. I was introduced to new projects such as building bridges or installing water bars. Things that needed to be done so that people can use this land to recreate now as well as in the future. If we don’t take care of the land now, future generations will miss out on using this land for themselves.
I thank the town of Lincoln and LLCT for the opportunity to learn and help out around town. I will be bringing my new knowledge out to the Rocky Mountain Youth Corp, a trail crew in Colorado where I will continue my work in conservation. Thank you again Lincoln!!
Ally Mujica graduated in 2025 from Skidmore College with a major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. Both her school and professional experiences encompassed plant-animal interactions and veterinary care for wildlife. Ally’s summer reflection:
My summer experience working with LLCT and the Lincoln Conservation department was an eye-opening experience that matched its challenging low points with brilliant highs. I chose this position to gain more field experience, as I am headed into graduate school in wildlife biology, having spent much of my undergraduate degree in labs and in clinics. Getting outside and onto trails every single day was awesome (and really increased my step count) but it was met with challenges that while predictable, still came as a surprise to me. From wasp stings and flea bites, poison ivy, to bruises and cuts, this summer gave me very tough skin (figuratively and literally) and much more appreciation for all the hard work that goes into land conservation year-round.
I enjoyed getting a taste of how small town conservation works and was excited to see such a success with the Nature Link project and was very grateful to also be able to attend a conservation commission meeting with the town. It was amazing to see how much work goes into property acquisition, management, and planning, behind the scenes.Of my many days spent out in the woods this summer, my favorite had to be when, while doing trail maintenance over by Farrar Pond, Iain and I looked up and saw four Barred Owls sitting on one tree. Three were clearly older fledglings. We took a pause from our hedge trimming and enjoyed looking at them hop from branch to branch. I am so grateful to have spent the summer working alongside Iain and Becca, who are both such wonderful people and with the wonderful teams at the Conservation Department and at LLCT! Thanks for an awesome summer!
Becca Horger also graduated in 2025 from Skidmore College with a major in Biology and a minor in Media and Film. She had experience in ecology and ornithology coursework, and had worked with terrapins along the South Shore and Cape. Her work this summer for LLCT focused on the maintenance of our six pollinator sites.
Spending my summer with Lincoln Land Conservation Trust has been an incredibly rewarding experience. While I was tasked with maintaining the native pollinator gardens around Lincoln, the job was much more than that. Each day brought something new whether it was wildlife sightings, trying out a new power tool, or chatting with people passing by the gardens. All of it gave me a greater appreciation for the conservation work it takes to restore native habitats for the pollinators all around.
One thing I did not expect to take away from this experience was a glimpse into the hard work it takes to pass a land acquisition deal– especially one involving housing. I started this position during the height of a particularly important deal in town, and while I wasn’t directly involved in it, I got to see how much behind-the-scenes coordination, community discussion, and persistence it required. Getting to contribute through the packaging of town-wide mailings and the creation of a light-hearted video giving an overview of the project was exceptionally worthwhile.
My favorite project this summer consisted of creating new paths through the pollinator gardens. Before, the center sections were tricky to reach, making it difficult to weed or fully enjoy the plants in the middle of the garden. These paths ensured maintenance was much easier, as well as created a better experience for visitors to tour our gardens. There was something gratifying about seeing community visitors access parts of the garden that they had never been through before.
Another skill I developed through my work was plant identification. Seeing plants at all stages of development–from planting young plants in the spring to watching mature plants bloom throughout the summer–helped me understand them in a much deeper way. Perhaps the most rewarding part of the job was putting so much time and care into the gardens and getting to witness the results. Whether I was planting, pulling invasives, watering or mowing, I knew each task contributed to the overall health of the space. Watching new flowers bloom at different times of summer was always an exciting surprise. On sunny days, which there were a lot of, the buzz of the pollinators all around made the work well worth it.
And of course, no summer story would be complete without a funny memory. I had been joking all season that it would be ironic if the two other seasonal interns each got stung by wasps, but I, the pollinator intern, managed to get through the summer sting-free. That confidence didn’t last. In my last full week on the job, Iain and I finally tackled the much-dreaded shrub clearing project—a task we had heard about since week one that no one knew where to begin with. We dove in, Iain wielding the hedge trimmer and I a machete, only to discover that the dense shrub layer was home to several wasp colonies. They were not happy about the eviction, and one made its point by stinging me on the arm. All is well though, the shrub layer became much more manageable and we can look back and laugh now.
I am very grateful for my summer experience working for the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust. It feels impossible to put into words all of the things I have learned and and gained from being a pollinator intern. I will always hold a special place in my heart for these gardens, which will influence my future career in conservation and personal gardening projects.
