Native Garden Intern

Columbine in the Garden by Liz Stein

2022 Native Garden Intern

Bedford Audubon Society is seeking a rising college senior or graduate student to fill a 10-week paid internship position this summer. The ideal candidate is pursuing a degree in botany, horticulture, landscape architecture or design, or similar environmental fields. The Summer Garden Intern will work in the Leon Levy Native Habitat Garden, located at Bylane Farm in Katonah, New York. Bylane Farm is Bedford Audubon’s center of operations.

Bedford Audubon’s mission is to connect people with nature. This is done through conservation, research, education, and public programming with a focus on birds and their habitats. Established in 1913, it is one of the oldest Audubon chapters in the country.

About the Leon Levy Native Habitat Garden

The Leon Levy Native Habitat Garden is a cornerstone of Bedford Audubon’s native plant and pollinator programs. Its purpose is dual: It provides a critical habitat for birds, butterflies, and dragonflies – particularly neotropical migrants in need of stopover habitat – and it is used to  educate and engage the public on the use of native plants and natural landscaping to create bird- and wildlife-friendly habitat and inspire neighborhood-level conservation.

Profile

  • Rising college senior or graduate student pursuing an academic degree in a related field
  • Self-motivated with the ability to work independently as well as in a supportive team atmosphere.
  • Should possess some native plant identification skills, experience with horticultural practices, and excellent written and verbal skills.
  • Experience in nature interpretation is desirable, but most important would be a cheerful attitude and approach to work in a public setting.
  • Must be willing and able to work outside for extended periods and in Bedford Audubon’s casual yet professional office environment.
  • Must hold a valid driver’s license and have personal transportation

Core Responsibilities

  • Care for the Leon Levy Native Habitat Garden. Tasks include transplanting, routine maintenance, and invasive species management​.
  • Record daily logs documenting weather conditions, bloom times, and floral and faunal interactions, with a particular emphasis on pollinator visitation and bird foraging behaviors.
  • Integrate what’s emerging and flowering in the garden with the nature interpretation in Bedford Audubon’s social media platforms and other communications outlets.
  • Assist in ​supervising garden volunteers of all abilities
  • Submit a final report/presentation before the culmination of the internship for publication on Bedford Audubon’s website and for our funding and partnering organizations.

Additional Responsibilities

  • Contribute to a mapping project documenting living collections as well as invasive and adventive plants within the garden, creating a record of what’s present and what might be newly emerging
  • Build and implement a composting system to help process garden and food waste.
  • Facilitate educational programming within the garden and design and implement or co-implement a workshop.
  • Undertake additional opportunities for research (e.g., native plant propagation techniques, invasive species management), program activities (e.g., lectures, workshops, and field trips) and non-profit management (e.g., communications, marketing, and fundraising), all depending on the candidate’s individual goals and background.

Details

  • 10-weeks from mid-May through mid-August (start & end dates are flexible*)
  • 30 hours per week
  • $15.00 per hour
  • Housing at Bylane Farm, 35 Todd Road, Katonah, NY 10536 is available for $125 per week

*Start and end dates are flexible depending on academic and personal schedules. Please include any date restrictions in the cover letter.

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter, résumé, and two references to Bill Cavers, Executive Director, at executivedirector@bedfordaudubon.org by April 15, 2022.

  • The cover letter should describe interests and personal goals for an internship with Bedford Audubon. Please also include any academic or personal date restrictions.