Eliza Greenman

This past summer I interned at a local non-profit organization called the Norman Bird Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is a 300+ acre wildlife area offering over seven miles of hiking trails that constitutes the largest area of preserved open space in Newport County . The Sanctuary is dedicated to providing quality environmental education programs for people of all ages. The Sanctuary also takes part in habitat restoration projects to benefit local species. There is a trailside museum on the property that features exhibits of local species and historic information about the local environment and heritage. The Sanctuary is also home to several animals that are used as educational teaching tools. The Sanctuary was established under the will of Mabel Norman Cerio in 1950. It operates as a private, non-profit organization.

My responsibilities at the Norman Bird Sanctuary varied immensely. I worked in the office virtually every day. I worked in the membership and development departments helping with filing, event planning and other activities. I worked in the trailside shop assisting people who visited the Sanctuary for walks and various other events. I also helped a lot with the administrative side of the summer camp which is held weekly at the Sanctuary.

I spent a good amount of time outdoors as well. I was a co-leader of a weekly program for pre-school age children and their parents. This program was challenging but very rewarding. It was really fun to work with young kids in the field. The interest and excitement of three year olds in nature is unparalleled. One would be surprised at how exciting frogs, or edible plants, or animal feces, are to a child! I really enjoyed this part of the internship. I love working with kids, especially outdoors, and it gave me the opportunity to view children and adults interacting with environment.

I led a variety of different educational programs throughout the summer. The Sanctuary organizes trips to the property for groups. A leader, usually a trained naturalist, takes them on a hike through the Sanctuary focusing on whatever their greatest interests are. Some groups want to go on challenging hikes up to the ridge, while some want to spend the whole time at the or catching butterflies. The programs were for all different age groups and all focused on different topics. This was an interesting experience in that I dealt with all different kinds of people and was able to observe first hand how they interact with nature. I was also a camp counselor for a few weeks as a substitute for the regular counselor. I was in charge of a group of ten five year olds from eight-thirty to three, each day. It was an excellent learning experience and a lot of fun.

I also developed a program on my own about the history of the land that makes up the Norman Bird Sanctuary, and about its benefactress. The land is one of very few surviving New England salt-water farms. The farmhouse that was occupied by generations of gentleman and tenant farmers still stands on the property. The area was also a desirable attraction for painters and writers of the 18 th and 19 th century, such as the author Henry James and the painter John Le Farge. The last owner of the farm, Mabel Norman, deeded the property as a Sanctuary in her will. Her father had bought the farm as a summer home for his family around the turn of the century. After his death Mabel bought her siblings' inherited shares to the property. Mabel was a true steward and wanted to maintain a balance between the natural world and the humans who enjoyed it. In her will she left provisions for the founding of the Norman Bird Sanctuary, whose "primary object is to preserve this as a bird sanctuary for the protection of animals and birds and for the enjoyment of lovers of nature and the public generally." I researched the history of the property as well as Mabel's life and her goals. I developed an educational pamphlet about the farm and her life and then led a guided lecture/tour about Mabel's Farm.

The internship allowed me to participate in an organization devoted to community interaction, conservation and preservation. It gave me an insider's perspective on people's interaction with their local environment . I learned a lot about my local environment, history and heritage, and gained more knowledge as a naturalist. I experienced first hand the interaction between people and their local environment, specifically concerning environmental education opportunities, which prepared me excellently for my SIP. I achieved all of my objectives this summer, and more. One aspect of the internship that I did not anticipate was the knowledge I gained about the inner workings of a non-profit organization. The developmental side of an organization like the Norman Bird Sanctuary is extremely interesting and I am excited that I have seen how it works.

For my SIP I plan to explore nature as a theme in literature. My project will examine the works of both fiction and nonfiction writers whose literary projects show manifestations of the relationship between man and his environment. The books explore both the history of conservation and stewardship in the United States as well as nature as a theme, or a movement in works of fiction. I plan on completing this project as an Independent Study with George Willauer.