This month, the Natural Areas Conservancy (NAC) kicked off its fifth annual City University of New York (CUNY) internship program. As New Yorkers adjust to new working styles due to COVID-19, the NAC team has worked tirelessly to move the program to a virtual format. They are proud to continue providing high-quality, paid internships for CUNY students, even during this unprecedented time.
The NAC’s Jessica Hoch manages the internship program. She says, “This year, we’re thrilled to offer remote internships for CUNY students who are passionate about conserving New York City’s natural areas. We’ve developed a curriculum focused on forest ecology and management for the students to learn and advance in the coming weeks.” The 12 interns will work virtually in four teams of three, with one Crew Leader and two Crew Members. The projects they complete this summer will allow NAC staff and NYC Parks to better understand local forest health and prioritize future forest management efforts.