Wildflower Garden

One position designed to provide experience in a broad range of native plant propagation and gardening skills.

Duties and Responsibilities

This position focuses on learning the skills to maintain and create native plant gardens, including:

Identifying and removing invasive species,
Learning the many native plants of the garden through observation, and daily record keeping in a field journal that will be shared with all staff on the last day of the internship,
Preparing areas for and planting native or naturalized species,
Weeding, pruning, mulching, and trail clearing,
Seed collecting, and
Plant propagation.

Each Tuesday, the Wildflower Garden intern will work with several community members during volunteer day in the wildflower garden. On occasion, the intern may need to take the lead in directing these volunteers. For about a half day each week, the Wildflower Garden intern will work on a special project related to management or interpretation for the garden.

Possible project topics include:

Developing a tree identification walk/tour for the garden,
Producing a fern, grass, or other species list with photos for the information kiosk, or
Propagating unique or rare species.

Requirements

Ability to commit to the entire internship period,
Must be a currently enrolled or accepted Cornell University student
Interest in and enthusiasm for learning about plants,
Solid work ethic with experience in agricultural or outdoor labor,
Ability to alternate between independent and group work,
Ability and willingness to do repetitive tasks,
Desire and ability to work outdoors,
Learn to follow proper safety protocol,
Ability to move 50 pounds,
Participate in group intern activities as scheduled, and
Must have or be able to obtain a valid driver’s license.

This is a full-time, 12 week internship. Must be able to work Saturday of Reunion Weekend.
Typical work hours are Monday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday-Friday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.