New Conservation Intern Randi Bowman

Conservation. Discovery. Adventure. These words and many others describe my interest and fascination with studying ecology in aquatic ecosystems. My name is Randi Bowman, and I have been doing biological field work since the summer I graduated high school in 2014. My first job, with Washington Department of Fish and Game, involved mapping invasive plant species for herbicide application in the desert of Eastern Washington. The following fall sent me to Lewis-Clark State College (LCSC) in Idaho to study biology. I spent the next summer working for Idaho Fish and Game, where I got to backpack electroshock to determine the abundance and distribution of our target species, steelhead, in the streams of the wild and beautiful Idaho forests.

Around the same time, I started getting involved with LCSC’s research program. First, I volunteered on the weekends collecting population dynamic data for the eastern fox squirrel, in order to detect seasonal patterns in daily activity. Involvement in a field biology course got me into working with snakes, collecting morphological and dietary data of the Western Terrestrial Garter Snake to determine the effect of prey selection on head morphology in geographically separate populations. Finally, I started a research project closer to my own interests, studying macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Snake River drainage (Oregon) to ascertain the effects of agriculture and mining on the health of aquatic ecosystems. Involvement in these research projects gave me great experience in the field as well as with scientific writing, as I was given the opportunity to write 3 manuscripts for publication in scientific journals (1 published in Scientific Reports (link), 2 currently in preparation/review).

After graduating in December 2016, I worked as a Fisheries Technician for Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission in Randle, WA. My daily duties involved fish work-up and maintenance with regard to the North Shore Collector at the Cowlitz Falls Dam. Being ideally located between Washington’s idyllic volcanoes and national forests/parks, I decided to live in my van (and then Honda CRV) for the duration of my position, facilitating awesome adventures and camping trips that I often look back on with longing.

Following the end of that seasonal position, I decided to follow my dream of moving to the southeast. I took the first opportunity that was offered, a research internship starting January 2018 at Nemours Wildlife Foundation in Yemassee, SC. I was hired primarily to process macroinvertebrates that had been collected in previous field seasons, but I wrapped that up in my first 4.5 months, opening my opportunities for involvement in other research capacities. April brought alligator research, which proved an exciting addition to my intern responsibilities. It was conducted as part of a Clemson University student’s PhD dissertation, funded by Nemours Wildlife Foundation and several coastal communities who wanted to support the research because it will be helpful in their future alligator management decision-making. It has also proved to be a great educational opportunity for their residents and visitors. I was trained in the surgery aspect of the research, attaching radio transmitters to the alligators’ nuchal rosettes. Besides the alligator project, I gained experience monitoring endangered species (red-cockaded woodpecker, black rails), using trail cameras and recording units, conducting callback, vegetation surveys, and songbird point counts, along with prescribed burns and radio tracking alligators, eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, and fox squirrels. The diversity and quality of the experiences I gained as an intern at Nemours was amazing, and have already proved useful in my first few days as a Conservation Intern at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

I look forward to continued learning and the development of further research skills as an intern at Corkscrew. While not working, I enjoy scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and hiking. Beyond this position, I will pursue graduate school with the aim of studying anthropogenic impacts in coral reef ecosystems. My career goals include becoming a research scientist, either in a nonprofit or academic capacity, studying coral ecology and contributing to conservation and restoration efforts. Since my focus is more in aquatics, I hope to bring that perspective to my social media posts while at Corkscrew. I’m sure I will have many things to share as I learn more about what makes Corkscrew special; even in my first week I have been blown away by the beauty and biodiversity I see here.  

- Randi Bowman, Conservation Intern