First day of fall was a month ago but...

cool mornings have just arrived here in the Big Bend Region. Hope you have been out enjoying the great hiking weather! In August, we onboarded 10 new students for our 2026/2027 Academic Year Cohort, representing two universities and two high schools. Here are some snapshots from what they've been up to.

We always begin our program with an Ecology Hike through the Munson Sandhills to learn about fire, longleaf pine, gopher tortoises, native plants,

and more!

We hosted an International Coastal Cleanup Day site for Apalachicola Riverkeeper and collected about 30 pounds of trash that would have made its way to the river and out to the bay.

A visit to Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve is always a big hit. We learned more about the whole Apalachicola River Basin and met with the fabulous Anita Grove, who talked about ongoing research and much more!

Remember our Bird Observation Window Data Entry project at Birdsong Nature Center? We trained a whole new group in data entry procedures as well as talked about the benefits, and limitations, for this type of citizen science data.

On another trip to Birdsong, we completed one last Bumble Bee Atlas bee survey and took a tour of the property including to The Listening Place.

We toured Cascades Park and ponds along FAMU Way with staff from the City of Tallahassee's Stormwater Management team to learn how the city manages both quality and quantity of runoff and stormwater, thereby protecting ecosystems downstream.

Six of our students attended the Horseshoe Crab Watch orientation and are now trained to participate in the program throughout their time with us.

Each year we organize Intern Swaps between our students and 6 other agencies and organizations. This month the Jones Center at Ichauway hosted and focused on wetland sampling for amphibians, and census and radio-tracking gopher tortoises.

Beyond the Field Fun

Our programming isn't all fun in the field. We have four pillars that we concentrate on: Conservation Knowledge & Competency (okay, usually in the field fun), Communication & Influence, Professional Identity & Readiness, and Civic & Nonprofit Leadership. When we are not galivanting in the woods and by the sea, we are hard at work learning about grant writing, developing communication materials, meeting with partners, and conducting background research for our field projects. These activities don't necessarily make for exciting newsletter pictures but are an important part of becoming future conservation leaders!

Sponsor an Intern Campaign Thank Yous

Our first ever Sponsor an Intern Campaign was such a success! We are so grateful to everyone who contributed to this annual campaign designed to support the experiential learning part of what we do (see images above!). A special shoutout to those that contributed at the Pathfinder Level and above including: Dick Franz and Melanie Wegner, Dr. Karen Berkley, the Wakulla Soil and Water Conservation Board, Robin and Kent Smith, Dr. Cathryn Meegan, Bill Carroll, & Harley and Tammy Means.

Special Outing for Donors

To all our Pathways Patrons, be on the look out for a special invite coming soon. We will be leading an outing specifically for donors sometime before the new year. It's a chance to meet our new cohort of interns and see firsthand the work your support makes possible, not to mention enjoy this fine weather and learn more about what makes our area so special. Not a Patron? Click below on the link below to join our efforts creating the next generation of conservation leaders!

We Invite You to Join Us

Clean water and air, healthy soils, and wild things — abundant and available to all. We envision a future in which a new generation of conservation leaders is equipped with the skills and networks to tackle our greatest environmental challenges and make that vision a reality. Please join us, your donations today will make a huge difference in what we can create tomorrow.

Click Here to Donate Today!

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