‘It’s a gift to be out here’: Meet Lucy Palmer, HCT’s Summer Intern
One day, you’re installing a bench and wielding a Sawzall for the first time in your life. Then, you’re battling invasive plants along a trail. And when you get to sit down for a bit at the office, you’re researching how to build an otter den and equip it with a camera that can function in the sometimes-harsh Cape Cod weather.
Lucy Palmer, a student at the University of Vermont, is Harwich Conservation Trust’s Summer Intern.
Such is the life of Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) summer intern Lucy Palmer. A rising sophomore at the University of Vermont (UVM), Palmer has been an indispensable addition to HCT land stewardship efforts over the last few months.
“I really appreciate Lucy’s positive attitude and eagerness to learn,” said Connor O’Brien, HCT’s Director of Land Stewardship. “She’s willing to try anything and happy to learn a new skill.”
Academic pursuits
At UVM, Palmer is working toward a double major in wildlife biology and forestry. “I think it combines two areas of study that can lead you to a wide spectrum of things that you could do in the future,” she said. “You could work in a national park, you could go abroad and do research, or you could do ecological journalism.”
The seeds of her environmental interest were sewn before she went to college. Palmer spent some of her childhood in Yarmouth Port before moving to Providence, Rhode Island. She attended The Greene School, a statewide public charter high school in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, which has an intriguing mission: exploring “the interdependence of human and natural systems.”
At The Greene School, “we had outdoor classrooms in the woods,” said Palmer. “I also had tons of different research opportunities. We went to Belize to do service work and we studied the mangrove trees and the manatees.”
New experiences in Harwich
During her time with HCT, Palmer has worked on a variety of projects, from installing fencing to keep box turtles from venturing into the street, to siting and installing benches at the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve. She’s also been a key player in keeping HCT trails clear and open, a constant challenge in the summer months.
Harwich Conservation Trust Summer Intern Lucy Palmer uses a Sawzall to shorten a post on the new bench at the Cold Brook Preserve.
“Basically, everything I’ve done this summer I’ve never done before,” Palmer said with a laugh. “I had never even considered how a bench is put into the ground and now I know. It’s been great learning new things.”
For HCT’s O’Brien, the invaluable work of Palmer, along with stalwart HCT volunteers and AmeriCorps members is essential to improving HCT properties and keeping them in tip-top shape. And he highly values being able to share his experience with young people like Palmer, who are interested in working in the field.
“I put a focus on mentorship and it’s important to help build the future of the environmental stewardship work that we do,” said O’Brien.
A home for otters at Cold Brook
Perhaps Palmer’s most intriguing project this summer has been working on construction and installation plans for an otter den (known as a “holt”) at the Cold Brook Preserve.
Harwich Conservation Trust Summer Intern Lucy Palmer digs in a plant at the new pollinator garden at the Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve.
The recently completed eco-restoration project has created a wildlife oasis that has attracted otters to the ponds in the Preserve. Under the guidance of HCT Board of Trustees member Herb Raffaele, Palmer has spent hours researching appropriate construction methods and materials for the holt.
Part of the plan is to install a camera that would allow folks to unobtrusively share the lives of otters from afar. “The camera was tricky,” said Palmer. “It needed to be small, it needed to have cellular access, because we don’t have Wi-Fi on the property. and we didn’t want to have to retrieve an SD card from the camera, because it would disturb the animals.”
Then, there was the question of how the camera would be powered. “We didn’t want to have to change batteries,” said Palmer. “So, we started thinking about solar power, and that took a bunch of research.”
The work of Raffaele and Palmer has paid off, and the next step will be the installation of the otter holt at Cold Brook. And, since a camera is involved, stay tuned for updates!
Palmer was asked what has stood out to her about the Harwich Conservation Trust. “It’s the awesome sense of community,” she said. “Everyone is super-friendly. I get to meet so many people, and the volunteers have so much knowledge to share. It’s great to hear about their experiences.”
And her HCT summer has reinforced her love of the great outdoors. “I’ve worked in different settings, some inside,” said Palmer. “And I’ve definitely been happier working outside. Even if you’re doing hard work, it’s a gift to be out here.”
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