April Phinney's CAS Internship with the USDA's Forest Service

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CAS trainee, April Phinney, interned with the Rocky Mountain Research Station over the summer 2021 under the mentorship of: Liz Schnackenber, Ryan Adams, Charles Rhoades, Ryler Carleton, Sally Cariveau, Zoe Soule, and Izzy Quattrucci. 

While interning, April worked on multiple projects but focused on minimizing surface erosion caused by key disturbances. She implemented a field study to assess vegetation cover and erosion corresponding with various levels of soil burn severity two years after a wildfire. 

During her internship she gained skills in designing and organizing a field study, overseeing fieldwork, classifying post-fire soil burn characteristics, collecting water quality samples, and identifying local flora.