Research: Conservation & Sustainability

The Morton Arboretum

Mentors

Christina Carrero, Tree Conservation Research Assistant, Global Tree Conservation
Jessica Turner-Skoff, PhD, Treeologist, Science and Conservation

About the Organization

The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to collecting and studying trees, shrubs, and other plants from around the world, to displaying them across our 1700 square acres. Over 1 million people visit our living laboratory each year. Join our Science and Conservation department to act locally to protect trees in the Chicago region, work globally to prevent the extinction of trees, and to inspire and engage the next generation of tree scientists.

Internship Description & Relevance

The collection of biological, ecological, and demographic data on threatened species is vital for planning effective conservation action. Our goal is to add all the trees of the Americas, focusing on trees native to the US, to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. The IUCN Red List is a globally recognized, objective system for assessing the extinction risk of plant and animal species based on past, present, and projected future threats. We accomplish this by conducting thorough literature reviews, consulting experts, and compiling data on tree species to evaluate their conservation status. The intern would work to compile data and complete assessments for tree species. In doing so the intern will gain knowledge about the Red List process, biology and ecology of trees, current issues in tree conservation, and international conservation policies and procedures.

If you are interested in conservation and plant communities, this internship will help you understand the types of prioritizations tools used in conservation. Experience gained through this internship are relevant to individuals who are considering transitioning into ecological research, conservation planning, and land management. Interns would gain knowledge about the Red List process, biology and ecology of trees, current issues in tree conservation, and international conservation policies and procedures.

Specific Objectives

Working with the mentor, the intern will:

• Become a certified assessor for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
• Assess tree species using this methodology.
• Write a literature review for a subset of American trees.

This position would require the intern to visit The Morton Arboretum for a weekly meeting that can be scheduled around the intern’s calendar. The rest of the work could be done remotely.

Success will be determined by the completion and interpretation of the data and by the quality of the review.

Qualifications

• Strong skills in interpersonal relationships, organization, critical thinking, writing, and verbal communication required.
• Well-versed in Microsoft Office, and be willing to learn new skills.
• Please include in your application a current CV and a cover letter describing why this internship is relevant to your career goals. This position is open to candidates at any stage of training.