Conservation and Data Analysis

The Morton Arboretum

Mentors

Christina Carrero, Tree Conservation Research Assistant, Global Tree Conservation Program
Dr. Rick Condit
Dr. Silvia Alvarez-Clare, Forest Ecologist

Company Overview

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 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

Help save trees around the globe from the comfort of your home!

Scientists at the Morton Arboretum (with collaborators from all over the world) are on a quest to assess the conservation status of all tree species on the planet by the end of 2020. Because there are >60,000 species of trees, we are developing simple computer codes that will help us do this more efficiently. You can help by working with Dr. Rick Condit and Christina Carrero to complete assessments for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species towards this goal by finding data online, reviewing content, and running some simple code in R.

Specific Objectives

For each tree species, the intern will: (1) review an online map with the species’ range size, specimen count to confirm locations, catch obvious errors, and assess habitat (elevation, forest cover); (2) give preliminary IUCN assessment and write 2-3 sentence justification; and (3) review and edit other fields that are automatically filled (justifications for range, conservation needs). Dr Condit and Christina Carrero will train, supervise, and work with the volunteer to conduct all these tasks. Dr. Condit will review each assessment before it is considered final and the intern will be “co-author” for each assessment.

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.