The Next Chapter: The Gunks

I guess it is time for the big announcement! Let's start with some background information first. So, a few weeks ago, I went to visit Marc while he was bartending at Amangani. I sat at the bar and looked at Marc and was like, "I want to move. I love the Tetons, but I want to find a job that is going to put my masters to good use and give me set days off." Do not get me wrong, I have enjoyed the seasonal, balls to the wall job I have this summer, but it really has not given me some sanity, reflection time to have some time to myself, breathe, and of course, play in the Tetons. And so far this summer, I really have not been given enough time to play here. And that was the biggest reason why I moved back to Jackson.

So as Marc and I talked about moving. We wrote up a list of a few places that we could see ourselves moving to. One of the places on our list was New Paltz, NY. It really had many of the qualities that we looked for in a town/city: climbing, outdoor education, mountains, closer to the home (the east), and accessibility to the ocean. And then we looked at each other and said, "Yes, this is the place we should move to!" Now, the next and hardest part: find something to do there. And I knew just who to call in New Paltz, David Toman!

David used to work with me at the Delaware Nature Society and moved up to New Paltz for a job with the Mohonk Preserve. I had visited the Preserve a few summers ago when I came to visit the Toman's and had visited the Mohonk Mountain House (mostly what New Paltz is well known for) a little before that. All in all, I really loved New Paltz: it reminded me of Ashland, had a lot of outdoor recreation opportunities, and the Preserve provides outdoor education programming similar to Delaware Nature Society and Teton Science Schools.

So that was it, as I sat at the bar, I pulled at my iPhone and wrote David and e-mail pretty much saying, "Marc and I are moving back east, specifically New Paltz, and was wondering if your organization or anywhere in the area had any job openings." Literally, the next day, he e-mailed me to call him. When I called him, he alerted me that they just created a new job position where many of my past experiences and schooling would definitely come in handy and benefit. Then the job interviewing began! I had a preliminary conversation with Kathy Ambrosini, Director of Education, asking about the Preserve, the different departments, and what this potential job would have in store for a candidate. It was a really positive and rich conversation! About a few days later, I was asked to have a formal interview with her and the Director of Research Emeritus, Paul Huth. It went super well and felt very pleased with my interview! :)

A few days after that of impatiently/patiently waiting, I received a voicemail to call Kathy back. Mind you, this was all while I was still being a wildlife tour guide! While my group was waiting for Old Faithful erupt, I called Kathy back and she explained that she was pleased to inform me that she, Paul, and the Preserve wanted to offer me a job as the Citizen Science Education Coordinator! I was so super happy and pretty much mind set, that I accepted the offer right as Old Faithful was erupting! Boom! A few of my clients came back to the Old Faithful Inn just as I was accepting the offer and took a picture! They even gave me a congratulations gift - a bear onesie! They knew me very well!

Accepting my new job offer at the Old Faithful Inn while Old Faithful is erupting!

So there you have it! I have a big girl job! As the Mohonk Preserve's Citizen Science Coordinator, I will be working in two different departments: the Education and Conservation Science Departments.

In the Education department, I will be teaching school field studies, summer camp, and outreach programs as a Field Educator. I am super excited since many of these programs were programs I have taught back in Delaware or the Tetons (Lenape Lifeways (Kathy Szczerba would be proud), Pond Ecology, Forest and Field, Water Quality, Fire Ecology, Tracking, and much more). I also will be coordinating, managing, and teaching an outreach program called, Pond Keepers. This program brings a mini pond in an aquarium that the class will take care of/monitor/observe for 10-days while participating in lessons and activities we provide them to do (mostly all taught by the teacher) while I teach an introduction and concluding program.

My Guests Got Me a Gift to Say Congratulations!

In the Conservation Science department, I will be using a lot of my volunteer coordinating experience and coordinating/managing/collecting data for many, if not all, of the citizen science projects the Preserve conducts. Projects I will be recruiting, training, and assisting volunteers in Climate Trackers (daily weather and Mohonk lake samples), Phenology Project (daily phenological observations for a variety of National Phenology Network recognized trails), Hawk Watch (recognized by the Hawk Migration Association of North America), Peregrine Watch, Bird Breeding Census, Christmas Bird Counts, and Vernal Pool Monitoring. I also assist in collecting phenological observations and water quality sampling of many areas of the Preserve and the Sky Lakes on the Shawangunk Ridge.

I know this will be a lot (since it is basically two full-time jobs in one), but I am super excited to be pretty much doing my dream job. Also, as I get more acclimated with the Preserve and this new place, I can incorporate some more programs and ideas of my own - of course, ART AND SCIENCE! So I am beyond pumped for this new chapter - hence the new name change in my blog!

So next time you hear from me, I'll be back east!!!! TheChristyBel is coming home!

CBel

This Will Come in Handy for the East Coast Winter!