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Erin's Environment & International Work Portfolio
CCC Backcountry Trails Program- 2007Trail maintenance and wilderness conservation through the California Conservation Corps and AmeriCorps' Backcountry Trails Progam | Work in the Stanislaus NFTrail maintenance in the Stanislaus National Forest. | Dry-stone masonry/Rock workRetainers installed in Stanislaus National Forest. |
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Stanislaus Backcountry Trail CrewOur crew at the end of the season with our finished project! | The Watershed Stewards Project- 2008AmeriCorps program promoting the preservation and conservation of Pacific Salmon and their habitat. Includes a strong focus on environmental education and community service. | DFG Spawner Survey Crew |
DFG Spawner SurveySalmon naturally die after they spawn. In order to gauge the number of spawning salmon, carcasses and redds (salmon nests) are counted. | DFG Habitat Type SurveyGauging the quality and quantity of salmon habitat in Northern California stream systems. | DFG Habitat Type SurveysMarking habitat units. |
Riparian Restoration with the CCC.Working with a California Conservation Corps crew on riparian restoration and native tree plantings. | Real Science ProgramConducted a hatchery trout dissection as part the 6 week Real Science Program through WSP. For 6 weeks, my teaching partner Jess and I visited this 4th grade classroom and conducted salmon science and watershed lessons and activities. | Hoopa Fish FairRan a fish print and salmon educational booth for youth at Hoopa Elementary School in Hoopa, CA. |
Creek Days Educational BoothCo-designed and ran "The Wheel of Discovery," an interactive discovery table that connected forest artifacts with salmon and watershed health. | DFG Take-A-Kid-Fishing DayHelped run DFG booth and facilitated the face painting activity. | Trail Building WorkshopAt the Watershed Steward's Project Spring Training, co-designed and conducted a trail building workshop and work exchange with the members of WSP. |
Fish Tagging at Rowdy Creek HatcheryFish tagging at the Rowdy Creek Hatchery. | My WSP Individual Service ProjectCollaborated with California State Parks to organize a watershed improvement field trip for 4th graders to the South Fork Eel River. Students removed invasive French Broom and English Ivy and then planted baby redwoods alongside the river. | My WSP Individual Service ProjectYouth learn how to properly plant trees as part of a reforestation effort alongside the South Fork Eel River. |
My WSP Individual Service ProjectWorking closely with the youth. | My WSP Individual Service ProjectCA State Parks Environmental Scientist provided support and an educational component for the youth participating in the field trip. | My WSP Individual Service ProjectA job well done! 4th grade student participants along with the adults who helped make it possible. |
My WSP Individual Service ProjectHonorary Watershed Steward certificates awarded to the 4th grade participants of the field trip. | US Forest Service- 2009Performed trail construction and maintenance as well as conservation projects for the Klamath National Forest. | Log OutsSafely cleared trails of fallen trees with the crosscut saw. |
Trail MaintenanceMaintained trail to ensure safe passage for hikers. | Trail MaintenanceHiked and performed trail maintenance and construction over a variety of terrain in different weather conditions. | CCC and Volunteer Crew SponsorWorked closely with the California Conservation Corps Backcountry Trail crew, leading them on spikes and serving as one of their sponsors during their time in the Happy Camp District. |
CCC and Volunteer Crew SponsorMembers of the California Conservation Corps Backcountry Trail Crew during a maintenance run. | CCC and Volunteer Crew SponsorSponsored the Wilderness Volunteers group in Youngs Valley. Constructed causeway in order to prevent the spread of Port-Orford Cedar Root Disease. | CCC and Volunteer Crew SponsorCauseway constructed. |
Work with PackersAssisted packers in saddling, loading, unloading, and care of stock animals. | National Park Service- 2010Worked on a backcountry trail crew in the northern section of Yosemite National Park. | Rock Wall in ProgressWorked on a dry stone masonry rock retaining wall on the trail alongside the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. |
Rock Retaining WallFinished wall constructed to repair a section of trail blown out by a rockslide. | In Camp WorkChopping wood to contribute to the camp's wood supply. | Peace Corps- 2011- 2013Successfully served 2 years and 7 months as an Environment Volunteer in the Dominican Republic. |
Site Assignment- Campo in San JuanI was assigned to a farming village just outside the southwest town of San Juan in the province of San Juan de la Maguana. The community, Las Charcas de Garabito, requested me to work on improved cookstoves amongst other environmental projects. | Improved Cookstove EducationThe most important part of any project is the education component. Here I am teaching improved cookstove project participants about improved cookstove use and maintenance. | Improved Cookstove Education |
Improved Cookstove EducationSome of the best education methods are hands-on, visual, and use simple props. A large portion of my community's population are illiterate. | Improved Cookstove ProjectFamilies in my community cook with firewood. Often they cook inside enclosed kitchens and are exposed to smoke on a daily basis. The Improved Cookstove Project aims to reduce the amount of firewood consumption (thus helping reduce deforestation) and remove smoke from the kitchen (thus improving the pulmonary health of the family). | Improved Cookstove ProjectA local mason was trained in the complete construction process of the improved cookstove. Here the walls of the stove are being made with ferro-cement technology. |
Improved Cookstove ProjectJean Carlos Orozco benefited as the local mason and stove technician of the community. He was trained in a new technology and received regular pay to construct stoves in the community. The idea is that he will be able to continue to improve his livelihood by implementing more projects in the future. | Improved Cookstove ProjectThe families are encouraged to participate in the construction. In order to receive a stove, families must comply with project requisites including assisting all mandatory meetings, paying a monetary contribution, building their own base to hold the stove, and preparing food for the workers. | Improved Cookstove ProjectFinished improved cookstoves take on a variety of decorative elements depending on the family's resources or aesthetic preference. |
Improved Cookstove ProjectThis improved cookstove features a colored cement finish. The improved cookstove has two burners and a chimney. | Improved Cookstove ProjectMembers of the Mother's Club participate with one of their member's stove builds. | Improved Cookstove ProjectBeneficiaries of the project include babies, small children, and adults living in a variety of conditions. |
Jean Carlos' HomeJean Carlos, the stove technician, saved his earnings from working on stoves to build his family's home. Here he is in the middle of construction. | Jean Carlos' HomeFamilies construct their own homes. The process often takes many years as construction is carried out in parts due to the lack of resources to purchase building materials. Thanks to the Improved Cookstove Project, Jean Carlos was able to construct his family's home in 5 months. | Bio-Sand Water Filter ProjectTap water in my community is not potable. Most families are unable to afford drinking water and are constantly plagued by water-born illnesses. Working with Leonida de la Rosa, a proactive community leader, a water filter project was initiated with support from the Rotary Club International. |
Bio-Sand Water Filter ProjectThe bio-sand water filter is able to filter water 23 hours a day and is ideal for sharing with neighbors. Correctly installed, it can provide up to 50 years of service. | Bio-Sand Water Filter ProjectLike all projects implemented in conjunction with Peace Corps in the community, the Bio-San Water Filter Project had an education component and mandatory requisites for each family in order to participate. A great effort is made to ensure the sustainability of each project. | Bio-Sand Water Filter ProjectThe 100% potable filtered water can serve a family in its drinking, cooking, bathing, and cleaning needs. Every member of the family benefits. |
Cement Floors Project RaffleThe Neighborhood Association organized a community raffle event to fundraise for their cement floor project. In one night, $20,000 pesos was raised. | Cement Floors Project RaffleA photo of the Neighborhood Association Board of Directors. The Neighborhood Association's first self-organized large-scale community project is the Cement Floors Project. | Cement Floor ProjectOver 60 families in my community live in houses with dirt floors. Dirt floors pose a serious health problem to children and their parents. These families are more plagued than most with parasites that are easily absorbed from the dirt. It is proven that children in houses with dirt floors perform lower in school and have a lesser chance of escaping the cycle of poverty. The Neighborhood Association worked hard to design a project to help improve the living conditions of these families. |
Cement Floor ProjectThe Cement Floor Project is the first major project designed, organized, and executed by the new Neighborhood Association. Part of the goal of this project was to train a local worker in the trade of cement floor-laying. Here John Carlos, the expert mason, starts establishing the level of the cement floor. | Cement Floor ProjectCement floors allow families to take more control over their health. With a cement floor, they are able to sweep, mop, and disinfect the surface upon which their children walk and play. | Cement Floor ProjectJean Carlos, the expert mason, was in charge of training Joely, our aprentice mason, in the art of cement floor-laying. Here Joely is learning on the job. |
Cement Floor ProjectLike all projects, families are required to assist mandatory meetings, pay a monetary fee, provide helpers, and prepare food for the workers. | Cement Floor ProjectA job well done. The first house in the project now has a new cement floor! 13 houses were completed in my time there. The Neighborhood Association continues to raise money and lay cement floors even after I have left the community. | Cement Floor ProjectThe mason team benefits economically for their labor: Jean Carlos and Joely. |
Cement Floor ProjectAnother family receives the health benefits of a cement floor. | Cement Floor ProjectThe final product. | Cement Floor ProjectCement floor-laying is hard work. Jean Carlos let me try it out for a quick moment. |
Cement Floor ProjectAll of the family's helpers and workers eat a well-deserved lunch. | Cement Floor ProjectA very content family with their new cement floor. | Cement Floor ProjectA massive amount of cement needs to be mixed in order to lay the floor. |
Cement Floor ProjectIn the Dominican Republic, communities are very tight knit. This photo exhibits the community's desire to support their neighbors in the work required to install cement flooring. This entire group of neighbors, friends, and family was integral to installing cement floors at the house in the background | Ecological Summer Youth CampWorking with 6 mature Dominican youth, I put on a week-long Ecological Summer Youth Camp for participants ages 8 - 12 to inspire environmental stewardship and promote environmental education. | Ecological Summer Youth CampI capacitated 6 mature Dominican youth to be summer camp and environmental education facilitators. Here Deiry teaches the participants about the water cycle and watersheds. |
Ecological Summer Youth CampThe 6 mature youth wrote letters and went to local businesses looking for donations. Sufficient cookies, crackers, and juices were generously donated to provide a weeks worth of snacks to the participants. Women from the Mother's Club helped during snack-time passing out the snacks and juices. | Ecological Summer Youth CampThe Ecological Summer Camp featured hands on activities that encouraged critical thinking and problem solving. Here Charelyn works with a group of participants challenging them to determine how long each example of trash takes to decompose. | Ecological Summer Youth CampTrash is a big environmental challenge in the lives of these children. Here Alex helps present the idea of the 3 R's to participants in the Ecological Summer Camp. |
Ecological Summer Youth CampThe Ecological Summer Youth Camp culminated with a community service project. Participants worked as teams collecting trash from the streets of their community. | Ecological Summer Youth CampAt the end of the Ecological Summer Camp, each participant received a Certificate of Participation and were awarded for perfect attendance. | Community Trash Education WorkshopBrigada Verde, the environmental youth club that I formed in the community, developed a presentation for the community to educate community members on proper trash management. |
Community Trash Education WorkshopBrigada Verde member Beva introduces the them of trash to the community. | Community Trash Education WorkshopThe community is invited to participate in a hands-on activity that requires them to guess the amount of time each example of trash takes to decompose. | Community Trash Education WorkshopCharelyn invites community members to participate in classifying different examples of trash into Good Trash (Organics) and Bad Trash (Inorganics) categories. |
Community Trash Education WorkshopI talk about the negative effects that burning trash has on the health of the community and planet. The main method of trash disposal in the community is setting fire to it. | Community Trash Education WorkshopCommunity members pledge to responsibly dispose of their trash and help maintain a clean environment. | FriendshipAs a Peace Corps Volunteer, cultural exchange is considered an important part of our assignment. A lot of my time was spent visiting and sharing with community members including lots of time with children. Here I am with some of my favorite neighborhood kids. |
Vermicompost Test PlotWorking with the Farmer's Association, I tried to demonstrate the benefits of Vermicompost in order to encourage the start of a large-scale Vermicompost project within the community. Vermicompost involves using California Red Earthworms as decomposers to break down organic matter into valuable and natural fertilizer. A project would provide low-cost fertilizer to farmers in order to reduce the cost of crop production. It would also benefit the community with trash management and recycling. | Vermicompost Test PlotA test plot of corn was planted using the organic vermicompost fertilizer in order to demonstrate to the Farmer's Association that a vermicompost project would be a beneficial endeavor. Here farmer Modesto shows off the results of the crop. | Vermicompost Test PlotThe vermicompost test plot: half of the plot used organic worm castings as fertilizer and the other half used a chemical fertilizer. The half with the organic worm castings produced more plentiful and robust heads of corn. |
The Neighborhood AssociationWhen I first began to work with my community, a Neighborhood Association did not exist. It took over a year collaborating with and encouraging local community leaders to form a Neighborhood Association. The Neighborhood Association is the key community organization responsible for the improvement of community conditions and promotion of community projects. | The Neighborhood AssociationMembers of the Neighborhood Association participate in a commission to the local municipal office to visit the Syndicate. They present maps of the community illustrating points of high concentrations of trash, thus demonstrating the need for a trash-pickup service. | The Neighborhood AssociationI traveled to the Municipal Government office on my trusty horse La Paz to support the Neighborhood Association's commission to request trash pick-up service for the community. In the end, trash pick-up service was secured for the community. |
The Neighborhood AssociationTrash pick-up service was secured for the community through the Neighborhood Association's commission to visit the Syndicate. Here the trash truck comes to the community for the first time. | Community Clean-Up to Prevent DengueThe Neighborhood Association self-organized a community cleanup in order to educate residents on the importance of proper trash management as an effective method to the prevention of the mosquito born-illness Dengue. | Community Clean-Up to Prevent DengueInformational brochures, trash bags, and chlorine were passed out to all of the households in the community. Each family was informed about the importance of maintaining a clean patio were encouraged to participate in the community clean-up. |
Anniversary-Neighborhood AssociationIn July, the Neighborhood Association celebrated their 1st Anniversary. They organized a celebratory event for the entire community. Here, visitors participate in an outdoor collaborative art activity to create a banner symbolizing community unity. | Anniversary-Neighborhood AssociationAustria, the Neighborhood Association's Secretary proudly places her handprint on the community unity banner. | Anniversary-Neighborhood AssociationInside, youth created posters to help decorate for the event. Each poster represents a quality important to a cohesive community. |
Anniversary-Neighborhood AssociationAs part of the celebration, a slideshow with pictures showcasing the Neighborhood Association's efforts and projects was projected, a list of their accomplishments was read aloud, and members with the highest attendance were recognized. | Anniversary-Neighborhood AssociationI had two special certificates made to recognize two very hard working and talented young men who dedicated their time in order to make the cement floor community project possible: Jean Carlos Orozco and Joely Soler. | Youth Community Mural ProjectI worked with a group of youth to talk about the important theme of community and design a mural project that would beautify the community and improve the community's Community Center. These youth talk about the qualities necessary to have a healthy community and brainstorm ideas for a community themed mural. |
Youth Community Mural ProjectAnyel shows off his idea for the mural. In the end, elements from the ideas of all the youth participants were put together to form their original mural idea. | Youth Community Mural ProjectThe youth present their mural idea for the Community Center to the Neighborhood Association. The theme of the mural is "Working together we can achieve everything!" | Youth Community Mural ProjectParticipating youth pose in front of the mural in progress at the Community Center. |
Youth Community Mural ProjectYouth Community Mural Project | Youth Community Mural ProjectYouth Community Mural Project | Youth Community Mural ProjectSome of the young artists pose in front of their finished Community Center Mural. "Working together we can achieve everything!" |
Brigada Verde Donates a Trash CanBrigada Verde pitches in to the Community Center improvement project by purchasing and painting a trash can for the Community Center. | Brigada Verde Donates a Trash CanBrigada Verde pitches in to the Community Center improvement project by purchasing and painting a trash can for the Community Center. | Brigada Verde's EarthDay Movie NightFor Earth Day, Brigada Verde organized a special movie night for the community showcasing an episode of "Planet Earth." They presented important facts about the Earth, Solar System, and Earth to the community. For many community members, the information presented was new to them. They were also exposed to the diversity of Planet Earth. Most do not have access to cable television or information of higher learning. |
Brigada Verde's EarthDay Movie NightBefore the showing of Planet Earth, Brigada Verde quizzed the participants where their country was located on the globe. | Brigada Verde's EarthDay Movie NightAlthough the movie night was free, participants were encouraged to support Brigada Verde's future projects through the purchase of popcorn and soda. | Working With The Mother's ClubThroughout my time in the community, I worked closely with the Mother's Club, providing education and different activities. Here, women learn how to make picture frames with recycled materials after learning the importance of proper trash management. |
DSCN0224_edited.jpg | Working With The Mother's ClubPresident of the Mother's Club Austria shows off her photo frame creation. | My Despedida/Going Away PartyLa Paz and I successfully completed our service and are dressed up and ready to attend my going away party thrown by my community. |
My Despedida/Going Away PartyThe community gathers in the decorated Community Center to say thanks and bid me farewell. | My Despedida/Going Away PartyPosing with various community members. It was a super emotional event. | My Despedida/Going Away PartyEveryone files outside to continue the program. Local palo drums are ready to be played at the end of the going away party. |
My Despedida/Going Away PartyMy youth present to me a special medal to thank me for my work and dedication to them and the community. Very touching! | My Despedida/Going Away PartyThe Farmer's Association presents me a plaque to thank me for my work and dedication to their group and the community. | My Despedida/Going Away PartyThe Mother's Club presents me a plaque to thank me for my work and dedication to their group and the community. I will definitely miss my community! |
Plaque Dedicated to La PazA plaque dedicated to La Paz and all pets that have served Peace Corps Volunteers was installed in the Peace Corps Dominican Republic office. La Paz served as a faithful "project partner" and companion for two years of my service, helping make all that I achieved possible. | We Did It!2 years and 7 months as a Peace Corps Volunteer has culminated in a successful and life-changing experience. Here, my cat Tico Jr. and I pose in front of my mural in the Peace Corps office before catching our flight to return to the United States of America and start our lives over. |
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