Intern Spotlight: Olivia Smith

Olivia Smith is part of the National Parks of Boston’s inaugural Climate Conservation Corps

Photo Courtesy of Olivia Smith

Meet Olivia Smith, who is a corps member with the National Parks of Boston Climate Conservation Corps through Conservation Legacy!

What was your pathway to the NPS?

This is my first position with the National Park Service. I did not have any experience with the parks before, and I did not know that there was a national park here in Boston. I got my bachelor’s degree in marine biology at the University of New Hampshire, in December of 2021, and then I did some field technician jobs in this area. I completed a field technician job working with the nonprofit Archbold Biological Station where I worked with Florida Scrub jays, which are a bird related to Bluejays that we have in the northeast. After completing almost a year, I was looking for something that was a bit closer to home, so that's one of the things that drew me to the position that I am in now. I was looking for a position that was relevant to my interests and addressed ecological issues in the region that I grew up in.

What do you do for the NPS?

Olivia takes field notes while a fellow Climate Conservation Corps member holds transect tape for a Boston Harbor Islands salt marsh monitoring project.

Photo Courtesy of Olivia Smith

I am a crew member with the first National Park Service Climate Conservation Corps. I work out of the National Parks of Boston with my team of three crew members and two program coordinators. Beyond my immediate team, I frequently work with park staff and partners from lots of different departments and fields. We do different types of project work, that all directly relate to responding to or understanding climate change, and how it is affecting resources at the park. We have three main projects that we have been working on throughout the year. One is energy efficiency assessments, so that is looking at park buildings and trying to reduce the use of things like fossil fuels, and conserving water. Another major project is related to salt marshs. There are islands in the Boston Harbor that have salt marshes on them, and they are valuable ecosystems and habitat types, so we have started a monitoring project to see how saltmarshes are affected over time from climate change and sea level rise. Our last big group project is a climate resilient plant palette. We are creating a list of the park's native species that will survive under different climate scenarios both today in the park and into the future. All of our projects follow guidelines outlined in the Green Parks Plan and Climate Change Response Strategy. Now that I am towards the end of my term, I am getting to work on my independent project, which has been exciting. I am looking at historic nesting areas of coastal breeding birds on the Boston Harbor Islands and comparing those with sea level rise projections. This way, we can see which species are at the greatest risk of nesting habitat loss from sea water inundation.

The Climate Conservation Corps Energy Efficiency Assessment project will help to identify areas where the National Parks of Boston can reduce energy usage. Here, the three crew members survey the efficiency of windows in the Park’s historic Charlestown Navy Yard.

Photo Courtesy of Olivia Smith

What do you find most rewarding about your job?

I really enjoy doing work that specifically targets climate change. It is such an urgent and important problem that we are already experiencing, so having the opportunity to push the needle towards positive change, no matter how small, feels like a privilege. It is very comforting to know that our work is always going to be centered on that, and that we are not just doing research or projects just for the sake of it. It is such a great opportunity because we each have our own areas of expertise and we can jump into the one that we are most interested in, which is a really great opportunity for career exploration and building connections with people in your field.

The Climate Conservation Corps regularly participates in community events to connect with locals and talk about climate change. Olivia and her coworker are chatting with a community member while running the Corps’ Climate Haiku Activity.

Photo Courtesy of Olivia Smith

What does it mean to you to represent your community?

Boston is a coastal city, situated on the Gulf of Maine. These waters are the ones I grew up exploring at the beach and studied in college. Representing my community means working to better understand what is happening to an environment that I am close to and examining how that effects the communities around it (including non-human communities). It feels good to be working on stuff realistically and focusing on things that are going to happen (or are happening right now) and responding to things in the moment or preparing for the future. It is also encouraging that people have set up programs like this one and are really investing in projects like this.

What advice do you have for youth and young adults thinking about a career at NPS?

There are many fields to explore at the National Park Service, beyond what you might think. Our bureau has space for educators, engineers, gardeners, researchers, and many more. Green jobs are becoming more popular, so find an area that aligns with what you are passionate about or interested in. Overall, this job has made me think about the difference between systemic changes to combat climate change, their impact, and also what you do as an individual.

For her independent project, Olivia is looking at how sea level rise will impact coastal breeding birds on the Boston Harbor Islands. She is seen here searching for a pair of American Oystercatchers on Great Brewster Island for a bird monitoring project with the National Parks of Boston

Photo Courtesy of Olivia Smith

What are your hobbies?

I like listening to any music from the 1970s, jazz, and soul. My dad set me up with a record player when I was a teenager, so I have a nice little record collection. I like art, and sculpture is my favorite art genre as far as looking at and making it. When I was twelve my mom got me art lessons at the Museum of Art in Boston. I recently just finished making a little planter for an air plant. It is a little lady holding a plant. I also enjoy snowboarding wherever there is snow and the cheapest tickets.

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