An Education in Park Maintenance

The most rewarding aspect of gaining experience in a field you were never privy to is discovering new and different interests within yourself that you would not have otherwise known about, let alone take the time to explore and develop. When I applied to this internship, I knew that I was interested in environmental studies and thought that I was conscious of some of the problems we face as a community related to self-inflicted ecological problems. I have felt overwhelmed by the sheer gravity of these issues and, even more so, how I, as an individual, could both lessen my carbon footprint and contribute to spreading awareness.

In my limited time at Park Pride, I have been exposed to community-level environmental awareness through the critical work of park maintenance and beautification. To be truthful, the first few times attending meetings at Park Pride, I was not very familiar with many parts of their organization, not with the language they were using when discussing projects or the flow of the workday; I felt somewhat lost but hung on in the hope of eventually catching on. These past couple of weeks, I’ve found myself more engaged and excited to do the work required of me and be present in the workplace in general. The more time I’ve spent at Park Pride, the more eager I am to learn about the serious labor that goes into park maintenance. For example, last Tuesday, I sat in on a community services meeting where the topic of grant disbursement was discussed; the logistics of where grant money comes from, to which park groups it goes, and why these specific organizations are chosen were explained to me by my internship coordinator, Lauren. I’m also learning to apply the skills I’ve acquired throughout my English degree to the assignments I’ve been given so far. For example, an assignment I’ve been given to work on this week involves reworking and summarizing the language in one of Park Pride’s Friends Group tool kits, which details the professional requirements expected of Park groups that partner with Park Pride.

To conclude, my education in park maintenance, and by extension, civic responsibility, is a slow but gradual process. I’m learning to take the time to observe and listen. Lauren, in particular, has been incredible at aiding me in this, as has everyone else at Park Pride, who has been so patient and accommodating throughout this time. I look forward to what comes next, to everything I have yet to learn, experience, and reflect upon.