In my time with the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program (NPS-RTCA), my assignments ran the gamut from articles in newsletters to social media posts on Facebook and Twitter. By the way, please follow NPS-RTCA on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/RTCANPS) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/RTCANPS) if you have not already!

I interviewed staff nationwide to write great content, gaining knowledge of how my office leaves a lasting legacy in conservation and outdoor recreation efforts in various communities. Additionally, the infectious enthusiasm of employees was evident in virtual meetings, exciting me even more to ensure that I could engage people in their natural surroundings through my publications. Traveling to project sites, like my recent business trip to Alaska, further affirmed that the mission of my office truly transforms places for the better.

Due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority of my fellowship was remote. Still, I am confident that the experience was just as rewarding as if it had been in person. The fact that it was my first full-time remote position allowed me to become proficient to the same extent in working from home as I am in working from a traditional cubicle. It enhanced my ability to perform virtually beyond my previous level of familiarity of part-time remote internships during college semesters, and later a full-time job where I was in close physical proximity to colleagues other than occasional Zoom and Microsoft Teams meetings.

It feels like I started my NPS-RTCA fellowship just yesterday, but the reality is that I am saying goodbye nearly a year later. I cherish the time that I spent with my coworkers and the National Park Service at large. My infinite gratitude goes to my supervisors Stephan, Suzanne, Evelyn, and Zach for their guidance and leadership. As a fellow myself, I would also like to give a special shout-out to the other fellows who I was fortunate to operate with on the communications team, including Elijah, Alisson, Will, Mia, and Vanessa. To Hispanic Access Foundation—thank you for making the job possible and for everything that you do!

I owe a lot of my enthusiasm for environmental stewardship to my NPS-RTCA job. Before I go, my final note of appreciation is for you, the audience. It has been a joy for me to have you read about my journey!

Contemplating my accomplishments and adventures as a Communications Fellow.

Logging off,

David

Agency: National Park Service

Program: Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Program (COR)

Location: Rivers, Trails Conservation Assistance Program - DC Field Office

My fortnight in the 49th state concluded with a wonderful final chapter!

While the team traveled inland to Delta Junction during the first leg of the work trip, for Week Two the group drove southwest to Homer, a small city on the Kenai Peninsula. Because of the fantastic planning by the Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF) and the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program (NPS-RTCA), everything went smoothly! Along with Zach Babb, the Program Manager for the NPS-RTCA Alaska Region, Lizzy Dean and Morgan Urquia joined for the Homer portion of the journey. Lizzy is a Community Planner and Morgan is a Community Planning Fellow. Both work in the same office as Zach, and they are all based in Anchorage.

Sign on the way into Homer.

The main reason for visiting Homer, known as the Cosmic Hamlet by the Sea, was to meet with the Friends of the Homer Public Library, an organization that applied for technical assistance from NPS-RTCA to transform the area into a cultural, educational and recreational asset for the community. The property is centrally located and can enhance ease of access by linking current pathways within the city, like the library’s Storyboard Trail. A small wetland nearby can serve as an educational resource for the public to understand the role of the habitat.

In front of the Homer Public Library.

The roadtrip happened in September 2021, but Alaska NPS-RTCA communicated with the Friends of the Homer Public Library for a long time beforehand. They arranged a community meeting for locals to share their input. As a Communications Fellow, I usually write content for social media posts and newsletters; however, this time I was fortunate enough to be the photographer for the event. Other activities with the residents included a walkthrough of the outside trail as it stands and a brainstorming session to ponder what further outdoor education areas could be built. Though early in the process, the idea of expansion is creating lots of excitement!

Meeting with Friends of the Homer Public Library board member Lyn Maslow, pictured in the center. On the left side of the table are Alisson and Morgan, and on the right side of the table are Lizzy and Zach.

On the last day in the Kenai Peninsula, the team paused at the Kachemak Bay Water Trail to learn about its history. The water trail began with technical assistance from NPS-RTCA and now stretches 125 miles between the City of Seldovia and the Homer Spit, 4.5 miles of land that juts out into the bay, hence the city’s other nickname the End of the Road.

Starting point of the Kachemak Bay Water Trail.

Upon returning to Anchortown, the last few days in Alaska were a whirlwind of fun with stops at the Anchorage Museum and at the famous “Greetings from Alaska” mural that you can see in the opening picture of this blog post.

Scenic painting at the Anchorage Museum.

Thanks for following my adventures,

David

Agency: National Park Service

Program: Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Program (COR)

Location: Rivers, Trails Conservation Assistance Program - DC Field Office

I’m back with more about Alaska!

As a Communications Fellow, I am proud to work with the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program (NPS-RTCA), via the Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF). In September 2021, I travelled to The Last Frontier for a team trip with my coworker Alisson Vera, the other HAF Communications Fellow in my office.

The day after landing, we connected with Zach Babb, the Program Manager for the Alaska Region of NPS-RTCA. He was our supervisor and an awesome guide throughout the state! Heading east from Anchorage for three hours to grab lunch in Glennallen, two hours later was Valdez to the south. Although it drizzled, the rain did not put a damper on the afternoon because of the first up-close wildlife sighting, sea lions!

Sea lions hunting for salmon near the Solomon Gulch Hatchery in Valdez.

Three hours north of Glennallen, Delta Junction was the destination the following day. As its name suggests, the city is not far from where the Delta River and the Tanana River join together. The team met with the Delta Junction Trails Association (DJTA), a nonprofit dedicated to improving the trail system and green spaces in the area to link the community and to enrich the lives of residents. Exploring the Liewer Community Trail, the upcoming Delta River Walk Park and the Bluff Cabin Trail were also sights to behold. For almost a decade, the partnership has seen NPS-RTCA put forth a great effort to help DJTA engage with locals to outline the future of many trails.

Here with Zach hiking the Bluff Cabin Trail near Delta Junction.

Day three of the drive was east for three and a half hours to the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark, deep in the heart of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. In the early 20th Century, copper ore was extracted from the mines in the mountains, and the mill town processed it. Almost $200 million worth of copper was processed overall. Nowadays the General Store and Post Office have exhibits and the short film “The Kennecott Mill” to learn about the extensive operation. Luckily the shuttle to and from the landmark was functioning, since it was the final day of the tourist season.

Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.

Walking and biking around Anchorage over the weekend, there were plenty of places to find delicious food and drink, including tasty salmon chowder and flavorful wild blueberry soda. Good spots to pause along the coast are Earthquake Park and near the airport to watch airplanes take off and land. Animals were abundant such as belugas, and in Whittier there was Dall’s porpoise and a personal favorite, sea otters!

View of the Anchorage skyline from Earthquake Park along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail.

Stay tuned for the next post, focused on Week Two when the team journeyed to Homer!

Bye for now,

David

Agency: National Park Service

Program: Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Program (COR)

Location: Rivers, Trails Conservation Assistance Program - DC Field Office

It is mid-September, and I just landed in Anchorage!

Mid-August marks four months since I began my fellowship!

David Castro is a recent graduate with a BA in political science from Vanderbilt University. He is well-versed in areas including research, office administration, public speaking, and event planning. Considering his public sector internships spanning the past seven years, David has experience in financial institutions, international relations, and conservation. He brings ample experience from stints in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and at the USDA headquarters. David cultivated his love for the outdoors through camping trips and nature walks, thanks to his upbringing in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts of America. He hopes to pursue a JD/Master of Communication Studies in the near future. David enjoys binge-watching wildlife shows like Our Planet and Moving Art, but can also be found hiking the forest preserve trails of the Chicago area.