Name: Mariel Haberle
Class Year: 2025
Major: Environmental Studies, Minor: English
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Internship Organization: New York Botanical Garden
Internship Title: Forest Intern
Location: Bronx, New York
What's happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!
This summer I'm working as a Forest Intern at the Thain Family Forest, an old growth forest at the center of the New York Botanical Garden. My main task has been carrying out field work for a soil research project, collecting and analyzing samples of the Forest’s soil to monitor the Forest’s health and history. Additionally, I work with the Forest’s horticultural team on invasive plant removal and volunteering events. I'm also researching extirpated plant species, native plants that no longer grow in the Garden, in order to identify a few species to be reintroduced. I spend time shadowing my supervisor, the Forest Manager, which involves attending conferences and meetings with researchers and staff, and learning more about how the Forest and the Garden are managed and preserved.
Why did you apply for this internship?
Growing up in Brooklyn, I really enjoyed spending time in spaces like the New York Botanical Garden. I became an Environmental Studies Major in college in part to study urban green spaces like these, exploring how they benefit both the physical environment and the communities of cities. NYBG has been around for more than a hundred years, and the Forest for even longer. There is so much to learn from both the people and the plants of the Garden, about how to protect and maintain a green space in the midst of a bustling city.
What has been your favorite part of this internship?
My favorite part of the internship has been working in the Forest. It's such a privilege to spend so much time in this space, learning about everything from the tiniest fungi and beetles to massive boulders and trees. As the largest remaining woodlands in New York City that has never been extensively cut down or developed, the Forest has a deep ecological and social history, with a lush canopy and birdcalls transporting visitors to another time and place. At the same time, the distant sounds of helicopters and cars, and people and school groups passing through are frequent reminders that the forest is still a part of this amazing city, making it even more special.
Can you talk about the skills you are learning and why they are important to you?
Through this internship I've been exposed to so many aspects of environmental work, allowing me to see how environmental scientists and gardeners are studying and protecting the environment in the face of climate change. I am gaining research skills through the fieldwork components of my internship, and through my other projects and lab work. I am also learning about horticulture, plant identification and the ways different parts of the forest ecosystem interact. I have gained experience using physical tools, working as part of a team, and working all day outdoors in all sorts of conditions. All of these skills will be helpful as I begin to apply my studies and move into the environmental field after graduation.
Career & Civic Engagement Center Environmental Studies English