Watch List Species Mapping and Data Collection Internship

Job Description

To be considered, please submit your application by Friday, January 31, 2025.

Position Summary and Goals:

Working with staff from Plant Records and Horticulture, the intern will assist in an initiative at Denver Botanic Gardens: assessing which introduced ornamental plant species are exhibiting early warning signs of becoming invasive. The intern will ensure that taxa on the Gardens’ Watch List (a list of taxa spreading from locations of cultivation) are accessioned, mapped, photographed, and vouchered; the intern will also collect data on reproduction and spread.

Compensation package includes a housing stipend of $1,000. Details to be covered during the interview process.

About Us

Green inside and out, Denver Botanic Gardens was founded in 1951 and is considered one of the top botanical gardens in the United States and a pioneer in water conservation. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, The Gardens has a robust living plant collection, natural history collection and art collection along with temporary art exhibitions. The Gardens is a dynamic, 24-acre urban oasis in the heart of the city, offering unforgettable opportunities to flourish with unique garden experiences for the whole family – as well as world-class exhibitions, education, and plant conservation research programs.

For more information, visit us online at www.botanicgardens.org.

Denver Botanic Gardens is currently seeking a Watch List Species Mapping and Data Collection Internship Intern in our Horticulture Department! Read below to see if the requirements might be a good fit for you:

Salary

$20.00 – Per Hour

Duties & Responsibilities

Background:

The living collections at Denver Botanic Gardens are some of the most diverse in North America. To further the goal of diverse collections, the Gardens engages in seed collecting expeditions to other regions of the world, collaborates with other gardens through the Plant Collecting Collaborative (PCC), partners with Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) to obtain plant material from Argentina, and participates in the exchange of seed through Index Seminum. Through Plant Select®, the Gardens furthers its mission of connecting people with plants by introducing regionally appropriate ornamental plants to the nursery trade.

Recently, the Gardens has become increasingly committed to the role it can serve in mitigating the introduction of invasive species, which are defined as species that are not native to the location being considered and whose presence and spread negatively impact ecological, economic, or human health, or are likely to. Some invasive species are unintentionally introduced, while others are intentionally introduced for agriculture, forestry, or the ornamental plant trade. Research over the past two decades demonstrates that the ornamental plant trade, including botanic gardens, is a pathway of invasive species. To address this, the Gardens has been developing a watch list of plant species exhibiting early warning signs of becoming invasive. Currently, the Gardens is collecting data on these species, which will be shared with other public gardens. Eventually, findings will be shared with the nursery and horticulture industries with the goal of early detection and rapid response.

Requirements

Internship Highlights:

• Interns will take part in field trips, lectures, and group projects. We at Denver Botanic Gardens feel strongly that there is no substitute for hands-on learning so in addition to the project and participating in the learning opportunities, interns are expected to work alongside their mentors and other horticulturists in the Gardens. This will include participating in the daily activities associated with public garden maintenance – weeding, watering, planting, accessioning, preparing for special events, etc.
• The goal of the internship is to provide an overview of public horticulture as well as useful experience in a specific area which can help students define their interests in horticulture.
• As a member of Denver Botanic Gardens staff, interns will participate in employee meetings and other day-to-day operations and will be subject to all Denver Botanic Gardens employment policies.
• In Denver temperatures can reach a sizzling 100° in mid-summer, while temperatures at our Mount Goliath site can drop into the 50’s. Humidity is very low here, however, there are occasional days of rain or drizzle. Interns should be prepared to work in these environmental extremes as the work site is primarily outdoors.
• Regular attendance at the work site may be required. As with all positions at Denver Botanic Gardens, the incumbent must be in good performance standing to be eligible for remote work. Remote work is at the discretion of management at all times.
• All Gardens employees must be committed to the mission of connecting people with plants, especially plants from the Rocky Mountain region and similar regions around the world, providing delight and enlightenment to everyone.

General Duties and Responsibilities/Deliverables:

• Ensure taxa on Watch List are accessioned and mapped
• Collect data on reproduction and spread
• Photograph plants for educational purposes and upload those images to BG-BASE
• Voucher taxa on list to confirm identifications and document locations
• Use iNaturalist to report species escaping from cultivation
• Give a presentation to staff and write a blog post detailing the project and what was learned

Skills that will be learned or refined:

• BG-BASE and BG-Map computer systems for databasing and mapping
• Plant identification
• Photography of plants
• Herbarium vouchering
• Data collection

Horticultural knowledge that will be learned and how this project will link classroom theory with practical experience:

• Documenting plants through BG-MAP/AutoCAD, BG-BASE, and digital photography
• Plant identification
• Collaboration with staff from Plant Records and Horticulture
• Education/communication about a sensitive, yet important topic

Eligibility Requirements:

• Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the United States.
• Candidates must be currently enrolled in a post-secondary academic program or have graduated within the past six months.
• To be considered for this internship, you must complete the application in full. Please submit all of the following: resume, cover letter, transcript(s) (unofficial transcripts accepted), and two letters of reference.
• Must have proven excellent customer service, interpersonal, and communication skills in dealing with the public.
• Ability to maintain stability under pressure and able to deal well with stressful situations.
• Ability to be flexible and willing to modify plans, when necessary, throughout the day.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends and/or holidays.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Suite products, specifically Word, Excel and Outlook and Teams.
• Ability to work overtime as necessary.
• Must be a positive representative of the Gardens both internally and externally at all times.
• Must work with respect and cooperation at all times with fellow employees and the public.
• Must be committed to working safely at all times.

Mentor Profiles:

Mike Kintgen has been passionate about plants since a very young age and involved with Denver Botanic Gardens also from a rather young age. His interests include alpine and rock garden plants but extend to almost anything that has chlorophyll. Mike has a bachelor’s degree in landscape horticulture from CSU and is currently involved in the North American Rock Garden Society, American Penstemon Society and several other national and international plant societies. He is a popular lecturer both nationally and internationally. Recently he completed a master’s degree in alpine ecology at Regis University and is attempting to make living collections better represent natural ecosystems.

Jennifer Toews is assistant manager of Plant Records at Denver Botanic Gardens, where she has worked since 2015. In this role, she helps document the living collections at the Gardens through database curation, photography, and mapping. Other focuses include western native plants, their use in landscaping, invasive species, and alpine plant conservation. She holds bachelor’s degrees in English and biology and a master’s degree in English.

To be considered, please submit your application by Friday, January 31, 2025.

Come work for a place that offers you SO much more than just a paycheck!

Education and Experience

Candidates must be currently enrolled in a post-secondary academic program or have graduated within the past six months.

Application Instructions

https://www.botanicgardens.org/join-give/career-opportunities