Summer Internship Reflections
Hello everyone!
My name is Charlotte Bruchey, and I was this summer’s intern with the Land Conservancy of Adams County (LCAC). I am a rising senior at Gettysburg College, majoring in Environmental Studies and Public Policy and minoring in Public History. Conservation has long been a personal priority of mine. Growing up in Central New Jersey, I’ve seen farm fields turn into warehouses overnight. Each time I visit home, I am astonished at the rate of development. After learning about the work that the Land Conservancy does, I felt a special connection to their mission. It seemed kismet, allowing for professional growth while holding personal meaning. The team at LCAC is small, but dedicated, and their welcoming nature was evident from my first day on the job.
Being a part of such a close-knit organization has been so meaningful. Looking back, I have grown incredible professional skills. The non-profit industry often requires you to multitask, and this summer has taught me time management and project organization like no other. Morgan and the committee encouraged me to jump in and get my hands dirty whenever and wherever possible. I loved having a sense of responsibility and independence, and I truly felt that the team trusted me to complete whatever task they sent me.
Working here has given me freedom to explore different interests with special time and care. As an Environmental Studies and Public Policy double major, this job sits directly at the intersection of my academic passions. Each week I learned about policy processes, the Adams County environment, and the rich history that surrounds us. Most weeks were spent in the field, monitoring our preserved properties. In the office, I developed our mapping system and planned our monitoring routes. I worked directly with both ArcGIS Pro and Landscape, the software systems we use to stay organized and keep track of our properties. Over the course of the summer, I saw the legal process required to draft and develop easements. I learned about the discussions that happen between our organization and the federal and state offices responsible for grants and funding. My days were incredibly varied, and I liked being able to do a little bit of everything.
One of my favorite parts of the job was meeting all of the different people involved with the LCAC. In committee meetings I found an incredible wealth of knowledge and deep understanding of the county. When visiting preserved properties, I met landowners from all over. I learned a lot about their personal reasons for preserving their land and explored the most beautiful nooks and crannies of Adams County. There is such a special network of people connected to this organization, and I feel that my understanding of the county and sense of place here has deepened immensely over the summer. I truly feel that I made a difference here at the Land Conservancy, and I am eternally grateful for the chance to spend my days doing something I care about.
The Land Conservancy of Adams County is a fully accredited, member-supported, non-profit land trust with the mission to preserve the rural lands and character of Adams County. For more information about the Land Conservancy visit PreserveAdams.org
Dave Kuhn, Charlotte Bruchey and Morgan Huckaby during annual inspection of preserved property at Kuhn Orchards.