We at the Trail Conference are sorry to say goodbye to Robert Celestin, our GIS Assistant and Alyssa Coleman, our 2017 Mile-a-Minute Intern. Robert joined us in 2016 and his passion for Geographic Information Systems helped to elevate all of our survey programs. For every volunteer survey submitted, Robert was behind the scenes, helping to comb through the data and import it into our massive database. As we began the process of building a new database, Robert was right there helping to design the database structure and organize our existing data. Even when we needed to update our technical equipment, Robert was the one researching all the new options and helped to pick the best options in our budget. His knowledge of digital technology and its conservation applications will be sorely missed and we hope our paths will cross again soon! Alyssa joined us this summer straight out of college, a recent graduate from Susquehanna University. For most of her time with us, she worked with the Mile-a-Minute Project of the Hudson Valley, whose mission is to control the spread of the invasive mile-a-minute vine (Persicaria peroliate). During the summer and early fall, she checked in on known mile-a-minute sites and kept track of new infestations. Working with land managers throughout the area, she released mile-a-minute weevils in carefully chosen sites. After her work with the Mile-a-Minute Project concluded, she stayed on to help go through and manage our emerging species database. We thank Alyssa for her enthusiasm and hard work at the Trail Conference and wish her the best in her future endeavors! |